Steam Community :: lxstmxtt

31.1 hrs on record

After completing this game 100%

Summary: Aragami 2 is a great game for anyone who enjoys modern stealth titles. Feeling like an unstoppable shadow assassin didn't get old in the first game and it doesn't get old in this one either. While a lot pressured this game to live up to the great experience that it's predecessor gave, I feel like looking at each as separate games in the same universe rather than a direct sequel will let you see that this game does a lot well in it's own right. Echoing the same as I did in my review of Aragami 1, I'm sad that this studio was shut down and I have nothing but respect for the devs and wish them the best :)

Overall rating: 4/5

✅ I liked...

The upgraded mobility. Movement feels a lot smoother in this game, it's a massive leap forward from how the first played out and after putting on a few stamina buffs it feels like such a rush just zipping through the map. If you preferred the slower approach that Aragami 1 had you may want to stick to Classic Mode (more on that later).
The improved graphics. I really enjoyed the charm from the first game's minimal art style, however the updated graphics in this sequel help to make it feel more on-par with modern games and more fitting for the faster pace it takes.
The skills. Some new ones were added and some old ones were removed, I personally preferred the skills in Aragami 2 as they can allow for some really satisfying plays. Wraith is OP + I'll never get tired of Warp Strike :pray:
The Classic Mode. If you scroll through older reviews, you will see a lot of negative ones saying this is not a "good Aragami game" or a failed sequel. Aragami 2 is a lot more forgiving than the first, focusing less on "stick to the shadows or die" and instead tries to give a more rounded experience that can accommodate more playstyles. Unfortunately, many were disappointed with this as they were hoping to see more built from what made Aragami 1 so unique. This led to what felt like review-bombing upon release, which Lince Works quickly took notice of and tried to mend. 6 months after initial release, Classic Mode was introduced which brought back a lot of the beloved mechanics/playstyle from Aragami 1. I personally didn't mind how Aragami 2 played as you can see from my previous points, but I appreciate that they decided to take action rather than sit back and ignore like most developers nowadays would do.
The customisation. Just like the first game, the customisation is chefs kiss . Loads of different gears to try out, each with an insane amount of colour options to choose from.
The co-op experience. Exactly the same point I had for my review on Aragami 1, if you are able to play this game with others I highly recommend it.

❌ I didn't like...

How recycled the maps were. First off, I think the level design in this game is awesome. Like the first game, Aragami 2 only has a few maps but that doesn't take away from the fact they are all interesting and fun to explore. My issue is that there are over 50 missions so you end up visiting the same places a lot. They do try to spice it up by making you start from different angles/sections but after a while it can definitely feel repetitive or like filler content.
The runes + consumables. They all felt kind of lacklustre to me, I just went for whatever helped my stamina the most didn't look for the rest of the game. I only used the consumables for achievements.
That the Classic Mode came out post-launch. Don't get me wrong I really admire the prompt response from the team to bring this out, it shows that they really care about their player base and to release something like this only 6 months after release is nothing short of impressive. But since the levels were designed around the regular Aragami 2 mechanics it just doesn't seem to click as well as it did with the first. The effort and care was there but unfortunately there is only so much you can do.

Posted 16 November, 2024.

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Recommended

25.9 hrs on record

After completing this game 100%

Summary: Aragami is a must buy for anyone who enjoys the older "more stealthy" stealth titles. At it's core the gameplay is very fun with a lot of flexibility, pair that with the overall atmosphere + customisation options and you have a really solid game that lets you be the shadow ninja you dreamed of. It's a shame the studio has shut down but I am grateful to them for creating such a memorable experience :)

Overall rating: 4/5

✅ I liked...

The progression. You are quickly introduced to the bread and butter mechanics that will remain key throughout the entire game. As you advance through each mission, new features will pop up that will keep you thinking of different approaches; this is normally through the introduction of a new enemy type, map feature to work around or ability to add to your arsenal. Each level also has 3 badges that you can obtain by either killing every single enemy, killing no enemies or never being detected. Collecting these badges was a lot of fun as you get to play through the game at least twice with a completely different playstyle.
That they made this an actual stealth game. It sounds weird to say but in my opinion, games nowadays treat stealth like an option where it doesn't matter if you get caught since you can just fight your way out of it. In this game you don't even have an "attack" button, so you really have to take a step back and think about how you're going to proceed. It adds a nice reminiscent, almost tribute feeling to the older stealth games I would play as a kid.
The care that went into the design of this game. The overall aesthetic was very satisfying to me, from the music & art style to the abilities you could unlock, it all just clicked together really well.
The customisation. Not really a lot to say on this point I just liked the diversity in gear you could equip and then all the colour options on top of that. You can make some really cool looking characters in this game.
How rewarding the gameplay was. This wasn't a particularly difficult game but after playing for enough time to get comfortable with the mechanics and the different abilities this game does a great job at making you feel like an unstoppable shadow assassin.
The co-op experience. Adding onto my last point, the only thing that could top being a unstoppable shadow assassin is having other unstoppable shadow assassins that you can team up with. If you're able to play this game with someone else I would highly recommend it.

❌ I didn't like...

The boss battles that much. Every now and then you would encounter a boss level which would play more like a linear puzzle, as opposed to the more freeing standard missions that would allow for more creativity. I can sympathise with the difficulty of making a boss fight for a game like this though, you can't have the boss getting one-shot like other enemies, but the lack of an attack button means you have to take other measures to do damage to them. It just didn't feel as fun to me personally.
How short it was. I think the base game took me around 20 hours to 100% which is normally fine, but I really enjoyed this game and I wish it had more baked into it.
The DLC as much as the base game. You have less abilities and the map design was a bit too open for me. It almost felt like you should play the DLC first so that the experience gets better as you progress and you conclude the title with a better aftertaste.

Posted 16 November, 2024.

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Recommended

31.4 hrs on record

After completing this game 100%

Summary: A simple, chill game to turn your brain off with as you effortlessly evaporate thousands of monsters. If you're a casual player it's definitely worth playing but if you're looking to 100% be prepared for a grind

Overall rating: 3/5

✅ I liked:

The visuals. This game has a pretty aesthetic that makes it nice to look at as you walk around killing everything you get close to. Once you hit late game your screen will turn into a complete mess with thousands of enemies surrounding you while your OP weapons mow them down. I for one thought this was satisfying to watch but I've seen others say it's too much, so definitely something to consider if you don't like visual clutter.
How casual it is. There is no story to follow or strong sense of immersion getting pushed onto you. Each run is only 20 mins so you can just boot up a quick run or play for hours, whatever you feel like/have time for.
The progression of unlocking things. Each level gets slightly harder but not so much that it feels like the game is against you. It's also very generous with points so you are able to unlock all characters/weapons early and experiment as much as you want.

❌ I didn't like:

The balance between weapons/characters. I had to complete the max level of darkness with every character and weapon. Some felt super strong, some were easy to sit back and autopilot with, but some just felt lacklustre either by requiring too much effort for not enough reward (water gun) or were just weak in general.
The impact of runes. I spent a decent amount of time cooking up different builds but there were only a few that really felt like they made a difference to my gameplay, so I ended up just sticking with the same build for majority of the playtime.
The "spread" of achievements. If you have a look through them, a lot of them are tied to just completing Darkness 15 with every character/weapon which can be alright for encouraging people to try everything in the game, but locking them all to the very end of the game ends up making it feel super grindy. I wish there was more interesting ones like Pacifist & Reckless.

Posted 20 October, 2024. Last edited 20 October, 2024.

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