The concept of the game is that the player is a god, called from heaven to help those who invoked them. The player also has a creature, their physical representation in the world, which takes the form of an anthropomorphic ape, lion, wolf or cow and, with an unlocker, a tiger. It can grow to an immense size, and adopt a good or evil persona separate of the player's. They develop their character as the player rewards or punishes their actions. In addition to the god simulation and city-building elements of the original Black & White, Black & White 2 also features elements of Real-Time Strategy gameplay, with the addition of controllable warfare and fighting units.rnrnBlack & White 2 also features a more conventional HUD (Heads-Up Display) system than its predecessor. Rather than the experimental HUDless gameplay seen in the original game, Black & White 2 features HUD notifications that inform players of their creature's state of mind, the effects of their actions on their creature, the status of villages, etc.