I was obviously hiding under a rock this time last year, so the release of The Incredible Adventures of Van Helsing passed me by. I was excited to try the sequel, though, and was generously provided with a preview build so I could catch up on what I was missing. For various reasons, we don’t agree to preview games we don’t think we’ll love, and this game was no exception. I definitely wasn’t disappointed. As usual, you’ll find the trailer below.
To catch you up on the series in case you’ve been under a rock too, The Incredible Adventures of Van Helsing II is the sequel to its gothic-noir, action RPG predecessor. Adding onto the first installment, the sequel features more unique playable classes, as well as the ability to import a character from the original game. I experimented with most, but ultimately chose to play through with my usual pick of glass-cannon spellcaster, Adeptus.
Admittedly, the gameplay is very Diablo-esque, but that didn’t hinder my enjoyment at all. Sure, blasting at hoards of enemies is definitely the gameplay foundation, but there’s more to it than that. For me, be best part of the game was that it boasts plenty of statistics to micromanage with gear and skill choices, and a ridiculous number of abilities to learn and create combos around. At this point in the preview build, not all items are named, yet I was still looking for ways to make even minor increases to my DPS.
Initially set to be released in April, the game has been delayed until May 22nd, 2014. Although it might seem like an inconvenience to some, I have nothing but respect for developers that choose to delay the release of their games in order to make last-minute tweaks to better serve their audience. My experience with the preview build of The Incredible Adventures of Van Helsing II was nothing but positive, so I’m looking forward to the polish this next two months will add to the game.
