<s>
Blade	B-Application
II	I-Application
is	O
a	O
2002	O
action	B-Application
beat	B-Application
'	I-Application
em	I-Application
up	I-Application
video	O
game	B-Application
developed	O
by	O
Mucky	O
Foot	O
Productions	O
and	O
published	O
by	O
Activision	O
for	O
the	O
PlayStation	B-Device
2	I-Device
and	O
Xbox	B-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
Originally	O
scheduled	O
for	O
North	O
American	O
release	O
on	O
the	O
same	O
day	O
as	O
the	O
theatrical	O
release	O
of	O
the	O
2002	B-Application
film	I-Application
of	I-Application
the	I-Application
same	I-Application
name	I-Application
(	O
March	O
22	O
)	O
,	O
it	O
was	O
ultimately	O
released	O
on	O
September	O
3	O
,	O
the	O
same	O
day	O
the	O
film	O
was	O
released	O
on	O
DVD	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
game	B-Application
is	O
not	O
a	O
direct	O
adaptation	O
of	O
the	O
film	O
,	O
but	O
is	O
actually	O
a	O
sequel	O
,	O
taking	O
place	O
between	O
the	O
events	O
of	O
Blade	B-Application
II	I-Application
and	O
Blade	O
:	O
Trinity	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
developers	O
championed	O
the	O
game	B-Application
as	O
introducing	O
a	O
new	O
type	O
of	O
never-before-seen	O
melee	O
combat	O
into	O
video	O
gaming	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
However	O
,	O
most	O
reviewers	O
disliked	O
the	O
system	O
,	O
and	O
the	O
game	B-Application
as	O
a	O
whole	O
was	O
met	O
with	O
mainly	O
negative	O
reviews	O
on	O
both	O
the	O
PlayStation	B-Device
2	I-Device
and	O
the	O
Xbox	B-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
game	B-Application
was	O
also	O
a	O
commercial	O
failure	O
,	O
selling	O
less	O
than	O
half	O
a	O
million	O
units	O
across	O
both	O
platforms	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Blade	B-Application
II	I-Application
is	O
an	O
action/beat	O
'	O
em	O
up	O
game	O
played	O
from	O
a	O
third-person	O
perspective	O
,	O
with	O
the	O
player	O
controlling	O
Blade	O
's	O
movement	O
via	O
the	O
left	O
analog	B-Device
stick	I-Device
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
game	B-Application
primarily	O
focuses	O
on	O
melee	O
combat	O
,	O
although	O
it	O
does	O
allow	O
the	O
use	O
of	O
firearms	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Combat	O
is	O
controlled	O
via	O
the	O
right	O
analog	B-Device
stick	I-Device
,	O
allowing	O
for	O
what	O
the	O
developers	O
call	O
a	O
"	O
360°	O
combat	O
system	O
"	O
–	O
the	O
player	O
moves	O
the	O
stick	O
in	O
the	O
direction	O
in	O
which	O
they	O
want	O
to	O
attack	O
and	O
Blade	O
punches	O
or	O
kicks	O
in	O
that	O
direction	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
A	O
major	O
feature	O
of	O
the	O
game	B-Application
is	O
Rage	O
mode	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
At	O
the	O
start	O
of	O
the	O
game	B-Application
Blade	O
is	O
equipped	O
with	O
only	O
a	O
"	O
mach	O
pistol	O
"	O
,	O
but	O
as	O
the	O
player	O
advances	O
they	O
can	O
unlock	O
other	O
weapons	O
and	O
accessories	O
;	O
a	O
shotgun	O
,	O
a	O
glaive	O
,	O
stronger	O
body	O
armor	O
,	O
silver	O
knuckles	O
,	O
UV	O
grenades	O
,	O
and	O
serum	O
to	O
increase	O
Blade	O
's	O
health	O
regeneration	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Blade	B-Application
II	I-Application
takes	O
place	O
six	O
months	O
after	O
the	O
events	O
of	O
the	O
film	O
,	O
with	O
Blade	O
having	O
vanquished	O
Nomak	O
and	O
the	O
Reapers	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
game	B-Application
opens	O
with	O
Blade	O
(	O
voiced	O
by	O
Tom	O
Clark	O
)	O
and	O
Whistler	O
(	O
Don	O
Delciappo	O
)	O
receiving	O
information	O
that	O
a	O
blood	O
exchange	O
is	O
taking	O
place	O
between	O
a	O
mafia	O
outfit	O
and	O
a	O
vampire	O
clan	O
in	O
the	O
parking	O
lot	O
of	O
Karkov	O
Towers	O
,	O
a	O
multi-company	O
tower	O
block	O
and	O
possible	O
vampire	O
safe	O
house	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Blade	O
fights	O
his	O
way	O
into	O
the	O
tower	O
through	O
the	O
underground	O
car	O
park	O
,	O
and	O
then	O
passes	O
through	O
the	O
"	O
Exploitika	O
"	O
nightclub	O
before	O
destroying	O
the	O
computer	B-Architecture
mainframe	I-Architecture
of	O
a	O
vampire-run	O
company	O
called	O
Nth	O
Phase	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Blade	B-Application
II	I-Application
was	O
announced	O
on	O
January	O
22	O
,	O
2001	O
when	O
Activision	O
revealed	O
they	O
had	O
partnered	O
with	O
UK	O
based	O
developers	O
Mucky	O
Foot	O
Productions	O
to	O
produce	O
the	O
game	B-Application
for	O
several	O
as-yet	O
unnamed	O
next	B-Application
generation	I-Application
consoles	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
On	O
February	O
2	O
,	O
in	O
an	O
interview	O
with	O
IGN	O
,	O
the	O
game	B-Application
's	O
director	O
,	O
Mike	O
Diskett	O
,	O
revealed	O
the	O
gameplay	O
would	O
be	O
melee-based	O
,	O
but	O
players	O
would	O
also	O
have	O
access	O
to	O
Blade	O
's	O
sword	O
and	O
firearms	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Diskett	O
explained	O
that	O
Mucky	O
Foot	O
had	O
pitched	O
a	O
game	B-Application
to	O
Activision	O
called	O
Sky	O
Ships	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Activision	O
passed	O
on	O
publishing	O
the	O
game	B-Application
but	O
were	O
impressed	O
with	O
Mucky	O
Foot	O
's	O
work	O
and	O
offered	O
them	O
the	O
Blade	O
franchise	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Diskett	O
also	O
explained	O
the	O
combat	O
system	O
in	O
Blade	B-Application
II	I-Application
had	O
originally	O
been	O
created	O
for	O
Sky	O
Ships	O
,	O
and	O
revealed	O
the	O
game	B-Application
would	O
be	O
released	O
for	O
PlayStation	B-Device
2	I-Device
and	O
Xbox	B-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
game	B-Application
was	O
unveiled	O
on	O
November	O
20	O
,	O
when	O
Activision	O
announced	O
it	O
was	O
not	O
going	O
to	O
be	O
a	O
direct	O
adaptation	O
of	O
the	O
film	O
,	O
but	O
a	O
stand-alone	O
story	O
which	O
takes	O
place	O
after	O
the	O
events	O
of	O
the	O
film	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
game	B-Application
was	O
next	O
shown	O
at	O
E3	O
in	O
May	O
2002	O
,	O
where	O
the	O
Rage	O
system	O
was	O
revealed	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
However	O
,	O
he	O
praised	O
the	O
game	B-Application
for	O
capturing	O
the	O
spirit	O
of	O
the	O
film	O
well	O
(	O
something	O
which	O
he	O
felt	O
the	O
first	O
game	B-Application
had	O
failed	O
to	O
do	O
)	O
and	O
admitted	O
he	O
was	O
looking	O
forward	O
to	O
the	O
final	O
build	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
combat-style	O
,	O
while	O
different	O
,	O
is	O
counter-intuitive	O
to	O
the	O
way	O
gamers	O
are	O
used	O
to	O
enjoying	O
action	B-Application
games	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
game	B-Application
was	O
released	O
in	O
North	O
America	O
on	O
September	O
3	O
,	O
the	O
same	O
day	O
the	O
film	O
was	O
released	O
on	O
DVD	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
Xbox	B-Application
version	O
of	O
Blade	B-Application
II	I-Application
received	O
"	O
mixed	O
"	O
reviews	O
,	O
while	O
the	O
PlayStation	B-Device
2	I-Device
version	O
received	O
"	O
generally	O
unfavorable	O
reviews	O
"	O
,	O
according	O
to	O
the	O
review	B-Application
aggregation	I-Application
website	O
Metacritic	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
He	O
concluded	O
:	O
"	O
Blade	B-Application
II	I-Application
is	O
a	O
missed	O
opportunity	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
GameSpy	O
's	O
Kevin	O
Murphy	O
,	O
too	O
,	O
criticized	O
the	O
PS2	B-Device
version	O
's	O
limited	O
use	O
of	O
the	O
sword	O
:	O
"	O
This	O
ultimately	O
hurts	O
the	O
game	B-Application
,	O
as	O
it	O
's	O
really	O
fun	O
hacking	O
with	O
the	O
sword	O
"	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
He	O
also	O
disliked	O
the	O
combat	O
system	O
:	O
"	O
Players	O
are	O
just	O
pushing	O
the	O
right	O
analog	B-Device
stick	I-Device
around	O
and	O
do	O
n't	O
have	O
any	O
control	O
over	O
the	O
actual	O
moves	O
Blade	O
uses	O
,	O
just	O
the	O
direction	O
of	O
his	O
attack	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
He	O
concluded	O
"	O
Blade	B-Application
II	I-Application
is	O
n't	O
all	O
bad	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Steve	O
Steinberg	O
wrote	O
of	O
the	O
Xbox	B-Application
version	O
's	O
combat	O
system	O
,	O
"	O
it	O
probably	O
made	O
more	O
sense	O
in	O
theory	O
than	O
it	O
does	O
in	O
actual	O
application	O
"	O
,	O
calling	O
it	O
"	O
the	O
stick	O
version	O
of	O
button-mashing	O
"	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
He	O
also	O
criticized	O
the	O
AI	B-Application
,	O
saying	O
:	O
"	O
The	O
game	B-Application
would	O
have	O
been	O
far	O
better	O
with	O
fewer	O
,	O
but	O
more	O
intelligent	O
,	O
enemies	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
He	O
concluded	O
:	O
"	O
Ultimately	O
,	O
Blade	B-Application
II	I-Application
plays	O
more	O
like	O
a	O
platformer	O
for	O
adults	O
than	O
like	O
an	O
action	B-Application
title	O
 [ ... ] 	O
Clean	O
up	O
some	O
of	O
the	O
rough	O
language	O
,	O
give	O
Blade	O
a	O
big	O
,	O
bulbous	O
,	O
cutesy	O
head	O
,	O
and	O
replace	O
the	O
millions	O
of	O
vampires	O
per	O
level	O
with	O
an	O
equal	O
number	O
of	O
collectible	O
trinkets	O
and	O
you	O
'll	O
have	O
something	O
the	O
Nintendo	O
crowd	O
can	O
tackle	O
when	O
they	O
're	O
done	O
with	O
the	O
latest	O
Mario	B-Application
romp	O
"	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
GameSpot	O
's	O
Jeff	O
Gerstmann	O
said	O
,	O
"	O
Blade	B-Application
II	I-Application
has	O
some	O
of	O
the	O
worst	O
enemy	O
AI	B-Application
so	O
far	O
this	O
year	O
"	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
He	O
was	O
critical	O
of	O
the	O
graphics	O
,	O
the	O
sound	O
and	O
the	O
controls	O
,	O
concluding	O
,	O
"	O
if	O
you	O
find	O
yourself	O
out	O
shopping	O
for	O
some	O
Blade	O
II-related	O
items	O
,	O
take	O
a	O
pass	O
on	O
the	O
game	B-Application
and	O
stick	O
to	O
the	O
movie	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Poor	O
AI	B-Application
,	O
dull	O
design	O
,	O
and	O
lackluster	O
presentation	O
all	O
add	O
up	O
to	O
make	O
Blade	B-Application
II	I-Application
a	O
game	B-Application
that	O
you	O
should	O
definitely	O
skip	O
"	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
IGN	O
's	O
Jeremy	O
Dunham	O
said	O
of	O
the	O
PS2	B-Device
version	O
that	O
"	O
there	O
is	O
n't	O
much	O
to	O
find	O
beyond	O
the	O
horrendous	O
controls	O
and	O
suspiciously	O
bad	O
gameplay	O
"	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
He	O
was	O
also	O
critical	O
of	O
the	O
graphics	O
,	O
and	O
concluded	O
,	O
"	O
Blade	B-Application
II	I-Application
has	O
turned	O
into	O
our	O
most	O
recent	O
poster	O
child	O
for	O
how	O
NOT	O
to	O
make	O
a	O
movie-licensed	O
videogame	O
"	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Hilary	O
Goldstein	O
was	O
equally	O
unimpressed	O
with	O
the	O
Xbox	B-Application
version	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Because	O
you	O
have	O
to	O
use	O
the	O
thumbstick	B-Device
,	O
and	O
because	O
the	O
thumbstick	B-Device
represents	O
the	O
direction	O
of	O
an	O
attack	O
and	O
the	O
attack	O
itself	O
,	O
combat	O
seems	O
very	O
stilted	O
"	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
He	O
was	O
also	O
critical	O
of	O
the	O
story	O
,	O
missions	O
and	O
AI	B-Application
,	O
referring	O
to	O
the	O
game	B-Application
as	O
"	O
a	O
momentary	O
distraction	O
in	O
video	O
game	B-Application
life	O
"	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Blade	B-Application
II	I-Application
was	O
a	O
commercial	O
failure	O
,	O
selling	O
less	O
than	O
half	O
a	O
million	O
units	O
across	O
both	O
platforms	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
When	O
Mucky	O
Foot	O
acquired	O
the	O
Blade	O
franchise	O
,	O
they	O
had	O
already	O
developed	O
two	O
commercial	O
failures	O
:	O
Urban	B-Application
Chaos	I-Application
and	O
Startopia	B-Application
,	O
both	O
of	O
which	O
had	O
been	O
published	O
by	O
Eidos	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Mucky	O
Foot	O
wanted	O
to	O
make	O
Urban	B-Application
Chaos	I-Application
2	O
,	O
but	O
Eidos	O
were	O
not	O
especially	O
interested	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
However	O
,	O
because	O
the	O
game	B-Application
had	O
to	O
be	O
ready	O
to	O
ship	O
to	O
coincide	O
with	O
the	O
DVD	O
release	O
of	O
the	O
film	O
in	O
North	O
America	O
,	O
development	O
was	O
rushed	O
,	O
and	O
the	O
game	B-Application
was	O
released	O
before	O
the	O
developers	O
were	O
fully	O
happy	O
with	O
it	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
After	O
finishing	O
with	O
Blade	B-Application
II	I-Application
,	O
Mucky	O
Foot	O
began	O
work	O
on	O
two	O
more	O
film	O
adaptations	O
:	O
Bulletproof	O
Monk	O
for	O
Empire	O
Interactive	O
and	O
The	O
Punisher	O
for	O
THQ	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
THQ	O
were	O
unimpressed	O
with	O
Blade	B-Application
II	I-Application
,	O
and	O
cancelled	O
The	O
Punisher	O
,	O
which	O
left	O
Mucky	O
Foot	O
in	O
the	O
position	O
of	O
being	O
unable	O
to	O
complete	O
Bulletproof	O
Monk	O
without	O
letting	O
staff	O
go	O
,	O
which	O
they	O
were	O
unwilling	O
to	O
do	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
They	O
spent	O
several	O
months	O
re-pitching	O
Sky	O
Ships	O
,	O
the	O
game	B-Application
which	O
had	O
developed	O
into	O
Blade	B-Application
II	I-Application
,	O
to	O
various	O
publishers	O
,	O
but	O
were	O
unable	O
to	O
generate	O
any	O
interest	O
,	O
and	O
the	O
company	O
closed	O
in	O
October	O
2003	O
.	O
</s>
