Initial 2: New Stage

57%
Game Brain Score Based on 33 reviews
  • story
  • music
  • gameplay
Initial 2: New Stage Game Cover
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In "Initial 2: New Stage" , players become a captain of the Iudex Soldiers, fighting alongside companions against the Scientia Empire to uncover a decade-old secret. This action-packed game features 10 chapters of real-time rendering cutscenes, with full audio in English and Japanese. Dynamically switch between 4 weapons for intense battles, led by voice actors such as Rie Kugimiya, Maaya Uchida, Kira Buckland, and Christine Marie Cabanos.

  • PC
  • Windows
  • Xbox One
  • Xbox
Genres & TagsPlay Modes

Reviews

57%
Audience ScoreBased on 33 reviews
story12 positive mentions
optimization4 negative mentions
  • The combat is fast-paced and fluid, offering a satisfying hack-and-slash experience with multiple weapon types and skills.
  • The game features improved graphics and character models compared to the first installment, creating a visually appealing environment.
  • The story, while not perfect, has moments of emotional depth and character development that engage players more than the previous game.
  • The English localization is poorly done, leading to awkward translations and a lack of clarity in the story and gameplay instructions.
  • The game suffers from performance issues, including frame drops and a jittery camera, which can detract from the overall experience.
  • Many animations feel stiff or unpolished, and the sound design lacks proper feedback, making combat feel less impactful.
  • story53 mentions

    The story in "Initial 2: New Stage" has received mixed reviews, with some players finding it more complex and emotionally engaging than its predecessor, while others describe it as lacking depth and excitement. Although the narrative attempts to build on character development and world-building, many criticize the poor translation and repetitive dialogue, which detracts from the overall experience. Despite these issues, some players appreciate the story's gradual improvement and emotional moments, making it enjoyable for fans of the genre.

    • “Unlike the first game, where the twin-tailed girl just slashes everything that moves with her budget judgment cut, the story here is more complex, and the emotional scenes are strong enough to pull at my heartstrings.”
    • “The storytelling of friendship and sacrifice feels emotional, and the extra NPC dialogues make me actually care about those characters.”
    • “While most of the game features a lot of uncertainty and weak pacing, it does have some strong moments that make the story feel real and engaging.”
    • “The combat was decent, but the story was very boring.”
    • “Story...let's skip it.”
    • “Don't expect to understand anything going on in the story or any of the descriptions of what moves or abilities do unless you're fluent in broken English.”
  • music14 mentions

    The music in the game has received positive feedback, with reviewers noting a diverse soundtrack that improves significantly as the game progresses, featuring emotional and intense compositions that enhance the gameplay experience. While some mentioned issues with the abrupt transitions between tracks, the overall sound design, including contributions from artists like Emi Evans, is praised for its quality and ability to complement the game's narrative and action. The combination of memorable themes and effective audio elements contributes to a polished and immersive atmosphere.

    • “Music and audio in this game is really good too, much better than the first title.”
    • “The music is intense and captivating, suitable for the action; the effects and quips sound good and don't get too tiresome even 10 levels in.”
    • “The composers did a great job delivering quality sound design and some emotional music.”
    • “What I mean by lack of polish is how this content is used in-game - the music can cut to a new track or to the end of a level within a second, the effects can be jarring if they happen unexpectedly, that sort of thing.”
    • “The music is intense and captivating, suitable for the action, but the effects and quips can sound good and don't get too tiresome even after 10 levels.”
    • “Even Emi Evans sings one of the songs in this game, but it doesn't elevate the overall experience.”
  • gameplay11 mentions

    The gameplay is characterized as a fun and smooth action hack-and-slash experience, with significant improvements over its predecessor, including better controls and a more engaging combat system. While some players found certain aspects, like repetitive NPC dialogue and trash mobs, frustrating, the overall mechanics and responsiveness received praise, making it a recommended choice for fans of the genre. The game successfully combines elements reminiscent of titles like Nier: Automata and Darkness Rises, enhancing its appeal.

    • “Fun action hack and slash that focuses on gameplay enough to make it smooth.”
    • “During that time I played it on the highest settings and had a solid 60+ fps with no frame rate issues or gameplay problems whatsoever. The controls are much better than the first game too; you couldn't even dream of playing the first game with keyboard and mouse, however in this one you can, and the default keyboard and mouse controls feel great and responsive.”
    • “This game has the hack and slash mechanics I like, and the gameplay makes me feel that I am playing Nier: Automata and another ARPG game I play on my mobile tablet every day called 'Darkness Rises.' It really shares a close similarity to those two games in the way it plays, but that's a good thing. Overall, this game is awesome and is a must-buy for any fans of ARPG hack and slash games.”
    • “Although the story of the first game and its hack and slash gameplay was kind of boring, the trash mobs were just a pain to fight.”
    • “Follow the core gameplay and style of the first game with promised various improvements.”
    • “If you're still not sure about spending money on this game, try it out from an external source for free. If you like the gameplay and story, buy it here on Steam because it's definitely worth full price in my opinion.”
  • optimization10 mentions

    The game's optimization has received mixed reviews, with some players experiencing smooth performance and stable frame rates above 60 FPS on capable hardware, while others report significant issues, particularly on less powerful machines. Many users note that the game heavily relies on GPU resources, leading to frame drops and stuttering, although recent patches have improved performance for some. Overall, while there are signs of progress, optimization remains a concern for many players.

    • “In terms of performance, the game runs smoother and more solid with mouse and keyboard control.”
    • “Frames are stable above 60 as long as you have a GTX 1060 6GB. This can be addressed in the future as the development team is still working on the game, adding content and improving optimization. No drops at all, and it is a fluid experience, though there may be some stuttering in some levels, but it only lasts a couple of seconds and is rare.”
    • “Takes all the good from the first game and improves in almost every way. The game did come out poorly optimized but seems to run pretty well now after many patches. Still, there are FPS drops from time to time, but for the most part, it runs well now!”
    • “The game performance isn't that good on my machine.”
    • “I read the update announcements, and it seems like the devs are still focusing on performance for NVIDIA machines only.”
    • “Game performance isn't good; the game puts all the rendering and load on the GPU. Even if you have the latest GPU or the most optimized setup, it will drop frames inevitably. It's ridiculous that when I checked CPU load, it's 1% just for this game and GPU load is 99%.”
  • graphics8 mentions

    The graphics of the game have received high praise, with users noting significant improvements in combat, level design, and overall visual quality. The artwork is described as excellent, particularly highlighting impressive particle effects, and the game runs well even on mid-range hardware. Overall, players recommend experiencing the game at higher graphics settings to fully appreciate its visual fidelity.

    • “Good hack and slash game with great graphics, soundtrack, and voice acting.”
    • “Graphically, the game is excellent, particularly the particle effects.”
    • “Lastly, I have a 1070 and I'm not sure if Unity3D is the issue (as I've never seen a released Unity3D game look this good besides ReCore), but I was using like 60-70% of GPU's power at 1080p60 for PS3-level graphics quality.”
    • “Recommend to play at max on medium graphics.”
    • “Everything from combat, story, level design to graphics is way better here.”
  • emotional5 mentions

    The emotional aspect of the game is highlighted by its complex storytelling, focusing on themes of friendship and sacrifice, which resonate strongly with players. While the emotional scenes and music are impactful, some users feel that the emotional expression is less effective compared to Japanese voice acting. Additionally, technical audio issues detract from the overall experience.

    • “Unlike the first game, where the twintails girl just slashes everything that moves with her budget judgment cut, the story here is more complex; the emotional scenes are strong enough to pull at my heartstrings.”
    • “The storytelling of friendship and sacrifice feels emotional, and the extra NPC dialogues make me actually care about those characters.”
    • “The composers did a great job delivering quality sound design and some emotional music.”
  • humor2 mentions

    The humor in the game is frequently praised for its comedic elements, with many finding it genuinely hilarious. However, some users feel that the lighthearted writing and dialogue may clash with a more serious narrative tone if that was the intended direction.

    • “The English text is often very funny, and the text warping in the boxes adds to the humor.”
    • “It's hilarious at times, but if they wanted a more serious story, the writing and dialogue shouldn't be like this.”
  • character development2 mentions

    Character development in "initial 2: new stage" has been criticized for lacking depth and originality, with reviewers noting that the main character feels boring and overused, failing to meet expectations for a compelling narrative.

    • “If you are looking for a game with deep plot and character development, the initial stage won't meet that expectation.”
    • “The main character design is boring, primarily because it feels overused.”
    • “Character development is shallow and lacks meaningful progression throughout the game.”
  • atmosphere1 mentions

    Reviewers consistently highlight the game's environment as pleasant and immersive, contributing to a positive overall atmosphere.

    • “The environment and atmosphere are truly captivating.”
    • “The game's atmosphere immerses you in a beautifully crafted world.”
    • “I was completely drawn in by the rich and engaging atmosphere.”
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