Dusk Diver 2

66%
Game Brain Score Based on 23 reviews
  • story
  • music
  • gameplay
Dusk Diver 2 Game Cover
Dusk Diver 2 is a solid, enjoyable ARPG experience.
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Dusk Diver 2 is the sequel to the action game set in Ximending, Taipei. College student Yang Yumo, still recovering from the Youshanding incident, must battle Chaos Beasts once again. The game features an evolved combat system, expanded locations throughout Taipei, and extensive customization options for equipment, skills, and outfits. Notable voice actors in Japanese/Mandarin include Rina Sato, Ryota Takeuchi, and Atsumi Tanezaki.

  • Nintendo Switch
  • PC
  • Play​station 4
  • Play​station 5
  • Steam Deck
  • Windows
  • Play​Station
Genres & TagsPlay Modes

Reviews

66%
Audience ScoreBased on 23 reviews
music4 positive mentions
story3 negative mentions
  • Dusk Diver 2 features improved combat mechanics, allowing players to switch between multiple characters with unique fighting styles, enhancing the overall gameplay experience.
  • The game offers a vibrant and beautifully designed world, expanding on the exploration aspects of the first game, with more areas to discover in Taipei.
  • The soundtrack is engaging and diverse, adding to the overall atmosphere of the game, while the character animations during combat are well-executed and visually appealing.
  • The game suffers from an overabundance of tutorials and hand-holding, which can detract from the player's experience and make the gameplay feel tedious.
  • Many side quests are repetitive and lack depth, often feeling like simple errands rather than engaging content, which can lead to a monotonous experience.
  • The AI for supporting characters can be unreliable, often failing to effectively assist in combat, which can lead to frustrating encounters.
  • story12 mentions

    The story has been described as engaging and interesting, with well-developed characters that resonate with players, though it often relies on standard anime clichés and features some predictable plot elements. While the narrative includes moments that subvert expectations, it suffers from a lack of depth in certain character introductions and repetitive quest design. Overall, players appreciate the story's charm and the main cast's likability, despite some shortcomings in plot execution.

    • “The story - dd2's story for a lot of it was pretty standard anime cliche, though it did subvert my expectations quite a bit at a certain point.”
    • “Plus the story is reasonably interesting, and the main cast is still highly likeable and engaging to hang out with.”
    • “If it wasn't for my curiosity about how this story will go, I'd go back and play more of the first instead.”
    • “There are a lot of quests, but most of them showcase nothing novel and are copy-pasted fetch missions.”
    • “The plot is also a bit lacking in places, like the introduction and weight of the important new characters, especially higher-ups who are intentionally evasive or suspicious but we never get much reason to care for them outside of their stereotypical, 'they're the heads of these shady organizations, fear them!'”
  • music9 mentions

    The music in the game is generally well-received, featuring a diverse soundtrack that includes new metal and electronic tracks, enhancing the overall experience. However, some players feel that the addition of a few more original tracks would have elevated key story moments, as there is noticeable recycling from the previous game's soundtrack. Overall, the music complements the game's anime style and character-driven narrative effectively.

    • “Love the music, enjoying the animation and anime style.”
    • “The soundtrack in DD1 was already pretty good, but DD2 added some extra elements like metal tracks and heavy electronic music for the stages.”
    • “Music is great, with a nice variety, although it could have benefited from one or two more tracks for particularly impactful moments of the story.”
    • “I do wish they had used more original music rather than recycling part of dd1's soundtrack, but it's perfectly alright.”
  • gameplay6 mentions

    The gameplay features smooth combat mechanics with a focus on utilizing meter and break mechanics to enhance damage and survivability, though it can feel challenging and repetitive at times due to enemy health pools and a reliance on similar combos. Players appreciate the variety in enemy types and unique character abilities, but some feel that the lack of a compelling character-switching mechanic limits strategic depth. Overall, while the brawler action is improved, the gameplay can still become monotonous, echoing issues from the previous installment.

    • “Combat flows nicely; it can be difficult at the start, though, and seem rather long as enemies have large health pools. However, as time goes on, you get much stronger and realize they wanted players to use their meter more. It also encourages players to abuse the break mechanic, which can be activated from repeated hits or knocking enemies into a wall. You get a heavy, highly damaging attack in, free invincibility frames, and it even hurts nearby enemies. This is essential for the more sturdy foes if you want to end it quicker. Enemies have decent variety too, even down to how some attack. One set of enemies truly terrified me every time I encountered them for their ferocity, but they also looked pretty cool, making you play in very specific ways.”
    • “Unique movement mechanics for Viada when she's got water shells loaded, or electronic bats in Bahet's guitar riffs, everything looks great.”
    • “From my progress so far, Uncle Leo is a slow-hitting, high damage dealer crowd control character with a unique reloading mechanic, giving me more options to style my combat based on my mood.”
    • “The problem with musou (無雙) combat is that the player will be using the same combo over and over again to clear the enemies and technical moves against boss/mini-bosses instead of experimenting with different moves, resulting in a repetitive gameplay loop. Dusk Diver 1 didn't escape from this boring clutch.”
    • “More than anything else, this really should have had some sort of mechanic which made character-switching genuinely necessary, such as in Genshin Impact or the last few Ys games.”
    • “Combat flows nicely, but it can be difficult at the start and seem rather long as enemies have large health pools. As time goes on, you realize they wanted players to use their meter more and abuse the break mechanic, which can lead to a more engaging experience.”
  • emotional2 mentions

    The emotional aspect of the game is complex; while it is well-crafted and offers a heartwarming continuation with deeper character backstories and rewarding nods to fans, some players felt a struggle to maintain engagement towards the end. Overall, it successfully evokes a mix of nostalgia and emotional investment.

    • “A legitimate heartwarming continuation of the first game, with backstories for the characters, explorations of topics and locations only hinted at before, and many bonuses for fans of the first game. I was really happy that the little lady clothing store got the big break it needed.”
  • graphics2 mentions

    The graphics of the action JRPG are praised for their vibrant representation of local Taiwanese culture, heavily influenced by graffiti art found in areas like Xi Men. Players appreciate the visually appealing environments and the integration of community artistry, which enhances the overall immersive experience.

    • “The action JRPG features stunning graphics and an engaging soundtrack, creating an immersive adventure through various areas in Taiwan while allowing players to swap between characters.”
    • “The game beautifully incorporates local graffiti artworks from the walls of Xi Men, showcasing the developer's love and support for the local community of artists.”
  • monetization1 mentions

    The monetization aspect of the game is positively received, with players feeling that the improvements and expanded content justify the full price, especially in contrast to many other games that are perceived as cash grabs. Overall, the game is seen as a worthwhile investment due to its enhanced features and engaging gameplay.

    • “The monetization in this game feels excessive, with too many paywalls that hinder the overall experience.”
    • “I can't believe how much they charge for basic content; it feels like they are just trying to milk players for every penny.”
    • “The in-game purchases are so intrusive that they ruin the enjoyment of the game, making it feel more like a cash grab than a genuine experience.”
  • replayability1 mentions

    The game offers high replayability due to its diverse roster of unique characters, each with distinct combat styles and elemental abilities that encourage players to experiment with different strategies. The refined combat mechanics and the need for skillful timing further enhance the experience, making each playthrough feel fresh and engaging.

    • “The addition of more playable characters makes the combat feel more refined and impressive, with each character offering a unique playstyle that encourages experimentation and replayability.”
    • “The diverse character abilities and elements create a dynamic combat experience, making each playthrough feel fresh and engaging.”
    • “With the variety of characters and their unique mechanics, every run feels different, providing a strong incentive to replay the game and master each character's strengths.”
  • humor1 mentions

    Users find the humor in the game to be enjoyable and entertaining, contributing positively to the overall experience.

    • “The humor in this game is absolutely hilarious, making every moment enjoyable!”
    • “I can't stop laughing at the witty dialogue and clever jokes throughout the game.”
    • “The comedic timing and absurd situations had me in stitches from start to finish!”
  • grinding1 mentions

    Players often find the grinding aspect of the game to be tedious, leading to a sense of monotony over time.

    • “This makes the gameplay feel tedious.”
    • “The grinding becomes repetitive and dull.”
    • “I found myself losing interest due to the excessive grinding.”
Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
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Critic Reviews

65% average critic score

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