Onechanbara Z2: Chaos Reviews
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.
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.
At first glance, Onechanbara Z2: Chaos is nothing but an overly sexualized gore-fest.
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.
A brainless slasher partially saved by a handful of good ideas and cathartic combat.
It's all just incredibly dull.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Despite some solid gameplay, Onechanbara's journey through titilation and horror becomes lost in translation
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.
It's mindless and corny hack 'n' slash fun. It doesn't try to be much more, nor does it need to.