Lucius II
- February 13, 2015
- Shiver Games
- 10h median play time
In Lucius II, players once again assume the role of Lucius, the son of the devil, as he seeks revenge on the Vagner family. This time, Lucius is confined to a mental hospital, where he uses supernatural abilities to manipulate and eliminate staff and patients. The game is a psychological horror stealth game, with puzzle-solving elements and a focus on strategic kills.
Reviews
- Offers multiple creative ways to kill NPCs, enhancing replayability.
- Improved graphics and a more open-world feel compared to the first game.
- Fun dark humor and absurd situations that can lead to hilarious moments.
- Riddled with bugs and glitches that can disrupt gameplay.
- AI behavior is often nonsensical, leading to immersion-breaking moments.
- The story is weak and lacks the depth and engagement of the first game.
- story346 mentions
- 24 % positive mentions
- 63 % neutral mentions
- 12 % negative mentions
The story of "Lucius II" continues the narrative from the first game, focusing on the titular character's dark journey as he navigates a world filled with evil deeds and supernatural elements. While some players appreciate the creepy twists and the freedom to approach kills creatively, many criticize the story for being less engaging and coherent compared to its predecessor, often describing it as weak, buggy, and lacking depth. Overall, the game offers a mix of horror references and character interactions, but it struggles to maintain a compelling storyline throughout.
“The story is full of creepy twists and unexpected turns that keep you guessing.”
“The story of Lucius II follows immediately after the story of Lucius I, where you head to a hospital, along with a character from the previous game who has developed a compelling need to protect Lucius.”
“The storyline is riveting from the beginning all the way to the final conflict.”
“The story is so painfully loose while you randomly go through levels.”
“The story is not good at all; it is actually pretty boring.”
“The cutscenes honestly look like a cheap YouTube parody and the story is so half-assed thrown together it's crazy.”
- gameplay218 mentions
- 15 % positive mentions
- 69 % neutral mentions
- 16 % negative mentions
The gameplay of Lucius II has received mixed reviews, with many players appreciating the creative freedom in executing kills and the more open-world design compared to its predecessor. However, numerous criticisms highlight issues such as clunky controls, repetitive mechanics, and a plethora of bugs that detract from the overall experience. While some find the gameplay fun and engaging, others feel it lacks polish and coherence, making it a frustrating experience at times.
“In terms of gameplay, this is absolutely a fun time; the creative ways you can kill make it feel pretty close to being an immersive sim, jank included!”
“I prefer the setting and narrative of the first game better, but this one undoubtedly has better gameplay and controls.”
“The gameplay is simple but efficient in getting across its core aspect of being the son of Satan; it is ridiculous but oh so very funny if you are willing to get past some of the satire.”
“The gameplay mechanics and repetitive elements may be boring for some players.”
“The gameplay, mechanics, and overall execution left much to be desired.”
“Clunky, unpolished controls, bad game mechanics, extremely boring gameplay, repetitive killing without any idea, terrible AI, FPS drops are just a few issues to mention.”
- stability157 mentions
- 1 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 99 % negative mentions
The game is widely criticized for its numerous bugs and glitches, which range from minor annoyances to more significant issues that can disrupt gameplay. While some players find the bugs amusing and part of the game's charm, many others report that they can be frustrating and detract from the overall experience. Overall, the stability of the game is considered poor, with frequent crashes and clunky controls being common complaints.
“Miles better than the first; the gameplay and story have me completely hooked. I haven't encountered any bugs so far, and while I don't require a game to be absolutely 100% bug-free, any minor issues shouldn't be a problem.”
“The game is a buggy mess and is overall very janky.”
“It's a buggy and glitchy mess with framerate drops, but still far better than the first game and actually fun.”
“This game is so buggy and ridiculous that you are going to think that the developers should have actually paid you to play this game instead of you paying them.”
- graphics94 mentions
- 27 % positive mentions
- 64 % neutral mentions
- 10 % negative mentions
The graphics in the game have received mixed reviews, with some players noting improvements over the first installment, while others criticize them as outdated and janky. Many users experienced performance issues, including bugs and stuttering, even on higher-end systems, leading to a perception that the graphics do not meet modern standards. Overall, while some appreciate the atmospheric visuals and artistic style, the consensus suggests that the graphics could have been significantly better given the game's release timeline.
“The atmosphere is spot-on with eerie soundscapes and detailed visuals that make everything feel delightfully unsettling.”
“An obvious improvement from the first game with better graphics.”
“The graphics have improved as well, so now I can finally look at Lucius's face without wanting to return to staring at the back of his head.”
“Please stay away from this title, everything about it screams a lack of talent on all fronts, as horrible as the gameplay, graphics, and story are. This game feels like it should have released in the early 2000s due to feeling so dated.”
“Lucius 3 had laughably bad graphics and a weird convoluted story.”
“The graphics look like they came from the 90s or early 2000s.”
- humor71 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is a mix of intentional dark comedy and unintentional hilarity stemming from its numerous bugs and glitches, which many players found entertaining rather than frustrating. While some reviews criticize the edgy humor and absurd scenarios, others celebrate the game's ability to evoke laughter through its creative kills and slapstick moments. Overall, the humor is described as a significant draw for those who appreciate crude jokes and chaotic gameplay, making it a unique experience despite its flaws.
“Funniest game ever and super underrated; it is buggy but in a hilarious way that isn’t game-breaking.”
“Other parts were hilarious because they were never supposed to happen, but hey, it's not a glitch, it's a feature.”
“The game managed to impress me again and again with its cartoonish violence and jovial, malevolent sense of humor.”
- music38 mentions
- 29 % positive mentions
- 63 % neutral mentions
- 8 % negative mentions
The music in the game has received mixed reviews, with many praising the atmospheric soundtrack and improvements over the previous installment, while others criticize the audio mixing that often drowns out dialogue. Some players find the music enjoyable and immersive, though repetitive at times, while technical issues like looping tracks and sound cutouts detract from the overall experience. Overall, the soundtrack is considered a highlight, but its execution suffers from significant audio mixing problems.
“The soundtrack was written magnificently, which fascinates from the very beginning.”
“I recommend this game due to its freedom of ways you can murder people, the storyline, the music... it just messes with my head, and it drives me to replay it over and over again.”
“There’s a lot of things I like about this game but many of them are also things I liked about the first as well – such as the exploration, the music, and the immersion.”
“Controls are clunky, AI are stupid, music and sound completely drown out speech even worse than in the first game.”
“I've had issues where music would loop over other music, even during cutscenes, forcing you to quit the game.”
“Sound is terribly mixed, with voices being overshadowed by other noises and music.”
- optimization29 mentions
- 17 % positive mentions
- 41 % neutral mentions
- 41 % negative mentions
Overall, the game's optimization has received largely negative feedback, with many players reporting significant performance issues, including frame drops and bugs, even on high-end systems. While some users noted slight improvements over the previous installment, the consensus is that the game feels rushed and poorly optimized, leading to a frustrating experience. A few players did manage to achieve smooth performance under specific conditions, but these instances are not representative of the general experience.
“This game is better optimized than its predecessor and best of all, there's many ways to dispatch your potential target.”
“The optimization is nice, despite high system requirements mentioned on the store page - with i7 4790k and gtx 970 I was able to achieve smooth 110-120 fps gameplay in full HD and with everything on max (+ additional SMAA and SweetFX effects).”
“Better optimized than the first one.”
“This game is clearly a rush job though, it’s pretty crappy in every aspect of its design and the performance is terrible.”
“The game is also not too greatly optimized. I have a beast PC with the newest parts on the market but somehow managed to have FPS drops in this game while in bigger games like Watch Dogs Legion I notice no drops on ultra.”
“Bad optimization and horrible bugs make this game a 1 out of 10 for me.”
- atmosphere24 mentions
- 54 % positive mentions
- 33 % neutral mentions
- 13 % negative mentions
The atmosphere in the game is a mixed bag, with some players praising its eerie soundscapes and detailed visuals that create a haunting experience, while others feel it falls short compared to its predecessor, Lucius I. Many reviews highlight a distinct style and immersive horror elements, but criticisms arise regarding the game's pacing and technical issues that detract from the overall atmosphere. Overall, while the sequel attempts to deliver a chilling ambiance, it struggles to maintain the same level of atmospheric tension and engagement as the original.
“The atmosphere is spot-on with eerie soundscapes and detailed visuals that make everything feel delightfully unsettling.”
“With expanded gameplay and a chilling atmosphere, it offers a haunting sequel.”
“The plot makes sense, there's a decent amount of content and replayability, it's a beautifully atmospheric game and it stands alone in its style.”
“It doesn't have the same atmosphere as the first game, and the ways you can kill people may become boring over time, but overall I recommend it.”
“There are words all over the place, in your face all the time, and it completely kills the atmosphere.”
“The atmosphere is ruined when you suddenly get picked up by your arm and you ragdoll around and glitch through the wall and floor.”
- replayability18 mentions
- 22 % positive mentions
- 61 % neutral mentions
- 17 % negative mentions
Overall, the game offers significant replayability due to its variety of ways to eliminate targets and multiple approaches to completing levels, making it more engaging than its predecessor. While some players noted limitations, such as the inability to carry over experience points in new playthroughs, many found the game enjoyable enough to warrant repeated play. The combination of diverse gameplay options and collectible elements contributes to its lasting appeal.
“In terms of variety, Lucius II offers a plethora of ways to eliminate your targets, adding depth and replayability to the experience.”
“There's far more replay value here compared to the first game.”
“According to Steam, there are only about four more missions before the game is complete, but replay value is pretty high – there are collectibles to gather, kills to try out, skills to obtain, and cars to get hit by, so I can see myself playing this one for a while.”
“Not as replayable as it could have been... thought I could start again with all XP points, apparently not.”
“Lack of replayability.”
“Not very replayable but still fun.”
- grinding14 mentions
- 14 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 86 % negative mentions
The grinding aspect of the game has been widely criticized for being excessively tedious and repetitive, with players noting a lack of variety in gameplay and creative options for completing tasks. Many reviews highlight that the experience can feel like a chore, often exacerbated by bugs and gameplay errors, leading to a frustrating and unengaging experience overall.
“You'll need a second life for grinding.”
“It can be a bit grindy sometimes.”
“This is a truly tedious and awful experience, wrought with bugs and gameplay errors that make it a chore to even attempt to finish.”
“It gets tedious as you are doing the same thing (performing just a few types of murder) again and again, not like Lucius 1 where you kill people by performing different types of creative murder.”
“While you can kill people in a lot of different ways, it does get tedious, repetitive, and very boring very quickly.”
- character development3 mentions
- 33 % positive mentions
- 33 % neutral mentions
- 33 % negative mentions
Character development in the game is a mixed bag; while Lucius' character and story are well-developed and engaging, other characters suffer from poorly explained motivations and unresolved plot points, leading to a disjointed narrative experience.
“Lucius' character and story are deeply fleshed out and engaging.”
“Not because of the occult and somewhat taboo source material, but because the narrative presents too many loose ends, features inexplicable character development that is never elaborated on ('because this devil-dude told me to') and somehow never reaches the peak of 'bad sequel' B-movie cringe, which would have excused most of this atrocious garbage.”
- emotional3 mentions
- 33 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 67 % negative mentions
The emotional aspect of the game is largely criticized, with users finding the storyline boring and unengaging. Additionally, technical issues, such as characters getting stuck and behaving oddly, detract from any potential emotional impact, leaving players feeling uncomfortable rather than moved.
“The story is incredibly boring and fails to evoke any emotional response.”
“There are so many bugs, and the storyline is dull and uninspiring.”
- monetization2 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The monetization strategy of the game is perceived as exploitative, particularly targeting fans of the original, while players also express frustration over numerous bugs and misleading advertising regarding the open world experience.
“Cash grab for fans of the original game.”
“This game is riddled with bugs, and the open world advertisement is a lie.”