And i've tried for quite some time now after having finished GK1.
The terrible acting, the clunky unintuitive UI and the ultra dated FMV...even the game mechanics seem weird compared to the first game, much less to do and too much moving around and waiting for videos to finish.
I don't know what happened and why they decided to go with FMV (well i guess it was supposed to be the next big thing at the time, lots of game went this way) but it really seems like they spent the budget on the filming rather than on the actual gameplay.

Am i really missing a great game or is it, truthfully, not that good ? I really loved the first one so i was eager to start the game the first time...I thought "ok i've played FMV games before, while i don't like them as much as good ole 2D pixel art, i can live with them" but i just can't get into it...

It's a good game with a good story, not as good as the first one but still good.

And I had the same problem (thought I overcome it) I especially dislike the accent and facial expression of the guy who played Gabriel.

As a huge fan of GK1 I can safely say that GK2 is a fantastic game. You just need to get used to the user interface and presentation style. At first I didn't like Dean Erickson as Gabriel Knight but he really grew on me.

GK2 is very much worth your time. All the story, character, research, and rewarding gameplay are all there. Beyond the interface what matters most is that this is a Jane Jensen game. Be patient and give it a fair try because the game is extremely rewarding and mature with several outstanding actors including Gabriel himself.

I initially had the same problem when I started, and I actually skipped GK1 at the time (I've since gone back and played GK1 which it's classic status is well deserved).

Sharing your initial frustration, it does take a little while to get into GK2 - but the payoff for playing through it is well worth it. Even after you get into the first part of the game, there are slow points later which makes the game drag - but all in all I felt the payoff by the end made this a great addition to the series and also stands well on its own.

Also keep in mind the FMV aspect of the game was a growing industry trend, and frankly Sierra did a great job when you compare this to some of the other FMV based games of it's time.

I too could not stand the limited freedom of this game (compared to the first sequel), and the lengthy FMV scenes everywhere. But the acting itself is not so bad, with one notable exception, and that is unfortunately the main protagonist. He is really wooden and terrible, but he improves a lot as the game progresses, and becomes passable towards the end. Give the game a chance, it starts rather badly, but it will grow on you, it really has a strange, subtle, small-town cozy atmosphere, together with some B-movie style scares. The game also improves with the appearance of the main antagonist, who is much better actor than the rest of the crew and kinda steals the show later in the game.

I have a recommendation for you on how to treat the game. Do not regard the game as a professional blockbuster that would amaze with wonderful performance, but as a charming attempt of a group of enthusiastic amateurs. You will find out that you appreciate the game not despite its flaws (and there are many), but because of them. It also has a lot of soul, in the writing, in the honest enthusiasm, and in the atmosphere, rarely seen in modern commercial production.

I agree with all of the previous respondents. GK2 is a great game. The FMV felt really awkward to me at first, but the awkwardness is the same awkwardness that you feel when you read Shakespeare for the first time or you watch a movie from the '50s when you are only used to contemporary film or you hear a piece of music from a genre that you are not at all familiar with. It takes a while to acclimatize to new forms of art, but once you do, you find that they're just as good as the art that you're used to, they're just different. Once you play GK2 for a few hours, you forget all about the oddness of the FMV, especially when Grace's story really gets going, and you are swept up by one of the better adventure games ever made.