BW2 is mechanically a good improvement on the first game. While I rather enjoyed the story it didn't reach the height of the first games for me to be honest. It feels oddly disjointed from the first game in some ways, bringing up major players from the first game rather late in the game(Not counting Memory link). Otherwise it does do a good job of showing the division of those who mean well, those who seek power, and those who are apathetic.