Evil Genius 2: World Domination

ShackNewsChris Jarrard

9/10

When I felt myself growing weary of the complication, I would march Maximillian into the mess hall and execute one of the stupider minions in front of his coworkers. This sent all the witnesses into a panic, resulting in improved productivity. I might be mentally damaged, but I’m having a great time and accomplishing my goals of world domination. Ultimately, Evil Genius 2 is a Dungeon Keeper clone in a different coat of paint. The surface has been well-prepped and the paint was applied with great expertise, though. If you consider yourself a fan of simulation-strategy games, this has to go on ...

DestructoidZoey Handley

8.5/10

It comes across as a diabolical labor of love. The game is obviously made by people who cared for the property, as it conserves everything that was great about the original title while tightening the screws on the old doomsday device. Even without the multiple campaigns, it’s a ridiculously long game. But the fact that I was rarely annoyed or bored, while continuously finding new elements to love, is a testament to how well-executed the sequel is. If the first game wasn’t diabolical enough for you, this one should scratch that evil itch a bit better.

MMORPGJason Fanelli

8/10

Since the days of Dr. Evil in Austin Powers movies -- who admittedly is much more my style than actual Bond villains --  a small part of me was intrigued by the idea of being an over-the-top criminal mastermind, stroking a small pet on my lap as I tell the super secret agent I’ve captured all of my nefarious schemes. Of course I’d never actually do such a thing, being bogged down with stuff like “moral obligations” and other things that would make actual villains snicker. Evil Genius...

Hardcore Gamer Jordan Helm

Even with these brief spots of imbalance -- when the Lemming-like behavior of minions can feel too brain-dead or uncontrollable -- Evil Genius 2: World Domination is an impressive revival of a decades-old philosophy on strategy games. Whose sequel this year almost makes it look easy in that it lands firmly in that fabled middle-ground. Providing enough twists and turns to keep players on their toes, but doing so in a way that is far from alienating to those who may have little investment in the original Evil Genius all those years ago, or any past strategy title for that matter. And for all th...

Attack of the FanboyBrandon Adams

Despite some flaws, Evil Genius 2 is a doomsday device built to dominate your free time. It's addictive, easy to understand lair building and retro Spy-Fi aesthetic will pull you in and not let go, even after hundreds of hours. It's a shame the titular Geniuses don't feel all that distinct, and that the otherwise stellar UI has some annoying issues, but that won't stop Evil Genius 2 from taking over your world. It feels oh-so-good to be oh-so-bad.

GameSpewKim Snaith

8/10

A simulation game with a twist, Evil Genius 2: World Domination is a must-play for fans of the genre. Forget building hospitals, theme parks or zoos; creating the world’s most evil lair is where it’s at. There’s plenty to sink your teeth into here, and an awful lot to learn, but once you get the hang of being evil, you’ll discover that being bad sure is good fun.

PSExtremeB McCarthy

7.8/10

Evil Genius 2 is the long-awaited sequel to the 2004 original. How does it fair as an old-school real-time strategy sim?

PC GamerRick Lane

75/100

Simulates both the devious delights and fiendish frustrations of being a frothing megalomaniac.

GameSpotMike Epstein

7/10

Evil Genius 2 makes good on its spy-movie supervillain concept with a challenging management sim that requires cunning and patience.

WCCFtechNathan Birch

6/10

Sometimes it’s good to be bad. Sure, James Bond is cool and all, but occasionally you’d rather be Ernst Blofeld commanding lackeys, torturing spies, and petting Persian cats. The original Evil Genius aimed to fulfill that fantasy, allowing players to design their own elaborate supervillain lair. A sequel was supposed to happen back in the mid-2000s, but series developer Elixir Studios went out of business. Thankfully, the IP is now in the hands of Rebellion Developments, who are finally delivering Evil Genius 2: World Domination a decade and a half after the first sequel died.

TechRaptorRobert N Adams

5.5/10

Evil Genius 2 does a good job of reviving the spy-themed dungeon management game, but it's twice as long as it needs to be and it's sorely lacking for precision controls and policy settings.

Gideons GamingGaming Gideon

Unscored

Evil Genius 2 is the long-awaited sequel to the cult classic that was released all the way back in 2004. It’s a sequel I always wanted but never imagined I would get. At least without it being a butchered mobile cash grab with its soul ripped out.