Dungeon Siege II feel way back in the “to do” pile thanks to the trip to Poland and the reputation of its predecessor. Quite simply, the prospect of playing a game that supposedly played itself didn’t sound all that appealing. Worse, there was the high chance that I’d have to contradict our own, old review of the original Dungeon Siege. Supposedly, that always looks bad.

And yet here I am, well into the game and echoing Terence’s pleasant comments about the original. For starters, Dungeon Siege II is huge, massive, epic and long. The box promises 40-60 hours of gameplay and for once, this doesn’t seem like an exaggeration. The game world is expansive though rather linear, and varied. Like Diablo II, it is divided into acts and chapters, each act bringing the player to a new venue. Also like the Diablo games, there’s a convenient town portal to help unload all that loot you or your mule have been hauling around. Mule? No, it’s not just a special character designated to carry your goods. You actually buy a mule and use him as a party member.