 In an article published on their Planet Half-Life website on the GameSpy network, IGN echoed much of this positiveness for "Pirates, Vikings and Knights II", describing the public beta 2.0 version as "well polished and balanced", noting the optimization of the game's design and the reworked melee system as effective.The reviewer also praised the graphics of the game, stating that the Source engine had been used to create "awe inspiring visuals" and describing the game's models as fantastic.The sound work in the game was also given credit, with the game's music in particular being put as "some of the best mood setting music to be had in a video game".