No apologies for the headline. Anyone familiar with the 2013 reboot of the tasteless 3D Realms 1997 classic knows that this type of ridiculous humor is embraced by Lo Wang, the hero, by virtue of the developer, Flying Wild Hog. One might assume that the self-referential degradation that takes place during the Shadow Warrior games might mean that the developer doesn't take their work seriously. This is true, if only partially. They take the time to create a lore and backstory for everything that occurs, then proceed to mock it into oblivion through their in game proxies. The protagonist is goofy, kind of dumb, but still a badass bar none.

Anyone who says that the developer doesn't take the actual craft of the gameplay seriously would be sorely mistaken. The 2013 title was honed to a razor's edge as far as pacing and combat goes. Constantly introducing new enemies, weapons, powers, environments, and ways to master them all, the reboot was a true treat for the action fan. Flying Wild Hog wasn't quite satisfied with the formula that they perfected  with Shadow Warrior and Hard Rest. Thus, they have taken it upon themselves to embellish and expand. Now, instead of a tightly scripted, linear experience, they have opened up the map, revealing options galore to complete the quests that Wang accepts from various characters in the story. Enemies can be divided and conquered in a multitude of ways, giving the audience plenty of paths to success.

During the demo, Lo is tasked with gathering three separate items across one large map. An easy enough quest to understand during the hustle and noise of a swamped convention floor. Upon arriving to the task's location, it is immediately obvious that much work went into the visuals. While the original was pretty darn good looking, Shadow Warrior 2 steps it up. Insects buzz around flowers, and the falling leaves look more natural. It's not too long before the first enemies are encountered. Over the variety of the designs found across the opposition, the meticulous care put into the creation of the beasts is apparent. From hulking cybernetic infused demons, smaller imp type buggers, futuristic ninjas. and more, they pull from all avenues of cool baddie design, but somehow still make it cohesive. The same goes for the environments. The one map transitioned from style to style in a logical fashion, upping the immersion.

Still, part of what makes action games so much fun are the destructive tools available. Shadow Warrior 2 crams in tons of them. On the melee side, there is the classic sword, twin blades, chainsaw, chainsaw sword, among many, many others. It was even revealed that the sword from Hard Reset Redux would be making an appearance. Projectile weapons have also seen a massive bump in numbers, meaning that there is always something fun to use to decimate the enemies. Fun is wholeheartedly the correct word, in the most gleefully depraved sense. While Shadow Warrior featured the ability to sever limbs with abandon, the sequel has taken it to a whole new level of gore. Now, the cutting and amputation is dynamic. Cut through a midsection at the right time, and the enemy will fall in two pieces precisely where the cut was made, similar to Metal Gear Revengence. However, there is also more precise control given. It is possible to seamlessly direct precisely where the chainsaw will cut, for instance, while not sacrificing the player's general control of movement.

Another highly appreciated enhancement is the implementation of spells and skills. Before, it was required to double tap one or two directions and then press another button. While this was useful for keeping all of the options available and ready to use, some players found it clunky in the heat of battle. While this original control scheme can still be used by the people who enjoyed it, it is now possible to just select the spell or skill, and then hold a button to charge and use it. I personally preferred this as it was possible to keep moving and dodging while a healing spell pulled me out of danger. There are quite a few choices, too. Healing, force push, doing a swarm clearing blade spin, and more where all just a button press away. The spin was particularly satisfying to use. There is something about being beset from all sides, spinning (complete with a slowdown to see precisely where the chainsaw sword hit on each enemy), and walking away from the pile of fleshy parts left behind that hits a sweet spot.

There are many, many reasons to be excited about this upcoming sequel. Lo Wang's path to success is more in the players hands than before, and the means of getting there are myriad indeed. Based on Flying Wild Hog's past works, expecting a good time is absolutely reasonable. The expansion upon their established formula brings Shadow Warrior 2 to a entirely new realm of gruesome shenanigans. It's pretty, gory, but still keeps the overall tone silly and welcoming. This is a game that looks to be ready for its October 13 release, and willing to show the audience a good time with its Wang.