Parents' Guide to

Black and White 2

By Jeremy Gieske, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 13+

Teens: Skip this frustrating and limited sequel.

Game Windows 2005
Black and White 2 Poster Image

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What you will—and won't—find in this game.

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What’s It About?

As in the first game, players in BLACK AND WHITE 2 become gods, complete with all the responsibilities and powers. The opening sequence throws historical accuracy to the side showing Aztecs overrunning the players' people, the Greeks. Players must use their godly powers to restore their people to glory -- fighting additional forces such as the Norse and the Japanese along the way. Unlike most real-time strategy (RTS) games, the choice of being good and evil is central to the game: To be a good god, players build prestige, convincing rival cities to join them; alternately, players can assemble armies and take opposing by force.

At the start of the game, players choose a giant magical creature to help them rule. By either petting or hitting the creature during the game, players train the creature into a peaceful helper or a fierce fighter.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say Not yet rated
Kids say (2 ):

Black and White 2 provides a fun premise and a unique concept, but it doesn't offer the kind of quality provided by the successful first installment. There are no enemy gods. Instead, the most powerful foe is the enemy's creature, which can be fairly easily dispatched. In fact, it is almost impossible to lose, with enemy AI barely more intelligent than the rocks players can use to crush armies.

The design is also bad: Menus are buried and controls are clumsy. Players may get frustrated performing simple tasks, like picking up an individual villager. Finally, replay is limited -- the game provides no multiplayer options. Also, only the nine campaign levels can be replayed, and once players complete the game, they don't have the option to go back to a particular level.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about why game designers depend so heavily on sequels. Would you prefer to purchase a game that is completely new, or do you like to stick with games you are more familiar with? When do you think a sequel works, and when do you think it doesn't?

Game Details

  • Platform: Windows
  • Available online?: Not available online
  • Publisher: Electronic Arts
  • Release date: October 4, 2005
  • Genre: Real-Time Strategy (RTS)
  • ESRB rating: T for Crude Humor, Use of Alcohol, Violence
  • Last updated: November 4, 2015

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