Jack of all trades, master of none, though oft' times better than master of one. Savage 2 certainly fits the bill. Blending elements of FPS, RTS, and online RPG, the game truly spans the spectrum. Unfortunately, this lack of specialization prevents Savage 2 from achieving perfection and truly standing out among other online only titles.

S2 Games claimed to have invented a new gaming sub-genre, the Real Time Strategy Shooter, with their earlier title, Savage: A Battle for Newerth. Savage 2 attempts to improve upon this budding genre with the blending of RPG elements into the formula.

The three elements mesh smoothly together with few rough edges. When joining a match, and the commander slot is already full, you have the option of selecting your faction, Beast or Human. Commanders on each team nominate officers who are responsible for a few players under their command. You can then select which officer's squad you want to be a part of. Officers are not only a way to make things easier for the commander, but also a clever way to encourage team play. Sticking close to your officer gives you helpful stat bonuses in battle. Officers can also place temporary spawn portals anywhere on the map allowing players to rejoin battles near enemy outposts or even their main base.

The more you kill, the more points you receive, and the faster you can level up and assign points into strength, agility, intelligence, or endurance. While the character classes are few, they become more specialized as a team's commander climbs the tech tree. This makes choosing which stats to level up all the more important. If you plan on playing a healer later in the match, it's wise to spend points on intelligence rather than agility, for example.

Combat in Savage 2, however, is incredibly frustrating. Players have the ability to perform simple melee attacks, block, or interrupt attacks. Basic attacks defeat interrupts, blocking defeats simple attacks, and interrupts defeat blocking. Sounds simple, right? Well, yeah, but the frenetic pace makes it virtually impossible to accurately gauge when best to block or attack. Add to the equation problems with lag and clunky controls and you have a perfectly frustrating experience.

Lag is often an issue in many servers. At times, the game merely skips for a couple seconds. At other times, it can freeze completely for long periods of time only to end with you dead back at the class selection screen. Worse yet, Savage 2 is riddled with many glitches which really hamper the experience. A bug prevents completion of the tutorial which is really a shame since no manual, online or pdf, is included with the game.

If you manage to join a server before the game has started, you have the chance of sparing yourself the unforgiving combat by nominating yourself for the commander slot. If your teammates vote for you, you can experience the more enjoyable RTS side of Savage 2.

Unlike other traditional RTS games, you'll spend more time providing buffs, healing, and resurrecting your units than you will placing structures or mining resources. You can issue commands to squads, but they may choose to ignore you since there is no real incentive in following a commander's orders. Gold is the only resource, and players can also donate gold they earn from kills to the commander's money pool. The tech tree is far from complex and does not take long to progress through, but doing so quickly is essential.

Graphics: 9
Simply outstanding. Character models and animations are distinctive and unique, though it is painfully difficult to tell when a unit is blocking. This makes it even harder to properly gauge and time attacks. Spell effects and other animations also catch the eye in a good way. Level design is expansive, never feeling cramped. There is not much in the terrain which affects combat, however.

Sound: 8
Well done all around; especially the voiceovers. The Arnold Schwarzenegger taunts, while sufficiently silly, seem out of place in the fantasy setting. Helpful chimes make combat a bit less painful indicating when a player has struck his target with ranged attacks. Even the menu music sucks you in.

Gameplay: 6
The controls are similar to many other FPS, RPG, and RTS games, but their streamlined nature does not save them from unresponsiveness. Frequently, my character would block after every melee attack, leaving me vulnerable to interrupts. Even after reassigning keys, problems persisted. Team play is crucial, and it's often frustrating trying to get units under you command to follow your orders or pay attention to the bigger picture of enemy movement.

The two factions, while cosmetically differently, are nothing more than mirror images of each other. Some classes on each side require slightly different tactics or sport different spells or abilities, but each class has its exact counterpart on the other side with virtually the exact same role. As a result, a certain level of depth seems missing from the combat.

Value: 7
Because Savage 2 is online, there is a great replay revalue. If you get tired of hack n' slash, you can play commander for an entirely different and arguably more enjoyable experience. The game is moderately priced at thirty dollars. The full version is available for download from the games site with a five hour time limit. The trial version lacks internet play – only LAN. With a broken tutorial and no manual it can be difficult to get a feel for the game in five hours with the practice mode unless you manage to get some friends together for a LAN.

Concept: 8
Savage 2 pushes the boundaries between three major genres and succeeds for the most part. The interplay between the three elements is enjoyable even though no one is done exceptionally well. Savage 2 also forces team play in a good way. A symbiotic relationship of sorts is forged between the commander and the other players which must be fostered in order to bring victory.

Fun: 7
Unfortunately, various bugs and glitches hamper the unique concept. If you, unlike me, possess the inhuman levels of patience necessary to see past these issues, you will have a blast.

Overall: 7/10
Savage 2 is a beautiful concept whose effect is regrettably diminished by bugs and frustrating combat. While the game incorporates a vast swath of gameplay mechanics, this same breadth prevents a refined focus. As a result, no matter what your chosen path, combat or strategy, you are left with a less than full feeling. The steep learning curve may make it difficult for some players to accurately gauge the experience with the limited five hour trial. If you're one of those people who admire a jack of all trades, you'll likely be at home with Savage 2.