Blue Reflection: Second Light Reviews
From initial impressions, I admittedly didn’t have much faith in this game, and how the premise would grab me. However I did find that the more time I spent, and the more I explored it, was more than I thought. Blue Reflection: Second Light is rough around the edges in the graphics department, but makes up with everything else for a trade-off.
While I had my issues with the ending of Blue Reflection: Second Light and didn’t feel the overarching plot was amazing, it easily won me over with its strong focus on the characters and their relationships. All those little moments stood out far more than uncovering the mystery of what happened to them. Supported by a particularly solid set of gameplay systems for a JRPG, it’s worth the purchase.
Blue Reflection: Second Light does a lot of things right. If you don't mind some slight balance issues then the characters and mechanics should keep you interested the entire game through.
Blue Reflection: Second Light is an improvement upon the first game, following a group of schoolgirls looking for a way back home while fighting evil monsters.
I had looked forward to playing BLUE REFLECTION: Second Light and I can say it doesn’t disappoint. All the elements that make for a satisfying JRPG/simulation are here, and I can see Gust incorporated a lot of what makes Atelier Ryza a great game. Forming friendships, crafting things, making facilities, use of the FreeSpace app, exploring the Heartscapes, fighting….all merges quite satisfyingly. This also means that you must be in for the entire package. Focussing on the battles alone won’t let you progress, focussing on the simulation part won’t do the trick either. Follow Ao and her friends while they explore the Heartscapes and turn them into the best Reflectors they can be. BLUE REFLECTION: Second Light is a great game for Atelier fans, and I’m guessing it will be a hit with JRPG fans as well!
I have to say, Blue Reflection: Second Light not only meets my expectations, but exceeds them. I spent right around 40 hours with this one and fell in love with all the characters. The stories told here are not only very emotional, but relatable to all of us on a certain level, and that’s something I find very rare in gaming. The graphics and sound design just really drove home how emotional and wonderful this story is. I had a great time with the crafting system, obtaining new items and building facilities to unlock more events with the girls. Gust should really look hard at the combat system they used here. It takes everything I loved about Ryza’s combat and makes it better. Anyone that loved the anime or the previous game should snag this up as soon as possible at the $59.99 price tag. There is a lot here you’re gonna love. If you have never played or experienced anything from this amazing franchise, there is no better time to start than right now. There is nothing else quite like it.
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.
I had a lot of fun during my time with Blue Reflection: Second Light. A colorful world filled with interesting characters and some of my favorite JRPG combat in a long time makes for a consistently entertaining play. I just wish the main story ever really became interesting. As a slice of life RPG, Second Light succeeds. As an apocalyptic epic, though, it falls short. This leaves a total package that lies somewhere in the middle.
Blue Reflection: Second Light does a good job of building on what worked in the first adventure. It’s cute, the characters are charming, with deep enough mechanics to make gameplay engaging. It might not be perfect like stealth sections are fairly pointless, but fans of the previous or this style of RPG will enjoy it. Even if it’s only over the delightful visuals.
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 an absolute triumph. And the sad thing is, if the first game is anything to go by, it’s likely to be all but ignored by a good 90% of the game-playing public and media alike.
A fantastic game overall and one of Gust's best games to date.
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 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.
A great continuation of the jRPG from four years ago in school climates and magical girl. It is a pity that it was released so late. Nevertheless, I will accept the third part with open arms.
Review in Polish | Read full review
lue Reflection: Second Light, which is essentially Blue Reflection 2, is a game of many mysteries. Why did Ao and a number of other girls wake up to find themselves in a deserted school? Where are they? What caused them to lose their memories? How is it that some young women can turn into magical girls called Reflectors? While the players possess as little insight as them (unless they played or watched previous Blue Reflection stories), Gust’s latest is good at doling things out in a surprisingly relaxed way.
Persona meets Sailor Moon and it lands more times than not! Very good game and has an engaging story.
Blue Reflection: Second Light is a laid-back JRPG and a great improvement from its predecessor that makes several refinements across the board.
There’s not much else I can say about Blue Reflection: Second Light. I often say that the original Blue Reflection is the most beautiful game. I say that because while it obviously didn’t compare to the AAA-blockbusters in terms of the money that has been thrown at it, the art direction was so pitch-perfect and downright beautiful that the technical limitations were irrelevant. Second Light clearly had a bigger budget and made the most of that to present a more refined and confident take on the Blue Reflection vision. The story is a vibrant, the JRPG action is classical and engaging, and the aesthetics are pristine. Getting something this wholesome and pure is a rare treat in an industry obsessed with hard and serious storytelling and adult themes, and I strongly suspect that, just like the original Blue Reflection, I’m not going to be able to get Second Light out of my mind for years to come.