Can I reminisce for a second, gang? Is that cool? Virtually 4 years in the past, I reviewed Demon Slayer -Kimetsu no Yaiba- The Hinokami Chronicles for IGN. It was my first IGN overview. Now, with precisely 25 extra IGN opinions underneath my belt, I’m again to overview its sequel. Time flies, and rather a lot has modified within the final 4 years, together with inside this collection. The Hinokami Chronicles 2 is an even bigger, higher model of its predecessor that provides new methods to play whereas sustaining what labored and tweaking what didn’t, even when it’s not precisely out right here discovering new types of demon slaying.
Let’s begin from the start. If you happen to’re unfamiliar with Demon Slayer from its manga or anime, it follows Tanjiro and Nezuko Kamado after demons homicide their household and rework Nezuko right into a demon herself. Decided to avenge their household, the 2 got down to slay demons and work out a technique to make Nezuko human once more. The unique Hinokami Chronicles went by means of the tip of the Mugen Practice Arc, and The Hinokami Chronicles 2 picks up from there. There’s some effort to play catch up when you missed the unique sport, with a little bit of narration from Tanjiro within the Story Mode explaining what’s happening and who characters like Inosuke and Zenitsu are, however for essentially the most half The Hinokami Chronicles 2 form of expects you to have a familiarity with what’s happening. It is a sequel, in spite of everything.
If you happen to don’t, you’ll be able to hop into Path of the Demon Slayer, which lets you replay a truncated model of the unique story. And once I say “truncated,” I imply it, because it’s comprised of simply six one-on-one fights. That’s it. It was nonetheless a helpful approach for me to refresh on the story thus far, however not one of the huge, flashy fights in opposition to the large bosses from the unique sport are right here, and even a few of the smaller fights are lacking. Worse, those which might be listed here are primarily based on the playable, versus mode variations of the bosses you fought, which implies they’re primarily simply glorified Vs CPU matches. Don’t get me fallacious; I’m grateful The Path of the Demon Slayer is right here in any respect, however it looks like there ought to have been extra to it. As it’s, you’ll be able to knock the entire thing out in possibly half an hour.
For most people, I think about the enchantment shall be Story Mode, which lets you play by means of the Leisure District, Swordsmith Village, and Hashira Coaching Arcs. The story compelled me lower than final time, although I remained even when it’s a little goofy. Characters (particularly the usually-cowardly-but-brave-when-it-counts Zenitsu) yell rather a lot, however it’s often fairly humorous in context, and Tanjiro is a goody-goody’s goody-goody, however a minimum of his coronary heart’s in the proper place. It is a CyberConnect2 joint, so the whole lot is totally superbly animated and nearly each sequence appears to be like exceptional. There are plenty of cutscenes within the Story Mode, so possibly make some popcorn, however issues are usually well-presented. Do characters discuss an excessive amount of and have an excessive amount of inside monologue about how they’ll’t consider the opposite man is doing a little loopy stuff? Yup. A number of yelling? Yup. Nonetheless pretty fascinating anyway? Yup. It’s an anime sport, y’all. Simply, … don’t take a shot each time somebody yells about one thing. You’ll be lifeless earlier than the Leisure District Arc is over.
Between cutscenes, you’ll stroll round and discover the world, discuss to different characters, discover gadgets, and search out demons or clues to their whereabouts utilizing Tanjiro’s unimaginable nostril, Zenitsu’s tremendous listening to, Inosuke’s spatial consciousness, and so forth. All of those primarily boil all the way down to the Demon Slayer model of Detective Imaginative and prescient. Flip it on, comply with the trail, revenue. As you discover, you’ll additionally be capable of gather Reminiscence Fragments, that are quick films that mix voiceovers and stills from the anime collection, and Kimetsu Factors, which can be utilized to unlock rewards like characters, system voices, alternate costumes, quotes, stamps, numerous artwork and decorations to customise your profile, and songs from the soundtrack, plenty of which you’ll additionally discover scattered across the environments. I’m significantly keen on discovering some momento that causes characters to pause and keep in mind instances previous; it makes the world really feel extra lived in, and is an efficient reminder of how we bought right here.
I complained about all of the strolling round in my overview of the unique sport, however I’m feeling it a bit extra right here for 3 causes: first, the areas are smaller and extra “huge space the place you run round and discover stuff” somewhat than “journey this exceptionally linear path.” Secondly, you’ll be able to run this time round, a minimum of once you’re outdoors. Thank God, y’all. Thirdly, there’s facet quests now, which break issues up properly, whether or not which means serving to a shy servant confess his like to one of many girls he serves or becoming a member of forces with a Hashira to take down a demon. These are enjoyable, and so they add selection. Plus, you often get one of many aforementioned rewards. There’s even some amusing minigames, like Demon Slayer’s model of Guitar Hero, too!
Whenever you’re not strolling round, you’ll be throwing down with one demon or one other. Like the primary sport, the fights are fairly sick, whether or not you’re combating one other member of the forged or partaking in one of many extra elaborate fights in opposition to characters you’d by no means see in a versus match, like a large demon fishman or a demon product of sashes or a 3 on 1 brawl. Even ones that you simply’ll struggle a number of instances, like Daki and Gyutaro, are compelling since you’ll use totally different characters every time, or struggle underneath distinctive circumstances, like having considered one of your characters be poisoned or utilizing an alternate model than you’re used to. The boss fights are flashy and interesting all through The Hinokami Chronicles 2, and simply the spotlight of the story mode.
Locking Swords with Demons
Relating to the precise battle system, this sequel doesn’t make a ton of adjustments. Assaults are on one button and specials one other. You may fluctuate issues up by pushing the stick in a course whereas urgent a kind of buttons to both carry out totally different specials or considered one of three distinctive combos: one which launches, one which retains foes on the bottom, and one which knocks them down.
Every fighter can even throw, sprint (significantly helpful to comply with up a launcher for an air combo), carry out an Final Artwork, use heavy assaults, and activate two particular energy ups: Enhance and Surge. Enhance powers up your assaults and provides an additional combo route, whereas Surge provides your character limitless meter for a short while. The controls are easy, however there’s plenty of depth to this fight when you’re into that, and I loved studying how one can construct combos with every character, determining superior methods like Fast Dodge so I might preserve my assaults from turning into predictable and preserve my combo gauge going a bit longer, and figuring out one of the simplest ways to parry sure characters.
I’ll additionally sing the praises of the few adjustments CyberConnect 2 has carried out. First, heavy assaults are no longer certain to ahead plus the assault button. As an alternative, you’ll maintain guard and press assault. No extra unintentional common assaults once you desire a heavy strike to put on the damage. Secondly, whereas the combo gauge continues to be right here (and nonetheless, I believe, a sensible addition for a sport like this), I haven’t seen characters falling out of combos when you run out of gauge throughout multihit assaults like the unique sport. These are each very, excellent adjustments.
Whilst you’ll typically struggle solo in Story Mode, The Hinokami Chronicles 2 is supposed to be a tag sport. In two-on-two battles, you’ll be able to name in your tag accomplice for an help that makes use of considered one of their particular strikes for half of your help gauge, or spend all of it to have them prevent from a mid-combo beatdown. You may as well absolutely swap between your characters supplied you might have the gauge for it, and since well being is shared between them, you’ll by no means need to fly solo, even when issues are wanting dangerous for the house group. In a brand new twist, some characters are so robust they don’t get assists in any respect, like Nezuko in her Superior Demon Type, whereas others, like Hinatsuru, Makio, and Suma, come as a pre-built tag group. Sure groups even have distinctive Twin Final Arts, which incentivizes you to pair characters like Tanjiro and Nezuko, who have already got a bond in The Lore.
As earlier than, the actual power of this method is motion and positioning. Discovering the candy spot between being far sufficient away from an assault to dodge it and shut sufficient to punish once you do is as compelling as touchdown that vast combo, particularly once you money out with a very flashy Final Artwork.
The finest Story Mode bosses power you to study their patterns, decide your spots, and execute once you discover your second. Final time, I complained that bosses might knock you again at will, even once you’re laying the smacketh down, and that their Enhance Modes are so highly effective that you simply’ll spend plenty of time taking part in protection as soon as they activate them. Each are nonetheless true, and whereas they are often annoying, it doesn’t really feel fairly as dangerous this time. Possibly I’m used to it, or possibly the dance feels extra pure. For no matter purpose, I’m much less bothered. And once you end that struggle and transition right into a flashy quick-time occasion referred to as the Ultimate Conflict to cap off the brawl? Nonetheless cinema. And like final time, it’s good that you may replay the encounters with out doing the map sections that accompany them when you’ve crushed them.
However Wait, There’s Extra!
When you’re completed with the Story Mode, you continue to have some choices as a solo participant. The most fascinating one might be Hashira Coaching, a roguelike the place you information your group down a board, selecting fights with distinctive win circumstances (swap a personality, win with X quantity of well being remaining, and so forth) or rewards and therapeutic gadgets. Your well being gained’t regenerate between fights except you select to go to a sq. that provides it, however you’ll get boosts that may buff you up for the subsequent struggle. Your aim? Make it to the Hashira you’re coaching with, and take them down. It’s a easy mode, however a fascinating one, and similar to Story Mode, it’s a great way to earn new goodies for the Archive and up your Character Mastery, which… additionally earns you new stuff for the Archive. There’s a ton of stuff to unlock right here, so if that’s your bag, The Hinokami Chronicles 2 has the juice to maintain you right here for the lengthy haul.
If there’s one factor I don’t like about Story Mode and Hashira Coaching, it’s the addition of drugs. Why does the whole lot have to be an RPG? I’ll by no means know, however right here we’re. You may equip as much as three items of drugs in three slots. Every has its personal slot requirement and does various things, like enhance your assault or get better your well being if sure circumstances are met in fight. It’s… superb, I suppose? I simply don’t see the purpose and want it wasn’t right here, as a result of it’s simply one other menu I’ve to mess with once I wish to be combating in my combating sport.
Fortunately, you’ll be able to flip gear off in versus mode, although it is there in order for you it. As anticipated, there’s on-line and native versus, in addition to a apply mode that will help you familiarize yourself with how each character works and an endurance mode for testing your expertise in opposition to enemy after relentless enemy. The unique Hinokami Chronicles was hamstrung by its comparatively small roster – solely 18 characters at launch, a number of of which had been simply Academy variations of characters you already had, with jokey Final Arts. The Hinokami Chronicles 2 has greater than 40, significantly upping the multiplayer worth and providing way more selection. It’s an enormous win. I wasn’t capable of take a look at out the web play pre-release this time, however provided that I had secure matches cross-country within the unique, I’m not overly involved, and the moment-to-moment gameplay is simply as compelling.
My solely actual grievance relating to modes is the dearth of an honest tutorial. Yeah, there’s text-based ideas and tips, however what’s right here within the Story Mode is sparse and doesn’t hit on the extra superior stuff. On some stage, I get it. It is a sequel. You’re form of anticipated to understand how issues work. However when the text-based tutorials inform me what parrying is with out telling me how one can do it, that’s form of a difficulty, proper? Good educating instruments are a should in a combating sport, even an area fighter, and The Hinokami Chronicles 2 doesn’t actually have any. It’s a disgrace.