Difficulty:

Hard

Time Spent:

10 Hours or Less

The Bottom Line:

"Almost, but not quite"

Infinity Blade 2 leaves the first Infinity Blade game in the dust and it serves little purpose to compare the two. I'd rather give you my overall summary of gameplay pro's and con's.

In terms of graphics, there is no equal on any mobile device. IB2 is as crisp and clear as any National Geographic photo. Design and presentation are the equal to any game on any gaming device, be it mobile or console.

HOWEVER...many things are left unexplained in terms of game play; such as the meanings of multiple icons, the reasons for the instances of depleting health, the total use of the inventory system, a guide or map to make game play strategies, unforeseen dead ends and consequential deaths....heck, how about the object of the game? All of these problems can be figured out but only through guesswork, presumptions and trial and error. And the game maker has definitely assumed that you played...and fell in love with....the first Infinity Blade game.

Where the heck is the difficulty progression going with this game? I'm on my second play through after a "crash" during the first. I'm a level 20 knight and am on rebirth 8. I've used no outside money, just what my scavenging has given me. Is this game supposed to have progressive difficulty? I just fought a scary-looking 10 foot-tall warrior and he was a push-over. This guy was the guardian to the level Boss. But during a previous grind through the castle, I came across a foe that was ridiculously difficult. I'm no slouch, I have good reflexes and I am a gamer to the core...so when I find a gameplay glitch a little out-of-whack, it's legit. The uneven game play paths are what bring this title down to earth. The Boss's usually do not play by the same rules that you have been playing by during the previous several hours.

I utilize mobile gaming because of the amount of time I'm traveling. I use my iPod Touch. Infinity Blade 2 is the best game I've seen on mobile devices. But it just is not the masterpiece that the people at Chair Studios believe it to be. I'd rather sacrifice a little presentation and graphical genius and replace it with game play that is still "fun" after a few hours, rather than a tedious, repetitious grind.