So many players devoted countless hours of time into Evil Genius since it’s initial launch back in 2004. It was a fresh and fun take on the management genre. It took a tongue in cheek view to the 60s-70s world of spy fiction and put you in control of an evil lair, with all the tools they needed to take over the world one evil scheme at a time. Now, as we move into 2021, Rebellion — known for the Sniper Elite Series — is reviving the franchise with Evil Genius 2, and after spending a few hours with it, I am more excited than ever to dive back to see how I can once again become the ultimate criminal mastermind.
If you have ever enjoyed games such as Dungeon Keeper, Theme Park or of course, the first instalment in the Evil Genius franchise, you will feel right at home with Evil Genius 2. The preview build I got to play only consisted of a few hours of tutorial, which offered a taste at what the full game would offer. But even with this, the attention to detail and reverence for the franchise is apparent through every feature on display. The graphics, while modern, are a distinct call-back to Evil Genius, giving the game a cartoon-like flair while still looking sharp and striking on modern systems. The design and overall sense of James Bond-like spy-fare takes the best of what was on offer back in 2004 and gives it a fresh coat of paint, making everything feel more alive and fun.