Before I get underway with the review proper, allow me to acknowledge the poor gamers who have been beset by the frequent crashes and other bugs that have plagued Infinity Blade II. I was one of the many who tried to play the game, only to have it crash at the title screen… Every. Single. Time. I know and understand the pain that fuels those hateful, one-star reviews on the App Store. Really, I do.

But now that the recent update has fixed things up with my iPad, I can play the game to my heart's content, and I have. So what did I think of Infinity Blade II? I'll tell you.

Story-wise, IB2 (you don't mind if I abbreviate it like that, right?) tells the story of Sirus, a mysterious warrior who sets out to free the even more mysterious Worker of Secrets from a tall, dilapidated tower. That's easier said than done, as Sirus will have to fight his way past several monsters known as the Deathless that seek to end his mission early. There are allusions made to the first Infinity Blade here (particularly at the beginning), so it might help to either play the first one, or read up on the story to get a full understanding of what's going on.

Now that you have an idea of what the story's all about, let's get to the good stuff: gameplay. After a prologue that shows you how combat (which I'll explain in detail in a moment) works in this game, you begin at the foot of the path leading to the tower. Navigating your way to and through the tower is done in a way reminiscent of point-and-click games (like Myst), in that you don't control Sirus directly, but instead point him down the path or to an off-to-the-side treasure chest. This control scheme doesn't bother too much, as it allows for many an opportunity to take in Infinity Blade II's beautiful graphics. 

Even more memorable is the game's combat. If you've played the first Infinity Blade, then you'll know pretty well what the combat is like, but for those who haven't, listen carefully. Combat consists of duels between Sirus and whatever beastly warrior gets in his way. Controls work via swiping your finger across the screen to slash at your opponent. It might sound mindless, but the fighting in this game is spot-on. For instance, you'll have to keep a sharp eye on your opponents, watching their movements to see if it'd be best to dodge, block, or parry their attacks. This isn't as simple as all that, as the enemies' moves are hard to predict and can come from several directions, meaning that you can't just swing your sword madly to block an attack. You have to come at it from the right direction. 

Since these duels are where all the action is, it helps that there is plenty of variety to be had. Initially, you start off with a light sword and shield combo, but as time goes on, you'll gain access to two different types of weapons. There are heavy, two-handed swords, which can deal large amounts of damage at the cost of forgoing the shield; and there are dual swords, which allow for speedy attacks and high combos. Also helping to add variety are various magic spells (which you can cast by tracing their respective symbols on the screen) and the ability to unleash a super attack (which differs depending on what kind of weapon you are using) upon your enemies. Smart use of these abilities can easily turn the tide of a losing battle in your favor.

An interesting element used here in Infinity Blade II is the "Rebirth" system. As you work your way through the tower, you will eventually come across powerful bosses. These warriors are particularly fierce, and will most assuredly kill you when you first meet them. That's okay though, as Sirus (via a mysterious method that I won't mention here, for fear of spoilers) can come back to life and make another stab at the tower, at the same time maintaining all the weapons, armor, supplies, money, and experience points. You will repeat this pattern until you are powerful enough to vanquish all the bosses and rescue the Worker. 

I enjoyed IB2, but I can imagine that some of you will think that this system would lend itself to tedium, a fact that isn't helped by the fact that warriors appear in the same spots each time. Despite this, the game does do a good job of adding variety. The tower, for one, has many paths for you to take, with many bosses for you to confront at the end. The enemies you come across also vary, and you'll be hard-pressed to find the same monster awaiting you in the same spot twice. Another thing of note is that the game rewards you with extra experience for mastering each of your weapons and equipment, giving you incentive to try out as many different combinations of sword and armor as possible. 

Ultimately, your own experience with Infinity Blade II will depend on how much fun you find the swordplay mechanic to be. As that is where the real gameplay is, if you don't find it thrilling, then the whole game will probably underwhelm. But, from my time with it, I can say that this game is truly a blast and an epic, visual treat. In the vast, vast market that is the App Store, Infinity Blade II is definitely a cut above the rest (dorky reference to this article's title, I know).

GameDynamo's Score for Infinity Blade II (Mobile)

	Score	Description
Graphics	98	Undoubtedly, the best that can be found in an iOS game. Everything, from the environment to the characters, shines. The first Infinity Blade proved to the world that iOS games could look nearly as good as console games, a trend that continues in this installment.
Sound	90	The epic feel of the game is complemented excellently by the soundtrack. Sound effects, and the occasional voice-acting, add to the ambiance, enhancing the game's atmosphere in a brilliant fashion.
Gameplay	91	Some of the best swordplay you can find in a video game. Duels are lightning-paced and very cinematic, and the controls work outstandingly. Navigation through the tower is a quick and simple business, which is good, because it gets you to the fighting faster.
Play Value	88	It all hinges on whether or not the swordplay can hook you. If not, then there won't be much to keep you interested. Some might find going through the tower again and again tedious, even with all the different paths for you to take.
Final Score	93	As it was previously stated, this beautiful, action-packed game is a "cut above the rest".

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