Kane & Lynch 2: Dog Days

Better than the first game, and an amazing technical achievement, but the shooting needs work to fully realise its potential.

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In "Kane & Lynch 2: Dog Days," players control Lynch, a mercenary with a sociopathic personality, in a brutal and gritty journey through the criminal underworld of Shanghai. The game features a unique visual style, mimicking the look of recorded footage from a camera, and fast-paced, tactical gunplay. The story takes a fresh approach, presenting itself as a raw, realistic depiction of violence and crime, rather than a typical action-packed blockbuster.

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Reviews

67%

Audience ScoreBased on 3,950 reviews

story313 positive mentions

gameplay178 negative mentions

story
1,303 mentions
24 % positive mentions
63 % neutral mentions
13 % negative mentions
The story of "Kane & Lynch 2: Dog Days" is characterized by its dark, gritty narrative that follows two deeply flawed protagonists navigating a chaotic underworld in Shanghai. While some players appreciate the immersive and brutal storytelling, many criticize the plot for being thin, predictable, and lacking depth, often feeling disjointed and abrupt. The game's unique visual style and atmosphere contribute to its storytelling, but the overall experience is marred by a short campaign and gameplay issues, leading to mixed reviews regarding its narrative quality.
- “This game’s tone is dark and depressing, and the unique, grainy 'YouTube-like' camera format adds to its immersive storytelling.”
- “The story that unfolds reflects the main characters: ugly, dirty, unlikable—yet, deep down, you root for them.”
- “The story plays out as disaster after disaster over 5 hours or so, worth a play off the aesthetic alone.”
- “The story is non-existent and haphazard, and the character motivations are meh.”
- “The story ends abruptly, leaving many players feeling underwhelmed and disappointed with the lack of depth and development.”
- “The story is poorly written and lacks any real depth or nuance, while the characters are unlikeable and difficult to empathize with.”
gameplay
795 mentions
16 % positive mentions
61 % neutral mentions
22 % negative mentions
The gameplay of "Kane & Lynch 2: Dog Days" is characterized as a basic third-person cover shooter that suffers from repetitive mechanics and frustrating controls. While some players appreciate the game's unique visual style and atmosphere, many criticize the clunky shooting mechanics, poor AI, and a cover system that often fails to protect players effectively. Overall, the gameplay is seen as a mixed bag, with some finding enjoyment in its chaotic nature, while others deem it tedious and lacking depth.
- “The gameplay is tight and responsive, though bare-bones.”
- “This quick, punishing gameplay goes hand-in-hand with the atmosphere to deliver an experience unlike any other.”
- “The gameplay is fast-paced and engaging, with a focus on cover-based shooting and tactical gameplay.”
- “The gameplay of Kane & Lynch 2 boils down to a bare-bones third-person cover shooter.”
- “The gunplay and cover mechanics are so tragically bad that I just can't; you can't shoot anything with most of the weapons you find, and when you cover behind something, they shoot at you anyway, which is great design.”
- “The gameplay is just so bad because you're constantly being shot at and have to stay in cover; you have zero awareness of where the enemies are because there's no minimap, and when you do spot an enemy, there's not even a guarantee that you'll be able to kill them because the gunplay is so poor.”
graphics
575 mentions
29 % positive mentions
60 % neutral mentions
11 % negative mentions
The graphics of "Kane & Lynch 2: Dog Days" are a polarizing aspect, with many praising its unique, gritty aesthetic that mimics a found-footage style, enhancing the game's dark atmosphere. However, this artistic choice often leads to discomfort due to shaky camera effects and low-resolution textures, which some players find detracts from the overall experience. While the visuals are considered innovative for their time, they can also be seen as dated and unrefined, resulting in a mixed reception among players.
- “The visuals, story, and characters are all top-notch, and while it's not a perfect game, it's definitely worth a shot.”
- “Dog Days takes a unique approach to its graphics, presenting everything in a shaky, handheld-camera style that really immerses you in the action.”
- “The aesthetic of this game is absolutely perfect.”
- “The game is just ugly to look at - whomever decided the 2009/2010 era YouTube aesthetic with over-exposed, washed out visuals needs their head examined.”
- “Even the found-footage gimmick and the constant blur on anything graphic feel like the developers were hiding models they did not have time to finish.”
- “The graphics are dated, but fine.”
music
174 mentions
25 % positive mentions
69 % neutral mentions
6 % negative mentions
The music in "Kane & Lynch 2: Dog Days" is a polarizing aspect, with many praising its ability to create an unsettling atmosphere through a mix of ambient soundscapes and diegetic Chinese pop music. The soundtrack, composed by Mona Mur, effectively enhances the game's dark themes and chaotic action, though some players found it lacking in traditional musical elements, leading to a more immersive yet disorienting experience. Overall, the music is noted for its unique blend of eerie industrial sounds and upbeat melodies, contributing significantly to the game's psychological horror and gritty aesthetic.
- “The eerie soundtrack is an uneven, unearthly mix of upbeat, catchy Chinese pop songs, more traditional Chinese music, and harrowing industrial ambience straight from a horror game.”
- “The soundtrack and its borderline-diegetic implementation is amazing, possessing this contrast of poppy dreamy music and brutal droning noise, and so is the overall sound design.”
- “The music design amplifies the unsettling atmosphere of the game, with certain scenes standing out in particular.”
- “The ambient music in this game is extremely dark and industrial and makes you feel more like you are playing a horror game than an action shooter with how disturbing and uncomfortable it sounds reflecting the psyche of the two mains during gameplay.”
- “The soundtrack is never more than ominous droning with very faint echoes of Chinese pop songs.”
atmosphere
161 mentions
50 % positive mentions
48 % neutral mentions
2 % negative mentions
The atmosphere of "Kane & Lynch 2: Dog Days" is widely praised for its gritty, immersive quality, enhanced by its unique visual style and sound design. Reviewers highlight the game's ability to evoke feelings of despair and chaos, effectively capturing the raw essence of its Shanghai setting. Despite criticisms of gameplay, many agree that the atmospheric elements, including the soundtrack and artistic direction, create a compelling experience that stands out in the genre.
- “The atmosphere is fantastically miserable.”
- “The game's visceral atmosphere, from its gritty art direction to the thunderous sound of the machine guns, gripped me from start to finish, transcending all of its gameplay issues in my opinion.”
- “The atmosphere captured is fantastic and unrelenting.”
- “The grainy, choppy visuals are intended to enhance the game's raw and gritty atmosphere but often result in discomfort and difficulty in tracking action during gameplay.”
- “The moment the CIA shows up, I was just left with a feeling of exhaustive boredom instead of being engaged with its atmosphere.”
- “While the atmosphere might be great, the gameplay is dollar store at its peak.”
stability
95 mentions
0 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
100 % negative mentions
The game's stability is widely criticized, with numerous players reporting frequent bugs, glitches, and crashes that significantly detract from the overall experience. While some users find enjoyment in the gameplay despite these issues, many describe it as a "buggy mess" that can be frustratingly unplayable at times. Overall, the game's instability is a major drawback, overshadowing its potential appeal.
- “The story is whack, the gameplay is okay at best, but the amount of bugs and glitches almost make the game unplayable.”
- “As it currently stands however, it's a clunky, buggy mess that crashes as soon as you boot it up for the first time, because it can't handle connecting to the internet.”
- “Overall the game is also extremely buggy, going from game-breaking bugs such as not being able to shoulder swap to visual bugs like extremely odd enemy ragdolls.”
humor
95 mentions
99 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
1 % negative mentions
The humor in "Kane & Lynch 2: Dog Days" is characterized by its dark, absurd, and often unintentional comedic elements, stemming from the protagonists' incompetence and the game's numerous glitches. Players find the interactions and dialogue between the unlikeable characters to be hilariously entertaining, especially in co-op mode, where the chaotic gameplay and bugs lead to laugh-out-loud moments. Despite its flaws, many reviewers recommend experiencing the game with friends for a uniquely funny, albeit frustrating, gaming experience.
- “The game is hilarious in that you constantly laugh at the unsympathetic protagonists and their stupidity and shortsightedness.”
- “It's basically about two pieces of shit criminals who mess up hilariously and bury themselves into even deeper amounts of trouble over the course of the game's events.”
- “Kane & Lynch 2: Dog Days is a hilarious action game that includes crazy shootouts full of violence and foul language.”
- “It's not even a game, it's a parody of it, just a bad one, and not funny.”
emotional
41 mentions
93 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
7 % negative mentions
The emotional aspect of "Kane & Lynch 2: Dog Days" elicits a wide range of responses, from feelings of discomfort and nausea to moments of genuine sadness and connection. While some players appreciate the game's attempt to evoke strong emotions through its gritty narrative and character motivations, many criticize its disjointed storytelling and underdeveloped characters, leading to a sense of disconnection. Overall, the game is described as an emotionally exhausting experience that can leave players feeling both disturbed and moved.
- “Kane & Lynch 2: Dog Days is a piece of interactive art that has been crafted to evoke a specific emotional response from players, and it succeeds, for better and for worse.”
- “Great game, first game where the ending actually made me cry.”
- “It's emotionally exhausting and so in your face, but it never feels like edgy nonsense.”
- “Boring story.”
- “A boring story about Kane, Lynch, and their cameraman.”
- “Boring story and awful AI.”
replayability
27 mentions
26 % positive mentions
59 % neutral mentions
15 % negative mentions
Overall, the game's replayability is mixed, with some players finding it highly replayable due to engaging arcade and multiplayer modes, while others criticize its short campaign and lack of additional content, leading to limited replay value. Many reviews highlight that while the main story can be replayed, the absence of substantial post-campaign content and the presence of bugs detract from the overall experience. In summary, players seeking extensive replayability may be disappointed, though some modes offer a degree of enjoyment for those willing to invest time.
- “After playing this game for 700 hours and completing it 233 times, I can say that this game has infinite replayability.”
- “Also, the arcade mode is super fun and very replayable.”
- “Replay value is found in the elaborate online co-op missions and reattempting the main story on the highest difficulty for maximum experience.”
- “Beyond the main campaign, there is little additional content to keep players engaged, severely limiting the game's replay value.”
- “There is little replay value in the game, and the multiplayer modes, like many 'multiplayer modes' of disappointing games, are dead.”
- “Unfortunately, as its predecessor, upon completing the story, the content provided isn't nearly enough to retain replay value aside from optional difficulty settings, achievements, arcade challenges, and gaming cooperation with selective partners.”
optimization
27 mentions
15 % positive mentions
44 % neutral mentions
41 % negative mentions
The game's optimization has received overwhelmingly negative feedback, with players reporting frequent crashes, poor frame rates, and significant technical issues that disrupt gameplay. While some users noted occasional smooth performance, the overall consensus highlights a lack of proper optimization, particularly for PC, leading to a frustrating experience marred by bugs and inconsistent performance.
- “Optimization: 10/10”
- “Runs smoothly, don't remember a single crash.”
- “In terms of performance, the game performed well, only getting a little bit more lag in some more detailed areas, especially when you first enter them.”
- “Clearly a console port with lacking PC optimization.”
- “Horrible optimization, game crashed 3 times in the two hours I played.”
- “Unfortunately, the lack of optimization and the cover system dragged the triple-A could-be game down to a B-rated product.”
grinding
24 mentions
13 % positive mentions
8 % neutral mentions
79 % negative mentions
The reviews consistently highlight that grinding in the game is a tedious and frustrating experience, often requiring excessive time and effort to progress. Players note that the repetitive gameplay, lack of variety in combat, and technical flaws contribute to a sense of monotony, making the overall experience feel longer than its short campaign suggests. Many express a desire for more engaging mechanics and less grindy elements to enhance enjoyment.
- “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
- “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
- “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
- “Combat can get tedious and frustrating at times.”
- “Starts as a semi-interesting art experiment, ends off as just a bad game with tedious design choices.”
- “The whole game is tedious, unimaginative, obviously scripted and it feels like playing whack-a-mole.”
character development
9 mentions
33 % positive mentions
33 % neutral mentions
33 % negative mentions
Character development in "Kane & Lynch 2" is largely criticized for being minimal and lacking depth, with reviewers noting that the titular characters do not experience significant growth or compelling motivations throughout the game. While some appreciate the gritty cutscenes and potential for deeper storytelling, the overall consensus is that the game fails to deliver meaningful character arcs, leaving players wanting more.
- “The story is full of fantastic twists and dialogue, great character development between Kane and Lynch.”
- “Character development is minimal here, such as Lynch’s psychotic episodes are long gone from the previous game & Kane has his daughter, hoping that this heist will be his last one, and with that, will be enough to take care of them.”
- “There was potential for real character development, plot, and gameplay but it just didn't happen.”
- “The story of 'Kane & Lynch 2' is thin and fails to properly develop its titular characters, both of whom lack depth and compelling motivations.”
- “There was potential for real character development, plot, and gameplay, but it just didn't happen.”
- “The story is interesting but ends too abruptly and there's no character development at all, just 'hold W and click heads', I guess.”
monetization
4 mentions
0 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
100 % negative mentions
The monetization aspect of the game has drawn criticism for its perceived cash-grabbing tactics, with players suggesting that a pirated version offers a similar experience without the financial burden. The game's setting, filled with overwhelming advertisements, further emphasizes the theme of commercialization and exploitation.
- “Reunited from their misanthropic escapades in the previous game, the two find themselves in a sleazy, grime-coated version of Shanghai, where the only light to be found in the rainy nights and the overcast days comes from piercingly bright advertisements overlooking the slums.”
- “Although this game is set in present-day Shanghai, the environments are also decayed, rusty, and overpopulated with outdoor advertising and neon.”
- “Get a cracked version of the game; you'll have the same experience as purchasing, except the added bonus of financially punishing the lazy cash-grabbing accountants at Square Enix.”