Tails of Iron 2: Whiskers of Winter is your classic sequel — a bigger, better game than the inaugural animal action RPG. Playing as a new character in a different part of the world, this follow-up builds on the groundwork laid by the original game, with bigger scope and deeper systems as you hunt down the bats that destroyed your home.
The charming, illustrated visuals are back, as is the animation style and surprisingly challenging combat. The latter is improved here; the pace is faster, and you steadily unlock elemental attacks, traps, and tools like a whetstone to temporarily buff your weapon. The movement in and out of fights is still a little stiff, but once you’re used to the game’s rhythm, you’ll be more concerned with its enhanced battles.
A day/night cycle is also new, affecting what enemies you encounter as you explore each environment. If you need particular parts for some armour you want to craft, you’ll want to pay attention to which baddies spawn where and when. It makes the world feel a little more dynamic, and keeps you on your toes; you’ll have to manage your loadout so you can best handle each enemy type’s elemental strengths and weaknesses. In truth, the need to constantly swap weapons and armour to counter various enemies can become quite wearisome, though this becomes less of a problem as you progress and acquire better equipment.
The story is similar in tone to the first game, with a gritty tale of vengeance contrasting against all the quaint creatures. Doug Cockle — best known as the voice of The Witcher’s Geralt — returns as narrator, and his grisly voiceover doubles down on Tails of Iron 2’s solemn narrative.
Traversal has also been improved, with more fast travel points across each landscape as well as new hookshot points that let you zip up to certain spots. Even with these, though, there can still be slow moments when backtracking, which you’ll be doing a fair bit with all the side quests.
Overall, you have a game that doubles down on what fans loved about Tails of Iron while expanding in smart ways. There are some rough edges, but it’s ultimately a superior sequel and a fun, challenging adventure.
