Tails of Iron 2: Whiskers of Winter Review (Switch Eshop)
After its initial release Iron tail In 2021, developer Bug Studio seems to have taken no time to rest, returning to the gloomy world of gloomy mice, frogs and bats with a sequel to bring to fans. tomb experience expands a bit in Iron’s tail 2: winter’s whiskers. And while it’s certainly an incredibly good fantasy world with stunning visuals, atmospheric sound design, and thoughtful combat, it’s also unfortunately held back from greatness by its design. The level fades and returns excessively.
Presenting what could also be a good entry point to the world of irontails if you happen to miss the original, the whiskers change perspective to a completely new protagonist called Arlo, a The Warden’s successor must travel to many biomes in a quest to defeat the malicious Dark Wings clan.
The combination of seeing cute little mice wearing armor and wielding weapons was a bit strange at first – kind of like when you read Art Spiegelman’s ”Maus‘First time – but like the first game, it works, as it allows you to easily distinguish between the different species and factions that inhabit the world. This is backed up by the simple fact that Tails of Iron 2 is one of the most amazing 2D games we’ve seen in quite some time.
Seriously, the level of detail on offer here and the range of colors is a real sight to behold. It’s a bleak game, complemented through humid environments, hostile weather conditions, and piles of bloody bodies lying on the ground. But while this can lead to a rather dull, uninspired visual aesthetic, the explosions of color from objects such as lanterns, glowing eggs and even the moon high above the landscape make Make every environment fun.
The same goes for sound design. Everything from the constant burst of thunder to the flash of your armor, as you rush across the screen, works to fully immerse yourself in the foreboding world of Iron 2. Voice actors Doug Clam (Geralt from The Witcher game) also returns to narrate the story, and having this happen in the background while you’re playing means you can engage in the story while focusing on other, more pressing matters. It allows the game to maintain momentum throughout, and we appreciate the decision.
That said, the scallop performance here is quite literal What if Geralt of Rivia had a side job as a storyteller?and it’s a bit of hearing such a familiar voice here. Its gravelly nature works in the context of the on-screen action, but a little more work to differentiate it from his most famous role would probably have been beneficial.
Combat remains more or less the same from the first game, requiring you to maintain good defense while looking for a key opening to unleash your attacks. Tails of Iron 2 is an exceptionally difficult game, where even the most unthreatening enemies can pack a meaty punch, so you’ll need to approach each encounter with caution. . That said, there are also three difficulty options on offer, so if you find things too much, you can turn down the difficulty and have a slightly easier time.
One notable addition, however, is the requirement to use your Whetstone to sharpen your weapons to maintain their effectiveness. This is indicated via a yellow bar just below your health information, and it’s important to keep this as full as possible if you want to take on more fearsome enemies and bosses. You’ll still manage without it, but you’ll have a much harder time.
That said, to mitigate it somewhat, the game has a lot of extra equipment available to you as you progress through the environments. Whether it’s from a corpse or a gift from a friendly faction, there’s almost always an opportunity to check out your latest loot from your inventory screen and make sure you’re as prepared as possible. good for the dangers ahead.
Our biggest disappointment, however, comes from the levels themselves; Not from a visual standpoint, but their layout and distinct lack of variety. There’s a temptation to say that Tails of Iron 2 has elements of metroidvanias in the way you explore the world and encounter organic items and enemies, but there’s very little verticality, so exploration destroy a lot Achieve your goal, then go back. As a result, there is a series of backtracking involved that could have been alleviated with some shortcuts or alternative routes.
World movement is slightly improved thanks to a new grappling hook that allows you to launch yourself onto nearby platforms. It’s used sparingly and it does little more than provide a neat little flair to explore, but it’s a fun little addition. Save points are also generously dotted around, so if you find yourself in a situation where you’re doomed quite often, you’ll never have to go very far if you want to jump straight into the fight.
Conclusion
If you liked the original, Tails of Iron 2: Whiskers of Winter offers more of the same brutal combat and stunning visuals, introducing small but welcome new additions like Whetstone and The Grappling Hook. Its basic environmental layout can lead to a lot of over-spinning, which is a shame, but the world itself is so well done that we find ourselves compelled to recommend checking it out. it regardless. Just be warned; It’s not for the faint of heart.
