The graphics are nothing earth shattering, and there's no animation to speak of. Avernum 2 is a retooling of Exile 2- Crystal Souls. Your party of four neophytes begins the game in the massive canyons of Avernum, an underground prison where the surface-ruling Empire disposes of criminals and troublemakers. As if that weren' t enough, many of the caverns have been cut off from one another by the appearance of mysterious magical barriers. This is just one of the many quests that await your intrepid heroes.
Game play is fairly standard RPG stuff.
Defeating enemies, solving puzzles, and completing quests gains experience. Experience translates into skill points, which can be spent to increase the stats and abilities of your characters. The character screens, featuring humorous illustrations by Phil Foglio, are well-constructed and designed with beginners in mind. Clicking on any stat, skill, ability, spell, etc, brings up an easy to comprehend explanation. Information on quests and goals are automatically saved, and the journal allows the player to easily record and access conversations and encounters.