Mirror 2: Project X
- January 20, 2022
- KAGAMI Ⅱ WORKs
- 3h median play time
Get on Steam"Mirror 2: Project X" is a game currently in Early Access, offering the first 6 chapters of Story Mode and an early version of Challenge Mode. The full version, to be released in 16-2
PC
Windows
Reviews
- story437 mentions
- 33 % positive mentions
- 63 % neutral mentions
- 4 % negative mentions
The story in "Mirror 2" has received mixed reviews, with many players appreciating its improved depth and branching paths compared to its predecessor, while others express disappointment over the lack of adult content and perceived brevity. The game features multiple character arcs, each with unique narratives and endings, but some players feel the storytelling is rushed or lacks coherence. Overall, while the visuals and voice acting are praised, the narrative's execution and pacing leave room for improvement, especially as the game is still in early access.
“The story, while brief, was nice to run through with multiple endings depending on the choices made throughout the game, encouraging replayability.”
“The art is good, the soundtrack is good, and the story is surprisingly interesting and compelling at times.”
“The game offers around 3 hours of short stories in the story mode, all with different characters, set in different worlds and with several different endings.”
“The story is bad, the graphics are meh, gameplay is bad and there isn't any nudity unlike the first one, but at the end of the day it's just a really bad game regardless.”
“While this game pretends to have a story, it doesn't seem to have one, and all the endings here are even dumber than anything in the previous game.”
“The writing of this game's story is very incoherent, especially the ones added later; the twists happen so fast they just make me feel cringe.”
- gameplay174 mentions
- 33 % positive mentions
- 60 % neutral mentions
- 7 % negative mentions
The gameplay of the game has received mixed reviews, with many players appreciating the solid match-3 mechanics and improved graphics compared to its predecessor. While some find the gameplay fun and engaging, others criticize it for being repetitive and lacking depth, especially in comparison to the original game, which featured more adult content and innovative mechanics. Overall, the game is seen as a decent match-3 experience, but it may not fully satisfy those expecting the same level of adult themes and gameplay complexity as the first installment.
“The presentation is pretty to look at, the gameplay is solid.”
“Gameplay wise, it's pretty good; the match-3 systems are fun and almost exciting to play at times.”
“Mirror 2 is a match-3 type of game where you are greeted with awesome-looking and detailed models, great visuals, fantastic animations, decent voice acting, and solid gameplay.”
“The story is bad, the graphics are meh, gameplay is bad and there isn't any nudity unlike the first one, but at the end of the day, it's just a really bad game regardless.”
“Not to mention that it's just 80% cutscenes and 20% actual gameplay, rather boring one, I might add.”
“The connect-3 gameplay presented in m2:px is substantially inferior to its predecessor, mirror, and with that reason I cannot recommend this game over the latter.”
- graphics169 mentions
- 57 % positive mentions
- 40 % neutral mentions
- 3 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game have received widespread praise for their beauty and improvement over previous titles, showcasing stunning 3D models, smooth animations, and vibrant art styles. Many reviewers noted that the visuals are on par with or exceed those of higher-budget games, contributing significantly to the overall experience. However, some users pointed out issues with performance and minor graphical glitches, indicating that while the graphics are impressive, they may require a capable system to run optimally.
“The graphics and animation are amazing and there is voice acting as well.”
“The graphics are gorgeous.”
“The graphics are now 3D CGI and feel like watching an actual anime during the cutscenes.”
“That said, I feel they did go way too far into the use of 3D models for it, which compared to the visuals of the last game feels like a rather large change and not always in a good way as the models actually feel flatter because of the super shiny highlights and fairly large lack of defining shadows as if the characters are always in a room lit from all sides.”
“The ugly graphics bring my mid-tier laptop to its knees.”
- music57 mentions
- 49 % positive mentions
- 46 % neutral mentions
- 5 % negative mentions
The music in the game has received widespread praise for its quality and ability to enhance the overall experience, with many reviewers noting its relaxing and immersive qualities. The soundtrack is described as beautiful and fitting, often compared favorably to other popular titles like Genshin Impact, and is considered a significant aspect of the game's appeal. While some players found the music to be merely okay, the majority highlighted it as a standout feature that complements the game's art and storytelling.
“The different stories are all unique and interesting, and the music is out of this world.”
“The music is lovely too.”
“The soundtrack is pretty chill, doesn't get tiring too fast, and as opposed to the original mirror - more modern-sounding as they're going with a sci-fi theme instead of the genre mess the first mirror had.”
“The music in this game didn't leave that much of an impression on me.”
“The music was okay, the engine looked okay but not great, with a unity engine visual glare quality to the 3D that I disliked over the 2D of the previous game.”
“Very good game for the price, just remove every sound and listen to your music while playing the challenge mode.”
- character development20 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 35 % neutral mentions
- 15 % negative mentions
Overall, while the game features impressive character designs and high-quality graphics, many reviewers noted a significant lack of character development, with some expressing frustration over the reliance on external files for backstory and inconsistencies in character personalities. Despite the artistic strengths, the narrative depth and character growth were seen as underwhelming, leaving players wanting more from the storytelling aspect.
“I really love the character designs and animation.”
“Character design, voice acting, and the stories they go into... there is a lot of effort here.”
“The character designs introduced so far are better than Mirror's in my personal opinion, and the 3D models are high quality and polished.”
“Character development is done with these readable files you can obtain after a puzzle fight.”
“Too many plot loopholes, extremely rushed story, virtually no character development.”
“Speaking of character development...why does Leah (one of the 'heroines'...?) have a different personality 'in-game' compared to that of the main story?”
- emotional15 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The emotional aspect of the game is highlighted by its wholesome yet heartbreaking storytelling, which evokes strong feelings and often leaves players in tears due to difficult choices. Many reviewers appreciate the blend of magical elements with psychological themes, creating an emotional roller coaster that enhances the overall experience. Despite some gameplay criticisms, the heartfelt narrative and character interactions resonate deeply with players, making it a memorable journey.
“Stayed for the plot and now I want to cry for making a hard choice.”
“Each story arc is as heartbreaking and enjoyable as you might know from the first game.”
“From the moment I started the game, the visuals immediately blew me away, the sound was great, and the story was enjoyable and heartbreaking.”
- optimization11 mentions
- 27 % positive mentions
- 27 % neutral mentions
- 45 % negative mentions
The game is widely criticized for its poor optimization, with players reporting significant performance issues, including memory leaks, heavy CPU and GPU usage, and stuttering, even on high-end hardware like the RTX 3070. Many users note that the game's demanding graphics and detailed models make it unsuitable for low-spec systems, and while some see potential for improvement, the current state is seen as a major drawback. Overall, the optimization issues detract from the gameplay experience, leaving players frustrated.
“Note for fellow low-spec laptop/PC gamers like me: the game is somewhat graphically intense featuring really detailed models and some fancy visual effects, so keep in mind that this won't run smoothly on any random potato PC.”
“But of all the shortcomings of the game, this can develop and even become the best game if it is added and upgraded again; the most important thing is the performance (simple games if heavy become less exciting).”
“In each playthrough, you earn currency based on performance (mainly speed) to upgrade your arsenal in three categories: power, which governs the strength of your damage/heal/stamina gem matches; items, which alter your stamina-based skills; and abilities, bonuses given when creating matches containing power gems (glowing versions created by skills or 4+ pairings).”
“Btw: graphics optimization is terrible - like there is a memory leak somewhere or huge rendering disproportions.”
“Horrible optimization, I played this on a 3070 and the game ran like trash.”
“One thing I should point out is that the game will absolutely melt your PC, as it's poorly optimized in its current state.”
- monetization10 mentions
- 20 % positive mentions
- 10 % neutral mentions
- 70 % negative mentions
The monetization aspect of the game has drawn significant criticism, with users labeling it as misleading and a cash grab, particularly due to false advertising and issues with refunds. While some players appreciate the lack of in-game purchases, others express frustration over the game's early access monetization strategies and concerns about personal data collection. Overall, the sentiment leans towards disappointment regarding the game's financial practices and transparency.
“Overall, it's a decent match-3 game with no in-game purchases.”
“It appears the budget they needed to maintain momentum would have required microtransactions, and at least we weren't led on a string and lied to. Thanks to the company, lots of fun was had.”
“Waste of money, false product advertisement.”
“Very good game but misleading advertising and impossible refund.”
“Such a mislead and cash grab for the 'mirror' names.”
- humor10 mentions
- 90 % positive mentions
- -20 % neutral mentions
- 30 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is polarizing, with some players finding it lacking or unoriginal, likening it to a simple "Candy Crush" experience without much comedic value. Others appreciate the raunchy humor and adult themes, noting that it adds a unique flavor to the gameplay, though it may not resonate with contemporary social norms. Overall, while some elements can lead to amusing outcomes, the humor is often seen as hit-or-miss among players.
“While knights added some extra adult spiciness to it, it was still a great dungeon crawler with some raunchy humor that wouldn’t really fly in today’s social dichotomy.”
“The effect from the usage of a 5-stack gem is a bit underwhelming, but the new ability to stack them together is interesting, and can lead to funny outcomes.”
“Wish there would be some funny things happen when the characters come across with each other.”
“Not funny.”
“The humor falls flat and feels forced.”
“I expected more laughs, but the jokes just didn't land.”
- grinding10 mentions
- 10 % positive mentions
- 30 % neutral mentions
- 60 % negative mentions
Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be excessively tedious and repetitive, often requiring significant time investment to progress or achieve desired outcomes. Many express frustration over the lack of a save system for specific chapters, which exacerbates the grind, making it feel more like a chore than an engaging experience. Overall, the grinding detracts from the enjoyment of exploring different endings and completing challenges.
“You'll need a second life for grinding.”
“Too much grinding and repeating stuff, and no h content yet.”
“This can make finding all the different endings very tedious.”
“This is not just tedious, it becomes frustrating.”
- replayability9 mentions
- 33 % positive mentions
- 33 % neutral mentions
- 33 % negative mentions
The game's replayability is a mixed bag; while some players appreciate the multiple endings and decision trees that encourage exploration and replay, others criticize the overall content length, suggesting that the game feels unfinished with limited replay value. Despite these concerns, many find the engaging gameplay mechanics, particularly the combination of match-3 and decision-making elements, to provide significant replay potential.
“The story, while brief, was nice to run through with multiple endings depending on the choices made throughout the game, encouraging replayability.”
“There is a lot of replayability just to explore different decision trees while enjoying the match-3 game.”
“In Mirror 2, there are multiple scenarios to play through, each with multiple endings, which gives this game lots of replay value.”
“As it stands, this is an unfinished game with barely an hour's worth of content, and little to no replayability value.”
“There are choices which lead to different endings, so each heroine is replayable more than once with a very different outcome, but I still feel like the length is a bit lacking and could've been longer; I reached the first ending of Leah's story within 30 minutes including passing all the puzzles, the stories feel and go much faster than the length in Mirror, which is probably due to the fact that all the stories are mostly cutscenes with minimal text as opposed to Mirror being in a more classic visual novel-like format.”
“In Mirror 2, there are multiple sub-scenarios to play through, each with multiple endings, which gives this game lots of replay value.”
- stability6 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- -33 % neutral mentions
- 83 % negative mentions
The game's stability is a mixed bag, with users reporting various bugs, glitches, and performance issues such as stuttering and crashes, particularly on lower-end PCs. While some players acknowledge these problems as typical for an early access title, they express hope for improvements in future updates. Overall, the game is seen as a paid demo with significant room for enhancement in stability.
“The game runs smoothly without any major bugs, providing a stable experience throughout.”
“I appreciate how well-optimized the game is; it rarely crashes and maintains a steady frame rate.”
“The developers have done a fantastic job ensuring stability, making it enjoyable to play without interruptions.”
“Now, don't get me wrong, the game itself is pretty well made, other than the obvious bugs and glitches and weird stuttering (along with the heavy usage of CPU and GPU, which is a tad worrying), but as it's in early access, you have to look past that.”
“I've had several force shutdowns because the game freezes and could not respond, although this won't be a problem for those with better PCs than what I have.”
“At the time of writing this review, I was experiencing slight texture glitches (textures fading in too slowly) during the cutscenes, but this will likely get resolved in the near future.”
- atmosphere2 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- -50 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The atmosphere of the game is characterized by a whimsical tone that complements the battle segments, while also presenting a distinct departure from its predecessor in terms of story, characters, and setting. Overall, it enhances and refines the concepts introduced in the original game, creating a unique and polished experience.
“The story, characters, setting, and overall atmosphere are very different from the first game, but this game also improves upon the concepts introduced in the original and polishes everything further.”
“The story, characters, setting, and overall atmosphere are very different from the original game, but this game also improves upon the concepts introduced in the first and polishes everything further.”
“It matches the whimsical atmosphere of the battle segments.”
