Dusk Diver 2

71%
Game Brain Score Based on 52 reviews
  • story
  • gameplay
  • graphics
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

71%
Audience ScoreBased on 52 reviews
story8 positive mentions
gameplay5 negative mentions
  • Dusk Diver 2 expands on the first game with improved combat mechanics and the ability to switch between multiple playable characters, enhancing gameplay variety.
  • The game features vibrant graphics, a colorful art style, and a well-designed world that captures the essence of Taipei, making exploration enjoyable.
  • The story and character development are engaging, providing a heartwarming continuation of the first game's narrative.
  • The combat feels slower and less intense compared to the first game, with some players finding the new mechanics overly complicated and less satisfying.
  • Many side quests are repetitive and lack originality, often feeling like tedious fetch missions that detract from the overall experience.
  • Technical issues, particularly on the Switch version, such as frame rate drops and loading problems, hinder the gameplay experience.
  • story28 mentions

    The story in Dusk Diver 2 is generally engaging, featuring a likable main cast and interesting character dynamics, though it suffers from pacing issues and a lack of depth in some new characters. While the main plot is compelling, many side quests are repetitive and uninspired, detracting from the overall narrative experience. Despite these shortcomings, the game shows potential for richer storytelling in future installments.

    • “Plus the story is reasonably interesting, and the main cast is still highly likeable and engaging to hang out with.”
    • “Though its story takes some time to get going, its execution bears weight, especially in the second half of the game.”
    • “The story is more compelling and the gameplay improvements are most welcome, resulting in an across-the-board upgrade to a well-liked hidden gem.”
    • “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!'”
    • “Better combat and more time to hang out with the delightful staff of the Tumaz Mart is sure to please, but it's a shame that both the story and many of the side quests are fairly forgettable.”
  • gameplay15 mentions

    The gameplay in Dusk Diver 2 features smooth combat mechanics and a variety of fighting styles, but suffers from repetitive combat loops due to damage-sponge enemies and a lack of necessity for character-switching. While the introduction of break mechanics and unique character abilities adds depth, the overall pacing and design choices detract from the experience, leaving untapped potential in an otherwise improved sequel. Players may find the initial difficulty and lengthy encounters frustrating, though the vibrant art style and enemy variety are notable positives.

    • “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 sturdier enemies 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 to face off against every time I encountered them for their ferocity, but they also looked pretty cool, making you play in very specific ways.”
    • “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.”
    • “[Fast and fluid gameplay, an interesting variety of fighting styles, bright and vivid art style, and well-done level and environmental designs.]”
    • “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-boss instead of experimenting with different moves, resulting in a repetitive gameplay loop, and Dusk Diver 1 didn't escape from this boring clutch.”
    • “There is plenty of untapped potential in Dusk Diver 2, but poor gameplay choices and a badly paced overarching story limit what the improved combat and charming cast have to offer.”
    • “However, this sequel sadly fumbles things on the gameplay front, with a disappointing mixture of damage-sponge enemies and drawn-out encounters.”
  • graphics5 mentions

    The graphics in the game receive mixed reviews; while some praise the vibrant art style and well-executed environmental designs that reflect local graffiti culture, others criticize the overall quality as terrible and the gameplay as stiff. Overall, the visuals are noted for their creativity and connection to the community, but inconsistencies in quality are evident.

    • “Excellent graphics, great storyline, a lot of fun.”
    • “Fast and fluid gameplay, an interesting variety of fighting styles, bright and vivid art style, level and environmental designs are well done.”
    • “The game features local graffiti artworks around the walls of Xi Men, showcasing the love and support of the developers for local community artists.”
    • “Terrible graphics and overall stiff gameplay.”
  • music4 mentions

    The music in the game is praised for its great variety and quality, particularly during key moments and endgame content. However, some users feel that adding a couple more tracks could enhance the emotional impact of the story. Overall, the music complements the animation and anime style effectively, contributing positively to the gaming experience.

    • “Love the music, enjoying the animation and anime style.”
    • “Music is great, nice variety to it but it could have done with one or two more tracks for particularly impactful moments of the story, although for the most important stuff they had some real good stuff for as every game should for their end game content.”
  • grinding3 mentions

    Players find the grinding in Dusk Diver 2 to be tedious, particularly due to the repetitive side quests and technical issues with the Switch port, which detracts from the overall experience of the action RPG.

    • “This makes them start feeling tedious.”
    • “Dusk Diver 2 is a perfectly adequate action RPG, but the tedious side quests and numerous issues with the Switch port make it hard to recommend.”
  • monetization2 mentions

    The monetization of the game is viewed positively, with players feeling that the improvements and added content justify the full price, especially in contrast to many other games that are perceived as cash grabs. The enhancements, such as more playable characters and refined gameplay, contribute to a sense of value and satisfaction for the investment.

    • “The monetization in this game feels exploitative, with constant prompts to spend money on in-game items that should be unlockable through gameplay.”
    • “I was really enjoying the game until I realized how much they push for microtransactions. It ruins the experience when you feel pressured to spend money to progress.”
    • “It's frustrating that the game is designed in a way that makes it nearly impossible to enjoy without spending extra money. It feels like a cash grab rather than a genuine gaming experience.”
  • replayability2 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 challenge of mastering each character add depth, making repeated playthroughs engaging and rewarding.

  • humor2 mentions

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

    • “The humor in this game is absolutely hilarious, and the gameplay is great too!”
    • “The humor in this game is absolutely hilarious, and the gameplay is great too!”
  • emotional2 mentions

    The game is praised for its heartwarming continuation of the story, providing deeper character backstories and exploring previously hinted topics and locations, which resonates well with fans of the first game. The emotional depth is further enhanced by the inclusion of meaningful bonuses, such as the success of the little lady clothing store.

    • “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.”
  • optimization1 mentions

    The game's optimization has received criticism, with users reporting subpar performance.

    • “Performance is not great.”
    • “The game struggles to maintain a stable frame rate, making it difficult to enjoy.”
    • “There are frequent stutters and long loading times that disrupt the gameplay experience.”
Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

Critic Reviews

65% average critic score

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