Evil Genius 2 Review: Conquering the World Is Easy. Managing the Idiots Is Hell.
Evil Genius 2: World Domination is a wonderfully ridiculous supervillain management game that understands the appeal of being an evil mastermind, then occasionally makes you regret becoming one. Building a secret island lair, employing disposable henchmen and terrorising government agents is tremendous fun. Unfortunately, conquering the planet also involves an extraordinary amount of waiting, employee management and administrative nonsense. Apparently, even evil has a Human Resources department.
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Welcome to Evil Incorporated
Every self-respecting supervillain needs three things: a secret island, a weapon capable of destroying civilisation, and an army of employees who are significantly less intelligent than the laboratory furniture.
Evil Genius 2 gives you all three. Developed by Rebellion, this sequel to the 2004 cult classic puts you in charge of a criminal empire operating beneath a glamorous casino. Upstairs, tourists enjoy their holidays. Downstairs, scientists develop weapons of mass destruction while security guards attempt to prevent government agents from discovering the industrial-scale criminal conspiracy beneath the cocktail lounge.
It's a magnificent premise. Rather than playing yet another heavily armed hero saving humanity, you get to be the bastard everyone else is trying to stop. And unlike games where being evil amounts to selecting the rude dialogue option before rescuing another orphanage, Evil Genius 2 actually builds its gameplay around villainy.
Building the perfect criminal paradise
Lair construction is arguably the game's greatest achievement. You excavate rooms, establish laboratories, build training facilities and gradually transform an ordinary island into a subterranean monument to deeply questionable ambition.
It's colourful, wonderfully animated and full of personality. Scientists strut around looking important, guards patrol the corridors, and prisoners endure interrogation methods that resemble rejected ideas from a particularly deranged children's television programme.
The defensive systems are particularly appealing. Freeze rays, giant fans, laser grids and shark-infested pools turn enemy infiltration into an elaborate exercise in occupational health and safety violations. These aren't merely decorations either. Agents genuinely threaten your operation, making defensive planning an important part of running the lair.
Of course, you could simply employ enough guards to beat intruders into submission. But if you're going to construct an underground criminal empire, surely you owe it to yourself to install a shark pool. Otherwise, what's the bloody point?
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Apparently, world domination requires paperwork
Unfortunately, Evil Genius 2 has a remarkable ability to interrupt its own entertainment. Outside the lair, you establish criminal networks across the World Map, dispatch minions on Schemes, earn money and manage the Heat generated by your activities.
On paper, this sounds excellent. You're expanding an international criminal organisation while staying ahead of the Forces of Justice. In practice, much of that criminal activity happens off-screen. You select a Scheme, allocate the necessary workforce and wait for the results. Your minions don't even return from these assignments, meaning successful global expansion requires a continuous supply of replacements.
Consider the recruitment department for a moment. Imagine walking into a job interview where the employer explains that you'll receive excellent training, work on international projects and almost certainly never come home. The benefits package presumably includes a commemorative pen and the opportunity to die somewhere outside Luxembourg.
Research takes time. Minions need training. Helicopters transport personnel. Money must accumulate before further construction becomes possible. Meanwhile, Heat can trigger lockdowns that interrupt your criminal operations. Prolonged waiting and repetitive objectives were among the game's recurring criticisms at release, and the structure makes those complaints understandable.
Some downtime is necessary in a management game. Planning ahead is part of the appeal. But there's a difference between making strategic decisions and watching several progress bars slowly crawl toward something interesting. An evil genius should occasionally feel like an evil genius, not a man waiting for his planning permission to be approved.
The Forces of Justice are excellent party crashers
Fortunately, the authorities have a habit of making things interesting. As your criminal empire expands, government investigators and increasingly dangerous agents interfere with your operation. Suddenly, your carefully arranged base becomes something more than a colourful underground dollhouse. Security matters. Trap placement matters. Keeping intruders away from sensitive areas matters.
Super Agents are particularly troublesome because they can infiltrate your operation and cause considerable damage. You're balancing criminal profits, research, workforce requirements and security while attempting to prevent the entire organisation from going up in flames.
The irony is delicious. You possess the resources to threaten civilisation, yet one determined government employee can still ruin your afternoon. When these systems collide, Evil Genius 2 becomes considerably more interesting because you're making decisions rather than waiting for another task to finish.
Is Evil Genius 2 still worth playing in 2026?
Yes, particularly if you enjoy elaborate base building, management simulations and cartoon supervillain fantasy. But bring some patience.
Evil Genius 2 remains distinctive, with wonderfully theatrical villainy and a criminal headquarters that's genuinely enjoyable to construct. Unfortunately, lengthy objectives and repetitive World Map activities can make running a criminal empire feel suspiciously similar to working in one.
Steam's long-term reception remains Mixed, reflecting that divided reputation. This retrospective verdict draws on established mechanics and critical reception rather than fresh CRIMENET hands-on testing.
There's still something irresistible about constructing a secret underground fortress, terrorising international intelligence agencies and developing a Doomsday Device. Just remember that before you conquer the world, somebody needs to clean the barracks. And apparently, that somebody is you.
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Evil Genius 2: World Domination FAQ
Is Evil Genius 2 worth playing in 2026?
Yes, especially if you enjoy base building, management games and playing the villain. The lair construction and supervillain fantasy are excellent, although repetitive objectives and lengthy waiting periods can test your patience.
Can you actually be evil in Evil Genius 2?
Absolutely. You run a criminal empire, build deadly traps, interrogate prisoners, command disposable minions and develop a Doomsday Device. Being the villain is the entire point, not some optional dialogue choice.
Is Evil Genius 2 a single-player game?
Yes. Evil Genius 2 is entirely single-player, with no multiplayer or co-op mode. World domination is apparently a solo enterprise.
How long does Evil Genius 2 take to complete?
A campaign can take approximately 30-40 hours, depending on your playstyle, objectives and how much time you spend developing your lair.
What is the biggest problem with Evil Genius 2?
Repetitive World Map Schemes, slow progression and excessive waiting are its most frequently cited weaknesses. Even criminal masterminds apparently spend half their working lives watching progress bars.
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