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PC Gaming hotbed of activity Gamespot has just posted an in-depth preview of the hotly-anticipated sequel to one of the most highly-praised God games of the century, Black & White.

The sequel, blandly-codenamed Black & White 2, promises to raise the bar on the first successful episode of the new franchise by pushing way beyond the premise of the original game, all the while dazzling fans with a brand-new graphics engine:

To a god looking down from the heavens, the land could hardly look more beautiful. Fields of wheat and grass sway gently in the breeze, and the clear blue waters of the ocean caress the sun-drenched shoreline. As the camera moves closer, though, it becomes obvious that all is not as idyllic as it first seems. This green and pleasant land is in fact a battlefield on which entire civilizations are at war with one another, fighting for their beliefs in a bloodthirsty conflict that will ultimately see the gods themselves entering the fray.

That is Peter Molyneux's vision for the sequel to Black & White, a vision we were afforded a brief glimpse of on a recent visit to the UK offices of Lionhead and Black & White studios. Of course the game is still a long way from completion--long enough, in fact, that even Molyneux himself couldn't be persuaded to give us any indication of when he hopes to have it finished.

It's not yet clear exactly how many creatures there will be in the game, but we did get to see some artwork of a friendly-looking lion before we were confronted by an ape that looked far more evil--and detailed--than anything from the first game. The ape in question had a muscular physique, a shaved head, and black fur that--in addition to looking wholly believable--will apparently serve as a good indicator of a creature's health in the finished game.

Gamespot: Black & White 2 Preview

Feral Interactive (add to watch list)

Lionhead Studios (add to watch list)

Black & White (add to watch list)

Black & White: Creature Isle (add to watch list)

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