I won’t spoil the subsequent joys of the opening level (and what follows) any more, but suffice to say it demonstrated beautifully the power of Croteam’s engine and it’s underlying technology; the lush vistas of the valley, giving way to atmospheric temple catacombs; complete with moody lighting, eerie shadows and crumbling stone walls. It is this impressive diversity that marks another one of Sam’s main strengths, and Croteam’s attention to detail in designing the game’s environments. Whilst the structure of the game may indeed be rather linear, this simple approach has allowed for a pleasing ease of progression, without the worries of having missed something crucial and having to go back, etc. Of course, you could argue that this ‘no-brainer’ approach can quickly become predictable, but there is a definite pleasure in being able to play something without having to worry about what has gone before; safe in the knowledge that you won’t have to bore yourself with the same scenery again. It is this arcade approach to gameplay, which is often easily likened to that of a 3d-platform game, that yields surprising dividends, as Croteam’s totally un-retro approach to level and monster design keeps the game fresh and exciting.

With this in mind a number of exciting locales are included; South American jungle/ruins, Persia (desert, etc.) and a Medieval setting. What’s equally impressive is that these settings each have their own very distinct atmosphere; which is enhanced brilliantly by the superb dynamic music, which reflects the pace of play nicely, as well as the style of the locations. This was a particular favourite of mine, being an unambiguous subtlety of the design.

So, not great deal has changed from the first encounter really, the graphics have improved a little; with certain particle effects adding to the attractiveness of the worlds, as well as rendering improvements making for more detailed environments, though the game’s main plus is still there: the enemy count. Which once again is as huge and daunting as it ever was. Which is a very good thing, and makes for some immense battles. The huge bosses also return in dramatic style, with some even bigger and more outlandish brutes for our hero to contend with. I won’t spoil it for you though…