There were a number of interesting features -- complex characters, a dark, mature story that explored the seedy lives of criminals -- in IO Interactive's original Kane & Lynch, provided you could look past the broken gameplay and the subsequent review scandal. While the franchise's name may be forever tarnished, that hasn't stopped IO from developing a sequel, one that expands upon the best aspects of the original. But does Kane & Lynch 2: Dog Days fix the gameplay inherited from its predecessor? Sort of.

As our previous impressions indicated, there's much to like about the game's presentation. Like Dead Men before it, Kane & Lynch is certainly not short on style. The "digital camera" effect makes this shooter look unlike any other game I've seen, offering the illusion of reality. Upon closer inspection, you can see the graphics tech is far from cutting-edge, but the clever filters and camera techniques make Dog Days feel far more authentic than the photo-realistic approach most other games attempt.