Death end re;Quest 2 Reviews
Death end re;Quest 2 represents another promising franchise spiralling down the drain at Compile Heart.
Death end re;Quest 2 is an experiment, which by itself is a great thing. It attempts to hybridise two genres of games that don’t normally share the limelight. But in the end, there is very little cohesion between the game’s two halves. It’s a JRPG with poor character development, and it’s a horror game that isn’t all that scary. And apart from the amazing battles, the game is frustrating on multiple fronts. There are parts of Death end re;Quest 2 that could be salvaged and made part of a better game, unfortunately that doesn’t amend all the shortcomings that are prolific within this title.
The battle system being the best thing about Death End Re;Quest 2 is good, because it’s the main thing you’ll be doing. On the other hand, with the way this game starts, I was genuinely invested in the story until Mai just became another sulky, edgy, boring anime protagonist. All in all, Death End Re;Quest 2 was a fun game with an interesting and unique set of battle mechanics, but the story, and consequently my enjoyment, fell flat solely due to the poor writing. The lack of difficulty also bored after a while.
Death end re;Quest 2 carries over most of the first installment’s major aspects — both good and bad — while also distancing itself enough from its predecessor to make it feel almost standalone. However, the removal of a number of unique ideas previously implemented means the shortcomings are much more apparent this time around, and the formula established by the first game is starting to wear woefully thin.
With curved expectations, there is still no way getting around the fact that Death end re;Quest 2 is a much more tamer game than its predecessor. Fanservice-y imagery is rarer due to the lack of splash art and fewer panty shots. Violence is much more restrained and more vague than it was in the first game and crass or vulgar dialogue is nonexistent.
This has some merits to it that can't be denied, such as its artwork and very good English voice acting. The problems are, for a horror game, beyond some parts of its plot, the story gets lost with far too much fluff about dorm life, and walking around the same town over and over. This could easily have been cut in half to deliver a better narrative. The 'pinball' battle system is such a break from anything horror related, it serves as icing on a cake that had good intentions, but the ingredients simply were not right for what was required.
Death end re;Quest 2 is a dark and horrific JRPG is definitely worth playing, but the Switch port probably isn't the way to do it.
Death end re;Quest 2 was an excellent visual novel with an addicting RPG portion as well. While the sequel does a good job at telling a new story, there are some things newcomers might miss. At the same time, you don’t need to know what happens in the first game in order to excel. Death end re;Quest 2 is perfectly fine as a standalone game and would be even better if they explained the background more. I really liked the game and I appreciate the Nintendo Switch’s portability, but the visuals fell short of spectacular so it only just barely satisfied my RPG cravings.
Death end re;Quest 2 combines visual novel and RPG, being the first section the one that shines the most. Kawaii girls, gore scenes and decaffeinated battles you will find in this title.
Review in Spanish | Read full review
Death end re;Quest 2 brings a thought-provoking story and makes welcome changes to combat, especially with a working auto mode. However, while there are successes, the game repeats the mistakes of its predecessor, aggravating them even more, especially in the graphics. Between the PC/PS4 version and the Switch version, unfortunately I can't recommend playing on the hybrid console.
Review in Portuguese | Read full review
Even with Death end re;Quest 2's short run time and balancing issues, it is still a unique horror RPG that should be looked at if you’re a fan of other Compile Hearts RPGs. If you haven’t played Compile Heart’s other games, this is a solid entry point.
Death end re;Quest 2 nails a lot of things: narrative, aesthetics, soundtrack, and character growth are all fantastic. It falters in narrative delivery, visual design, and difficulty spikes. It’s a commendable gothic JRPG from Idea Factory that does interesting things even if not all of them work.
I know that I’m probably shouting into the void, here, but I’m going to say this anyway; please learn from your mistakes in this game, Compile Heart. Death end re;Quest 2 shows that you’re truly capable of making a great horror game, but also that you aren’t there just yet. There were plenty of problems, but there were plenty of things to love about this title, too. I’ve seen the EX Ending (yes, I liked this game that much), and I know that you guys are teasing the possibility of a Death end re;Quest 3. I want that to happen, I want to love it, and I want to give it a stellar review. All I ask is that you took note of what worked and what didn’t, and continue to grow this series to be as great as it can potentially be. I know you can do it!
It's a game with an interesting and more murky story than its predecessor, which despite declining a bit in gameplay, has some endearing characters and many more misteries to add to the world of the Idea Factory saga.
Review in Spanish | Read full review
Great writing and endearing characters are the highlight of this charming, dark horror RPG, though the poor performance of the Switch port makes this the worst version of the game by far.
Even with Death end re;Quest 2’s visual issues the combat and skill system keep the gameplay enjoyable. It’s quite fun watching monsters smash into each other and bounce off the arena walls like taking a part in a game of Beyblades. Just be sure you know what you’re getting into because there are several periods of downtime when experiencing the beautiful visual graphic novel portions of the game.
The sadistic events that surround the town of Le Choara is what makes Death end re;Quest 2 such a compelling read. While the combat is passable by IFI standards, it's the quality of writing that makes this such a memorable title on its own.
Death end re;Quest 2 serves up an experience that can be described as bloody interesting — literally. The game doesn’t shy away from disturbing imagery as well as portraying uncomfortable topics such as abuse, bullying and violence. The combat system, meanwhile, combines classic turned-based RPG battling with pinball physics, resulting in a unique experience. The game can admittedly be rough around the edges and it won’t be for everyone. If you like Idea Factory’s offbeat titles, however, Death end re;Quest 2 is another solid addition.
While it doesn’t change much from its predecessor Death end re;Quest 2 tells a gripping tale that combines great horror themes with solid RPG mechanics that will surprise most players.