Drakengard 2
Criminally Underrated...
EDIT:Umm...there should be 5 stars up there for overall...must be a site glitch.    The first Drakengard was an interesting deviation from Square Enix's strict regimen of traditional RPG's.  The concept was intriguing: try to spice up Dynasty Warriors type action and add on a story to actually make it all drive towards SOMETHING.  The result was a very addictive but mixed effort.  A friend once told me, \\"it's a horrible game and I've beaten it 3 times\\".  While that's a bit strong, it portrays well that the game suck you in for longer than you intended to play.  The story was reasonably compelling, but towards the end, it completely loses cohesion and sanity.    Enter Drakengard 2.  Fans of the first game were disappointed that the number of endings had been reduced and that there weren't really any extra chapters of gameplay.  Everything else about the game has been greatly improved.  All in all, Drakengard is just as oddly addicting as the first game and the package as a whole feels more complete.    Music: Drakengard featured a rather dissonant but enjoyable soundtrack.  The soundtrack here is more melodic and even beautiful at points.  It well performs of elevating the atmosphere for the game's large battles.    Story: I highly recommend playing the first Drakengard before playing the sequel.  While the story in the first is disjointed, playing to at least the first ending makes events in the sequel meaningful.  Drakengard 2's story is one of the big forces that keep the gamer playing \\"just one more level.\\"  Definitely a plus.    Graphics: definitely improved a bit from the first.  Some of the combos (especially with one of the female characters) are simply spectacular.  Many review sites bemoaned the \\"dated graphics\\", but I'm not sure what they're complaining about- I was quite pleased.    Gameplay: The gameplay in D2 is a nice improvement and offers up some missing variety.  The first game was partly addicting because of its weapon system.  Many scores of weapons could be found hidden in the game's many levels.  Each weapon could then be leveled up to increase both its attributes and the power/effect of its magic attack.  D2 keeps this system but also adds on items and accessories- You'll need them.  On the challenging difficulty and any difficulty up, D2 can be a bit of a challenge.  This all becomes quite rewarding when you master some of the new combat additions.  Different weapons can now unlock different combos.  In addition, a much needed parry system has been introduced.  Finally, the game has 4 playable characters and give good reason to switch between them.  It's true that much of the time you'll be mashing the square button, but that's not the full story.  To beat the game on any difficulty other than normal, you'll need skill.    Drakengard 2 may not be cutting edge, but for anybody who liked the first Drakengard, this is a must buy.  Action game fans should give it a try- they might just find themselves sucked in.