Setting/Concept:
The game’s atmosphere is, though decent, not as good as that of the original Shadow Man. While the areas still look great, they aren’t as creepy as you’d hope.

Graphics:
The graphics are mostly standard PS2 stuff. Don’t expect to be razzle-dazzled by them. Lighting effects are done wonderfully. I didn’t notice any jaggies while playing, though some of the larger areas have a bit of pop-up. When you kill things, they go to chunks in a very Quake-ish frag style.

Character design:
Versus the first, Shadow Man now looks deader, and Mike LeRoi looks more like a tank. Netty looks a lot younger, which fits with the story alright, but she seems to have lost her accent. The character models look good, though you may find yourself thinking Shadow Man looks awkward running around (I maintain that he must store the ammo for the nail gun securely in his anal region, given the way he runs). The stock enemies don’t offer tons of variety, though the boss characters look pretty good. As with the graphics, nothing horrible, but nothing spectacular.

Area design:
The areas are well constructed and flow nicely. However, you may find yourself occasionally missing a ladder, only to spot it after a couple minutes of wandering around pondering what you should do next. As this is an adventure game, there are a couple of tedious jumping puzzles, but most are actually enjoyable. My only real complaint would be, as mentioned before, that the locales aren’t as dark as in the original.

Controls:
The controls in this game are stupendous. They are highly customizable and allow for easy control of 2econd Coming’s dual weapon battle system. There is a little bit of a learning curve attached to the effective use of some weapons/items. The ability to holster your weapons with a single button is incredibly useful when climbing ledges or using ropes in an area with many enemies. The use of the analog sticks make it easy to dodge enemy attacks, as well. Overall, very well done.

Gameplay:
2econd Coming is fun, period. As with the first, you’ll find yourself collecting new voodoo items and skills in order to open new areas. The Dark Souls have been replaced with Sigils to collect. Shadow Man uses these sigils to remove seals and open up new areas. Battles are fun, though often overly easy. Once you break the pattern for an enemy, you’ll probably have broken the pattern for about four or five more to come. The biggest short coming of this game is how linear it is. Think Final Fantasy X here, people. If you don‘t mind it being really linear (at least you‘re never without some sort of clue), then round my final gameplay score up a point or two.

Sound:
Sound effects are good, voice acting is better than most (though some of the accents are a bit much). Music is fine: Not annoying, but not really memorable. Nothing earth-shattering.

Overall
Setting/Concept: 7
Graphics: 8
Character Design: 7
Area Design: 9
Controls: 9
Gamplay: 7
Sound: 7

Summary
If you’re looking for another Shadow Man, you’re out of luck. Instead, all you’re going to get is a 2econd Coming. While 2econd Coming doesn’t match it’s predecessor, it’s still one of the better adventure games out there.
-Fuma