Using an interesting approach to 3D battle, which is so prevalent in today's action games, Blade II has at least tried to something new with its control scheme. Much in the way that The Mark of Kri tried to solve the problem of who to attack in a 360 degree environment, Blade attempts something more than just hitting the X button. You control Blade, the day walking vampire, with the left analog stick, but you actually attack with the right stick. Blade will dish out his attacks in whichever discreet direction you press the stick. This allows you complete control over which enemy you'll attack when you're surrounded.

In the main gameplay mode, you'll be roughly taken through the storyline of the movie. Following a tutorial, which shows you the ins and outs of combat, weaponry, and movement, you'll be on your way to slaying vampires in large numbers. Before you set out to each level, you have an opportunity to stock up with some much needed supplies. In the beginning of the game, your only choice will be to take a handgun and some extra bullets, but as you progress, you will earn points that open up better weapons and accessories. Fighting is mostly comprised of hand-to-hand combat utilizing timed combos. The timing with which you press the right analog stick will determine whether the combo goes on or not. When things really get heated up though, it will take your full arsenal to clear a room full of vamps. Luckily for Blade, he also has his trusty blade, but it can only be used when his rage meter builds up to a suitable amount. Once it does though, a series of decapitations and impalements is sure to follow.

The effort put in to the gameplay is appreciated, but it's still not perfect. The right analog stick attacks are worthy of note, but in practice, it can be a little cumbersome. The natural mushiness of an analog joystick prevents precise input recognition. The other problem that I would not have expected to see in an action game of this type is the movement control. For some reason Blade II employs Resident Evil style controls. Talk about awkward. Maybe it can work in a slow-paced horror game, but here it just doesn't work well.

So while the gameplay made a valiant effort to distinguish itself from other movie titles, the graphics fall in with the lesser games. Neither Blade nor the vamps make any kind of mark compared to other character graphics from this generation. The animation is equally as weak, and this is especially noticeable when you see Blade's rigid front and back flips. The XBox does a noticeably better job than the PS2 though. The lighting is actually quite good on the XBox, and it looks a little better in motion as well (this just may be the added motion blur).

The music is very similar in the game as it was in the movie. This works for me, as I was quite fond of the soundtrack. Once again, the XBox makes its claim over the PS2 by fully supporting Dolby Digital sound. Try as they might, the voice acting is a far cry from what you heard in the theatrical version. Because of this, it's unfortunate that many of the story scenes are acted out with full voice.

While Blade II may receive a superior grade as far as movie to game translations go, it is still a very mediocre game when compared other action titles on the market. Understandably, we go into these reviews with low expectations, and that's where I was surprised by Blade's playability and decent progression system. All in all, it will make for a nice rental and summer distraction but nothing I could recommend for purchase.