Graphically, Dead to Rights II picks up where its predecessor left off. Environments have a very nice quality to them, as do character models. Unfortunately, the varieties of characters you face in each level are very few, so you continue to see the same basic henchmen everywhere you go.

As far as the audio goes, DTR2 has its upside and downside. As a plus, gunshots, various sound fx, and ambient sounds in the game are quite nice. Unfortunately, the voice acting didn’t grab me. The script seems contrived, and it comes through as it unfolds. I just couldn’t get into the story part of the game, and this was surely (at least partly) a reason why.

In the same way that the first game in the series played, so does Widescreen Games’ Dead to Rights II. Playing as a kick-ass so-called “bad cop” named Jake Slate, you have to eliminate the bad guys that kidnapped a well-known judge in a game that is actually a prequel to the previous in the series. With the help of your K9 sidekick, Shadow, you’ll be whoopin’ bad guy ass with a number of weapons, as well as hand-to-hand combat.

What makes Dead to Rights II a great game to play is the fast-paced action of taking on multiple enemies at a time. Death lurks around every corner, so running ‘n gunning isn’t always the best solution. Taking it slow can sometimes save your ass as you lure enemies from their hiding spots. Dead to Rights II offers a number of disarms to take out baddies from close quarters, as well as many weapons used at both long- and short-range.

Dead to Rights II essentially uses a meter system in conjunction melee and ranged combat. Along with health and body armor meters, Jack has an adrenaline meter which controls his “special” abilities. These abilities range from disarms and using an enemy as a human shield, to the good old “bullet time” slow-motion assault in which he can target multiple enemies during his dive.

The adrenaline also works for the stamina of man’s best friend. Jack can send Shadow into the flurry of gunfire to take down gang members or retrieve weapons that are in the middle of the firefight. The great part about Dead to Rights II is that you’re able to control Shadow in a more realistic manner. After he kills, you can send him on another mission of Reaping as long as there is still adrenaline left in the meter. The downside is that this meter actually regenerates rather quickly, making it easy to just sit back and let your doggie do all of the dirty work.

While Dead to Rights II may be a pseudo-hack ‘n slash game using guns and other deadly weapons, going into a situation full-throttle isn’t always the best way to handle each situation you face. Then again, other times it can be thanks to Jack’s slow-mo ability. Using your head (as well as your partner, a.k.a. Shadow) is always the best way to eliminate baddies thoroughly. And while you will likely die a number of times as you progress through the game, trial and error seem to keep this game kicking.

It’s no secret that trial and error-style games can draw on a player and that they also get very repetitive. Dead to Rights II is no different. Yet, at the same time, it’s the type of game that can frustrate you to the point that you feel you have to play (after dying) “just one more time.” There were a few times when I struggled to get past a specific point and felt like quitting right then and there. But I couldn’t put the controller down and, as a result, was able to eventually pass the short section of the level. The amount of elation after finally completing the level overcomes any frustration that set in.

The controller setup in the game actually works very well, and after only a few minutes, you should be rolling, climbing, and gunning down baddies like you’ve done it all of your life. Dead to Rights II incorporates many fairly short checkpoints at which time your game will save automatically. Unfortunately, this also means many times you’ll be sitting in your chair waiting for the load screen to finish... and these loading times are ridiculously long and boring!

Even though the game is quite repetitive, Dead to Rights II will likely be up your alley if you enjoyed the first game. Just don’t expect any revolutionary changes to the gameplay. Otherwise, DTR2 is just more of the same.