Beholder 2

83%
Game Brain Score Based on 875 reviews
  • story
  • gameplay
  • graphics
Beholder 2 Game Cover
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In Beholder 2, you are a government inspector in a totalitarian state, climbing the ministry ranks by any means necessary. You'll investigate citizens, manipulate your subordinates, and make moral choices that impact the story. Experience an engaging narrative with multiple endings, while uncovering the corruption and secrets within the government.

  • iPad
  • iPhone
  • Mac OS
  • Nintendo Switch
  • PC
  • Phone
  • Play​station 4
  • Steam Deck
  • Windows
  • Xbox One
  • Android
  • Linux
  • Mobile Platform
  • Play​Station
  • Tablet
  • Xbox
Genres & TagsPlay Modes

Reviews

83%
Audience ScoreBased on 875 reviews
story145 positive mentions
grinding63 negative mentions
  • Engaging and dark storyline with multiple plot twists and endings.
  • Well-developed characters and moral dilemmas that make choices feel impactful.
  • Improved gameplay mechanics and graphics compared to the first game.
  • Repetitive and tedious mini-games that can detract from the overall experience.
  • Some quests can become frustratingly convoluted, leading to potential dead ends.
  • The game can feel slow-paced due to excessive walking and grinding for resources.
  • story405 mentions

    The story of Beholder 2 is a complex and engaging narrative set in a dystopian world, filled with moral dilemmas and impactful choices that significantly affect character fates and plot outcomes. While some players appreciate the depth and twists of the storyline, others find it predictable or lacking in coherence, particularly in how choices influence the ending. Overall, the game is praised for its dark themes, character development, and the ability to explore various story branches, making it a compelling experience for fans of narrative-driven games.

    • “The storyline was compelling, and ethical decision making took front and center, which is what I love so much about the Beholder games.”
    • “Beholder 2 is a story-driven game that continues the sad dystopian-like story from the first one with new characters, new mechanics, and fresh gameplay.”
    • “The story is engaging and propels things forward nicely, with many people to befriend, deceive, or betray, and the entire story is written in such a way that you want to go deeper into the organization to understand the true meaning behind it.”
    • “The story is, however, completely lackluster.”
    • “The story stats promisingly enough, but the quests become a little tedious and it gradually begins to erode the entertainment value I derived from it initially.”
    • “The basic story and grim atmosphere that I grew to love in the original Beholder is still very present in this game, yet is distinctly apart from the first game in a wonderful way.”
  • gameplay190 mentions

    The gameplay of "Beholder 2" has received mixed reviews, with many players finding it repetitive and tedious, often likening it to a bureaucratic grind that detracts from the overall experience. While some appreciate the new mechanics and expanded world, others feel it lacks the engaging depth of its predecessor, leading to a gameplay loop that can feel monotonous and uninspired. Despite these criticisms, the game does offer a variety of tasks and moral choices that can enhance replayability for those invested in the story.

    • “Beholder 2 is a really interesting game that continues the sad dystopian-like story from the first one with new characters, new mechanics, and fresh new gameplay.”
    • “The gameplay is a mix of point-and-click style adventuring with light stealth and bureaucratic minigames.”
    • “The gameplay is pretty different from the first game, but it didn't throw me off for very long and was eager to see how old mechanics were replaced or repurposed.”
    • “The gameplay loop can be summed up as: do boring minigame, talk to guy to get quest, run across map, talk to another guy, complete the quest, do boring minigame, etc.”
    • “Its shift in focus to the appeal division of the ministry and its uninspired gameplay mechanics make for a dull and dislikable experience.”
    • “The gameplay is a mix of point-and-click style adventuring with light stealth and bureaucratic minigames, but it feels tedious and unengaging.”
  • graphics92 mentions

    The graphics of the game have received mixed reviews, with some praising the unique and stylized art style that enhances the overall atmosphere, while others feel it falls short compared to previous installments. Many users appreciate the stunning artwork and the shift to 3D graphics, although some miss the charm of the original 2D style. Overall, the visuals are described as clean, well-thought-out, and fitting for the game's themes, contributing positively to the storytelling experience.

    • “The graphics are stunning and the gameplay is smooth and intuitive.”
    • “The graphics are gorgeous, the story is amazing, and there is so much content!”
    • “The artwork is fantastic - tons of little details that just make a great atmosphere to build a story with.”
    • “Aesthetically, the overall package is average.”
    • “Depressive graphics, boring campaign.”
    • “Problem is the graphics and pretty much everything else except the name and mini games that let you gain money is not Beholder.”
  • grinding66 mentions

    The grinding aspect of the game has received mixed reviews, with many players finding the repetitive tasks and mini-games to be excessively tedious and detracting from the overall enjoyment. While some appreciate the grind as a thematic element that reflects the bureaucratic setting, others feel it becomes a chore that hampers engagement with the narrative and gameplay. Overall, the grinding is seen as a significant hurdle, often requiring substantial time investment for minimal rewards, which can lead to frustration and boredom.

    • “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
    • “Many achievements require excessive grinding.”
    • “This game is not fun; the base gameplay loop required to farm money is a tedious chore that leads to boredom, making me question why I would continue playing.”
    • “The tasks feel tedious, with a lot of running from one area to another over and over.”
  • humor34 mentions

    The humor in the game is characterized by a blend of dark, macabre elements and clever writing, often eliciting laughter through absurdity and unexpected twists. While many players appreciate the well-crafted characters and entertaining side quests, some criticize the reliance on jarring pop culture references and one-note humor that can feel repetitive. Overall, the game successfully balances its bleak setting with moments of hilarity, making it a recommended experience for fans of dark humor and dystopian narratives.

    • “The humor is excellent; there's even a South Park reference if you look closely.”
    • “The characters are well written, and there's been some quality twists already, one of which initially made me angry but ended up making me laugh just a few seconds later when it backfired hilariously.”
    • “Lot's of twists and turns, also a lot of funny moments in a game centered around a dark, gloomy dystopian world.”
    • “The game is full of unfunny and jarring pop culture references, like the disabled scientist character named 'Stephen Dawking'—it's just not clever.”
    • “The humor falls flat, relying on tired clichés and forced jokes that fail to elicit any genuine laughter.”
    • “I found the attempts at humor to be cringeworthy, with jokes that feel outdated and poorly executed.”
  • atmosphere32 mentions

    The atmosphere of the game is consistently described as dark, disturbing, and immersive, effectively capturing a dystopian and authoritarian setting that enhances the storytelling and character development. Many reviewers appreciate the attention to detail in the art style and worldbuilding, which contribute to a strong sense of ambiance, although some note that the atmosphere can vary between installments in the franchise. Overall, the game's ability to evoke a bleak yet engaging environment is a standout feature, despite occasional criticisms regarding gameplay clarity and narrative coherence.

    • “The setting of the ministry captures the Orwellian atmosphere of a dystopian totalitarian government brilliantly, and the writing does a great job of crafting interesting characters and injecting some humor into this very bleak world.”
    • “The artwork is fantastic - tons of little details that just make a great atmosphere to build a story with.”
    • “The atmosphere and setting of the game is really disturbing and depressing, which is by design.”
    • “But in the end the game is quite straightforward, annoying at times, has almost no atmosphere and ... well the story is poor and basically doesn’t make any sense.”
    • “A huge chunk of the game's atmosphere just vanished with this ugly, clunky, stuttering 3D.”
  • music30 mentions

    The music in the game has received mixed reviews, with some players praising its fitting ambiance and emotional depth, particularly in relation to the game's dystopian themes. However, many have criticized the repetitive nature of the soundtrack, noting that it can become monotonous and reminiscent of "elevator music." Overall, while the soundtrack enhances the atmosphere, a desire for more variety and memorable tracks has been expressed.

    • “The soundtrack plays well to the mood.”
    • “The art and music were amazing, and the grind of the game was a welcome feeling.”
    • “Amazing game! I really love the new cinematic style... the music is really good and the sound effects are well developed.”
    • “There is one song that repeats throughout the ministry (the place where you spend 99% of your time in the game) which is dark, droning, and dreary.”
    • “Seriously, adding an extra 4 songs for the ministry would make it so much more of an experience.”
    • “Music monotony: the soundtrack is as memorable as yesterday's lunch.”
  • replayability23 mentions

    The game's replayability is a mixed bag; while it features numerous story branches and choices that encourage multiple playthroughs, many players find the lack of mobility boosts and repetitive mini-games detract from the overall experience. Some enjoy the engaging narrative and character depth, leading to high replayability, while others feel that the gameplay becomes tedious after a few runs, resulting in a modest replay value. Overall, the game offers potential for replayability, but its enjoyment may diminish with repeated play.

    • “It's replayable, has a great story, morbid characters and choices, a visually appealing art style, and it makes you think all while still being fun.”
    • “Overall, super fun game with high replayability value!”
    • “Nevertheless, Beholder 2 has a good storyline and interesting characters, and with multiple endings, there is the replayability factor.”
    • “As the game goes on and on, the lack of any mobility boost keeps bugging you to the point that the replayability value of the game drops to zero, and this game has a lot of story branches, meaning the developers expect you to replay over and over.”
    • “Without this issue, I would give this a major thumbs up, but getting such a detail awfully wrong will earn it another thumbs down for wasting my time and making the game un-replayable.”
    • “But (yes, there is a 'but'), the replay value is not too high, so after playing it a couple of times, you really don't want to play it anymore since you know it means hours and hours of extremely boring stamping of mindless documents.”
  • emotional12 mentions

    The emotional aspect of "Beholder 2" is mixed, with some players feeling a strong attachment to characters and experiencing impactful moments, while others find the emotional depth lacking compared to its predecessor, "Beholder 1." The game presents adult themes that may distress some players, and while it offers interesting narratives, the emotional investment in choices feels diminished for many. Overall, it elicits varied emotional responses, from deep attachment to confusion over its tonal shifts.

    • “I found myself with an emotional attachment to most of the characters in the game and I went back more than a few times to try and get the best end for them all.”
    • “Absolutely brilliant, I loved this game and became so emotionally attached... seeing the final ending honestly moved me to tears.”
    • “If you can imagine a 3D version of 'Papers, Please' with even more story depth and emotional investment, you have 'Beholder 2'.”
  • stability3 mentions

    Overall, while some users report not experiencing major glitches that hinder game progression, there are numerous complaints about bugs affecting gameplay, leading to frustration and dissatisfaction.

    • “While I've not run into any specific glitches that break game progression, I've heard many complaints about it.”
    • “No refund after only 101 minutes of buggy gameplay.”
  • character development1 mentions

    The character development is highlighted by the unique design of the beholder character, which stands out and adds to the overall appeal of the game.

    • “I love the beholder character design; it's simply unique.”
  • optimization1 mentions

    The game's optimization has been criticized for causing significant performance issues, resulting in a clunky and stuttering experience that detracts from the overall atmosphere.

    • “A huge chunk of the game's atmosphere just vanished with this ugly, clunky, stuttering 3D.”
    • “The optimization is so poor that it feels like I'm playing a beta version of the game.”
    • “Frequent frame drops and long loading times completely ruin the experience.”
Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

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Play time

8hMedian play time
10hAverage play time
6-12hSpent by most gamers
*Based on 6 analyzed playthroughs

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