Blue Reflection: Second Light Reviews
Blue Reflection: Second Light is an improvement over the original in every way. It's a brilliant blend of action and storytelling, where both side complement each other perfectly. Some of the side systems like stealth and facility building are a bit flawed, but the meat of the game is divine – incredible combat, memorable characters, and a stunning soundtrack make this a must-play for any JRPG enthusiast.
Blue Reflection Second Light achieves what the past episode couldn't: telling an intriguing story with a cast of compelling characters. Its light RPG mechanics leave more space for character development, toning down fan service in favour of a plot that pushes forward reconnecting all the past entries, between videogames and animated series. A sugar coated coming of age story dedicated to anime girls and fans of the "majokko" narrative.
Review in Italian | Read full review
Blue Reflection: Second Light provides an intriguing story and challenging battles despite its derivative gameplay. As such, I'd easily recommend it to fans of both anime and JRPGs.
Blue Reflection: Second Light is a pretty comfy game about friendship, that tells its story through the lense of well written female characters. You can also count on a fun battle system with many different tactics and party members.
Review in Russian | Read full review
Despite coming from a development studio that most people see as a one-series company, Blue Reflection: Second Light is a charming RPG with a clear identity of its own with a worthwhile story to tell and I’m glad I had the opportunity to check out after missing out on the original.
With Blue Reflection: Second Light, Gust offers us a sequel that is still perfectible but surpasses its predecessor. It still suffers from movements that lack fluidity and too many repetitive fights, but its anime aspect is really successful with varied graphics and a bestiary that knows how to renew itself regularly. Its gameplay constantly brings new elements but unfortunately sometimes lacks a little rhythm, while addressing topics specific to adolescence that can have trouble to excite.
Review in French | Read full review
Blue Reflection: Second Light builds upon many of the positive aspects while updating its combat system to be accessible for a broader JRPG fan audience. This is a step in the right direction that, while it may have some painful lows, also has some incredible highs that make for an overall great experience.
Blue Reflection: Second Light is a nice follow up with a lot of much-needed enhancements. I feel the series is still finding its footing, but currently, it's striking the right balance between a great narrative and engaging gameplay, so I really look forward to where this series can go.
Reflection: Second Light is a perfect example of what a sequel should be. It takes the ideas put forward by the original and improves all of them. There's better exploration, better visuals, and, most importantly, much better character writing. The original was an average and forgettable JRPG. In contrast, Second Light is one of the best JRPGs released in recent memory.
Blue Reflection: Second Light is a fine role-playing game, with a pleasing art direction that makes up for its cross-gen nature and modest budget. The storyline takes a while to get going and the multi-faceted combat system tends to drag common encounters for too long, but overall the game will surely appeal to those who don't mind the unusual setting.
Review in Italian | Read full review
It's a shame that Blue Reflection: Second Light couldn't live up to the expectations it set for itself. Though the story and characters development is good, the game is held back by overly complicated combat mechanics that seem to make encounters harder and longer when they didn't need to be. With the franchise now two games deep, I have to wonder if a third entry will ever get the light of day and if so, will GUST Studios finally be able to get the formula right.
Blue Reflection: Second Light is a perfect example of judging a game on what it tried to be, and not what it isn't. While it pales in comparison to other blockbuster Japanese role-playing games, and remains constrained by the long-standing limitations of its developer, it is an enjoyable and engrossing adventure when taken for what it is: a mid-tier RPG that brings together a group of fleshed-out characters who are trying to improve both their lives and their world. Coming off the original Blue Reflection, Second Light genuinely advances the franchise both in terms of storytelling and gameplay, offering an even better experience to those looking for this sort of game.
When compared to the original, Blue Reflection: Second Light undoubtedly represents a big step forward for the guys at Gust, who once again have synthesized a compelling and frenetic playful formula. However, the progress made on the gameplay front and the unexpected introduction of a more traditional growth system are again counterbalanced by an uninspiring story, soporific and repetitive secondary activities, and a technical system dated even by the standards of the last generation of consoles.
Review in Italian | Read full review
Blue Reflection: Second Light improves on almost every aspect of the original, with a mystery that feels more personal as the characters become closer. The relationship between the girls as they seek to discover why they were brought to this strange world is the star of the show; though the combat is fun, it is always a vehicle to get you more story rather than the driving force of the game. Second Light is a fantastic-looking anime adventure that you'll love, so long as you can accept that combat isn't the focus.
Blue Reflection: Second Light might not break any molds when it comes to JRPGs, but it does a solid job blending different gameplay mechanics with an emotional tale of reconnecting to old friends and making peace with the past. Players who enjoyed the social interactions and teen drama of modern Persona games should feel right at home here, as Blue Reflection: Second Light has all the ingredients of a decent anime-style high school adventure.
Blue Reflection: Second Light is a fresh and emotionally engaging entry into the JRPG genre that shows a lot of promise but doesn’t quite manage to deliver. Gust proves that a game can juggle action, emotion, and story, but that’s not necessarily what Second Light manages to achieve. There are flashes of hope and excitement, and the game does manage to feel distinct in its genre, but it will take a little more polish for it to stand out from the rest.
A fantastic game overall and one of Gust's best games to date.
Blue Reflection: Second Light is a laid-back JRPG and a great improvement from its predecessor that makes several refinements across the board.
Persona meets Sailor Moon and it lands more times than not! Very good game and has an engaging story.
Although it falls just short of the similar (but more intricate) Atelier games, those who enjoyed them will be entertained by Blue Reflection: Second Light. The fun characters, moving story, and familiar (albeit lighter) crafting / battle systems typical of Gust games are a great way to fill the time while we await the release of Atelier Sophie 2.