This game has some of the most comprehensive and immersive lore I've ever encountered. A top five manual of all time is worth the price of admission alone. I love the way this game employs different factions and an "online forum" like newsfeed to make the game world come alive. Lots of cool concepts. Unfortunately, the gameplay doesn't quite match up. It's not bad per se, but it's scaled back from what they wanted, and isn't as satisfying as ES2.