Onechanbara Z2: Chaos Reviews
It's mindless and corny hack 'n' slash fun. It doesn't try to be much more, nor does it need to.
In conclusion, Onechanbara Z2: Chaos is a relatively stock standard Japanese fighting game. Ot definitely pays homage to the world of anime, particularly with all the scantily clad woman with lots of flesh as they hack, cut and blow their enemies to Kingdom Come. It's a game that doesn't take itself too seriously and if you enjoy some mindless violence, more so mindless violence dished out by beautiful virtual woman then Onechanbara Z2: Chaos may be the game for you.
Despite some solid gameplay, Onechanbara's journey through titilation and horror becomes lost in translation
I can clearly say I had fun with Onechanbara Z2: Chaos, because in the end, it just manages to bring shameless adult fun with a slap of fan service, but even though I liked my short time with the game, it clearly needs work on its issues to bring a Onechanbara game that is more than just a mediocre game with deep, stylish combat to butter up the overall package.
Although presented in a nice package, Onechanbara Z2 feels outdated compared to most modern day action games. Tamsoft may have upped the ante on a number of fronts, yet it's the core gameplay where this sequel suffers most. It's all well and good creating an offbeat world in which to put players, but Onechanbara is missing the depth to keep them there.
It should be impossible to make a mix of zombies and scantily-clad samurai bimbos this boring but that's the one and only accomplishment of this brain-dead button-masher.
Onechanbara Z2: Chaos never really forgets where it came from. As a result, it's mired in some pretty simplisitic gameplay and storytelling. If you're a fan of the series, then it's worth checking out. Otherwise, you're better served by games like Devil May Cry.
There's replayability in going for high scores and playing through harder difficulties, but most will play this once and probably not want to go back. When a price drop occurs and you have a craving for a 3D hack and slash adventure maybe give it a shot, but until then it's hard to recommend the game to anyone that isn't already a fan of the series.
The long-awaited continuation of the OneChanbara series in the English-speaking world is everything anyone that has played the series before would expect, it's just a shame that there isn't more of it. Playing through the story mode takes around 5 hours, and for some, this may be all they are interested in. The missions to complete, and quests to work towards while playing missions or story mode, help to extend the game length significantly. This is alongside the increasing difficulties of story mode that unlock each time you complete one; alas, these methods of extending playtime do not appeal to all. If you're a fan of the series, or just enjoy endless slaughter of the undead, the sub-£30 price of admission for the physical release is sure to please. For newcomers to the series, or those only interested in playing through the story, it might be worth waiting for a price drop. Regardless, at £54.99, the digital version would be an illogical purchase; you'd be better off buying two copies physically and donating one to a friend.
It's all just incredibly dull.
A brainless slasher partially saved by a handful of good ideas and cathartic combat.
This isn't the kind of game you revisit multiple times, but rather the kind of game you tell your friends about with the utmost enthusiasm on account of just how silly and pleasant the whole thing is.
At first glance, Onechanbara Z2: Chaos is nothing but an overly sexualized gore-fest.
With a combat mechanic that doesn't execute very well and an unfortunate AI, the repetitive hacking & slashing at times becomes a drag until you hit the next flashy move or even cutscene. Above all, just make sure you don't play this in front of grandma or grandpa.
Chaos brings the most complete experience in the series with its first US release in six years, but is still held back by the repetitive gameplay and dull environments that prevent it from being a fully satisfying experience.
Onechanbara Z2: Chaos is certainly unique. There isn't much like it, both in terms of content and…well other assets. It is great to see the improvements they have made, and they clearly know what the fans of their series want. For better or worse, I mean the physical edition comes packed with a costume I can't even post a screenshot of, it's that bad. If you think you will like Z2 Chaos, you probably will, it is clear what this game is aiming for, but it also ends up being a pretty decent action game as well.
As myself someone who grew up watching exploitation films, studied them at university, and have generally remained a fan of the kitsch aesthetic, Onechanbara Z2: Chaos is a resounding success as both an example of the genre and a homage to everything that makes it fun. That kitsch style is quite clearly the only thing Tamsoft wanted to achieve in this project, and weighed against that target, it absolutely hits the bullseye. This is a B-grade game in every sense of the word, but it is so ridiculously good, gory, chesty fun that I was truly mesmerised from start through finish.
Ultimately, Onechanbara Z2 Chaos is just a fun game. There isn't anything particularly notable about it, but it's fun to play through and mess around with. Unfortunately, it doesn't do anything well enough to rise out of mediocrity, despite having enough potential to do so. It just screams cheesy chanbara B movie.
Onechanbara Z2: Chaos promises two things: fan service and zombie killing. It delivers on that but not much else. XSEED's lively translation and the sheer fun of zombie killing make it an enjoyable enough romp, but low production values and repetitive gameplay really drag it down. It's difficult to fault a game for wearing its heart on its sleeve, but it feels like more time was spent on skimpy costumes than level design. It's slightly cheaper than most games but not cheap enough to be an impulse buy. You'll get plenty of what Onechanbara offers, but don't expect much else.
Although it boasts a fun and fluid combat system, Onechanbara Z2: Chaos is far too short on content and surprisingly bloated with superfluous ideas.