Skullgirls 2nd Encore

About

Skullgirls 2nd Encore is a single player and multiplayer arcade fighting game with a anime theme. It was developed by Hidden Variable Studios and was released on August 22, 2013. It received positive reviews from players.

Skullgirls 2nd Encore is a beautiful, fast-paced, and critically acclaimed 2D fighting game that puts players in control of fierce warriors in an extraordinary Dark Deco world. Each of the 14 wildly original characters features unique gameplay mechanics and plenty of personality. Skullgirls is the perfect fighting game for casual and competitive fighting game fans alike. Includes fully voiced…

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86%

Audience ScoreBased on 17,410 reviews

gameplay855 positive mentions

stability24 negative mentions

Stunning hand-drawn art style and fluid animations inspired by 1920s/30s aesthetics that create a visually distinctive and engaging fighting experience.
Mechanically deep and fast-paced gameplay with a unique tag-team system, polished combo mechanics, and effective tutorials balancing accessibility and complexity.
Exceptional jazz and big band-inspired soundtrack that perfectly complements the game's atmosphere and enhances player immersion.

Some players find the heavy sexualization of characters and occasional censorship of art and story elements off-putting and damaging to the game's charm.
The story mode is often considered brief, fragmented, or lacking depth, with some campaigns less polished and controversies over content removal.
Despite good optimization overall, the game suffers from occasional bugs, unstable online matchmaking, buggy menus, and suboptimal keyboard and controller support.

gameplay
2,015 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
42%
56%
2%
Skullgirls offers fast-paced, fluid, and mechanically deep gameplay that balances accessibility for newcomers with complexity for veterans, featuring a unique tag-team system and diverse character styles. The game shines with its polished combo system, responsive controls, and extensive tutorials that effectively teach both general and character-specific mechanics. While some find the high skill ceiling and combo-heavy nature challenging, the gameplay remains engaging, rewarding, and widely praised for its balance and innovation within the fighting game genre.
- “The gameplay and mechanics are an easy 10/10, the art style and animations are a 10/10, and the story/lore surrounding each character and the overall universe of the game is well thought out and unique.”
- “The gameplay design is also some of the most unique and interesting I've seen in any fighting game I've played, the combo system is incredibly deep and complex while still allowing for simple combos and setups for the majority of the cast.”
- “Skullgirls is one of the most mechanically rich and in-depth fighting games on the market, the spritework is on another level, the netcode is flawless, and the creativity of characters is second to none in the genre.”
- “You can pick up better fighting games with better gameplay weight and pacing, this one is not it.”
- “My friend bought me this game and this guy first thing brought up tier list, the gameplay is bland and repetitive that I actually fell asleep; if you want a real fighting game go play For Honor, unlike this game they are quite transparent with their fanbase unlike this game where it's like a prison.”
- “As for gameplay, consensus seems that it's very mechanically sound and enjoyable, I can't give much help there because I'm complete ass at fighting games.”
story
1,950 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
33%
64%
3%
Skullgirls features a distinctive story mode for each character, offering engaging, if brief, narratives that weave an interconnected but non-canon overarching plot centered around the mystical Skull Heart and its curses. The story is praised for its unique characters, emotional depth, dark humor, and compelling worldbuilding, supported by high-quality hand-drawn art and voice acting (in the 2nd Encore DLC). However, some reviewers find the story short, at times fragmented or confusing, with certain campaigns lacking polish and depth, and controversies have arisen over content censorship affecting story elements and art.
- “The story mode is engaging, full of charm, humor, and a surprising emotional depth that complements the vibrant world of Skullgirls.”
- “Each character has their own unique story, and many stories intersect, giving a rich sense of the lore and relationships between characters.”
- “The fully voiced story mode brings the characters and their narratives to life, with well-written scenarios that add personality and motivation to each fighter.”
- “The censorship of the art book, Big Band's backstory, and now a character's outfit are too much.”
- “It breaks my heart to see a game like this just dig its own grave and been a repeat of removing content and censorship, mainly towards Big Band's story, what mainly got me into the game was the characters. I'm sorry but removing content is like when Capcom remade Resident Evil 3: the artwork, Big Band's story, and more unnecessary censorship. I don't support censorship and I never will. However, Skullgirls' story is flawed but the characters such as Filia - besides her attractiveness - she is shown to have a big heart. Plus the game also shows love and appreciation to games like Darkstalkers, Marvel vs Capcom, Injustice, Mortal Kombat, Street Fighter, King of Fighters, a lot of fighting games. But now after watching Fat Otaku's video and hearing about the devs trash-talking fans, I honestly don't know anymore. This makes me very depressed and sad, and I miss the old charm as other people were talking about rather than a downgrade. Anyway, thanks for taking the time to listen to my thoughts.”
- “The story is that a relic can give you one wish if you defeat the Skull Girl every 7 years. The world of Skullgirls is well designed and creative but my only gripe with the game is that there is not enough story to explain its expansive and deep world.”
graphics
1,626 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
60%
39%
1%
Skullgirls is widely praised for its stunning hand-drawn art style, fluid animations, and unique 1920s/30s-inspired aesthetic, which combine to create a visually distinctive and engaging fighting game experience. The graphics are regarded as one of the game's strongest aspects, with richly detailed character designs, expressive visuals, and vibrant backgrounds that have aged well over time. While the art style appeals strongly to fans of both classic cartoons and anime, some players find its heavy sexualization and stylistic choices off-putting, yet the overall graphical quality remains exceptional and a primary draw for many.
- “The hand-drawn art style and dynamic animations make every match visually stunning, with meticulous attention to detail across thousands of frames for each character, creating a visually feast.”
- “From its stunning hand-drawn art style to its diverse and charismatic roster, every element exudes passion and creativity, making it an absolute joy to experience the graphics.”
- “Skullgirls features a unique art deco/film aesthetic inspired by the 1920s and 1930s, with lavish environmental ornamentation and murky amber hues, combined with smooth, fluid, and vibrant hand-drawn visuals that remain impressive even years after release.”
- “The art style is a con for some, the gameplay is too fast and hectic for others, but it's one of the best team fighting games out there and worth giving a shot.”
- “The artwork is charming but the aesthetic blend of 1920's art deco and anime-esque characters leaves something to be desired.”
- “The people who bought this game did so in large part because of its unique aesthetic, the same aesthetic that is now gone, another victim of soulless virtue signalling corporation.”
music
1,270 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
60%
39%
1%
The music in Skullgirls is widely praised for its exceptional jazz and big band-inspired soundtrack composed primarily by Michiru Yamane, known for Castlevania. The soundtrack is described as catchy, energetic, and perfectly fitting the game's unique dark deco and 1920s aesthetic, often considered a standout feature that deeply enhances the atmosphere and gameplay experience. Many players enjoy the variety and emotional range of the music, with some tracks becoming favorites even outside the game.
- “The art is beautiful and full of personality, the characters are interesting and cool, the OST is awesome and brings you right into the aesthetic; it's a game crafted with such meticulous attention that it's impossible not to appreciate it.”
- “Skullgirls had such a unique charm owing to its sex appeal, and when that combined with its absolutely stellar gameplay and visuals, along with what can only be described as one of the most memorable game soundtracks of all time, it was nothing short of a fighting game masterpiece.”
- “The music is phenomenal, just everything about this game makes it one of the best fighting games on the market, if this game interests you at all, I would recommend you buy it.”
- “The music fits the theme but it's grating; I had to turn it off after a while.”
- “The gameplay, music and graphics feel like they have been made for 3 different games, totally unrelated, then just thrown together.”
- “The soundtrack is ok, I've heard better, but I've also heard way worse, so there isn't much to complain about.”
character development
343 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
60%
39%
1%
Skullgirls is widely praised for its unique, creative, and visually striking character designs, with hand-drawn animations that bring distinct personalities and stories to life, contributing significantly to the game's appeal. While some critics note the often sexualized nature of certain characters and occasional censorship issues, the overall character development is appreciated for its depth, variety, and connection to gameplay mechanics. The well-crafted designs, combined with engaging move sets and rich lore, enhance both the visual experience and player investment.
- “All in all, while the story modes may not be mechanically revolutionary for the genre, the world building and simple yet effective character development more than makes up for it.”
- “The character designs are well-thought-out and very unique, and their voices are very well picked for the personalities they're meant to reflect.”
- “With its fully hand-drawn 2D animation, fast-paced tag-based combat, and lovable and unique character design with their own stories, it delivers an experience that feels both classic and boldly modern.”
- “I'm not gonna lie on the character design side, I feel like only half the characters are actually good looking and interesting, and only half of those are telling an actually compelling story.”
- “The character design sucks and the assist spamming is annoying.”
- “Inputs feel late, CPU difficulty is insanely inaccurate, combos seem simple enough but never work (even in training with correct input, the timing has to be so perfect for anything to connect that I struggle to even complete the tutorial), and I'm not a fan of the slutty and boring character design.”
humor
251 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Skullgirls is praised for its quirky, often dark humor that blends well with its stylish art and fast-paced combat, featuring memorable characters, witty dialogue, and hilarious animations. The game’s humor ranges from clever pop culture references and playful banter to slapstick and meta jokes, creating an engaging and entertaining fighting experience that appeals to fans of both comedy and technical gameplay. While some criticize changes to humor-related content, overall the humor is considered a standout and integral part of the game's charm.
- “The story mode is engaging, full of charm, humor, and a surprising emotional depth that complements the vibrant world of Skullgirls.”
- “What really makes the game stand out is the sense of humour, this game is one of the funniest games I've played, with very funny dialogue, even the announcers are memorable and produce some great lines.”
- “With a cast of funny, quirky, and even sometimes risque characters, a pretty memorable soundtrack, super smooth and detailed animations, and "blockbusters" that are full of spectacle, Skullgirls is a game I can pick up at any time to just veg out to or blow off steam after a rough day.”
emotional
48 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
98%
2%
The emotional aspect of the game is widely praised for its rich, heartfelt, and engaging story modes, featuring deep character lore, dark humor, and moments that can evoke laughter and tears. Players feel emotionally invested in the unique characters and their journeys, with storylines that balance charm, emotional depth, and occasional darkness. Despite some controversy surrounding the game’s history, the passion and dedication of the developers resonate strongly with fans, enhancing the overall emotional experience.
- “The story mode is engaging, full of charm, humor, and a surprising emotional depth that complements the vibrant world of Skullgirls.”
- “Her story mode was an emotional roller-coaster, oscillating between hilarious scenes that had me laughing out loud and moments that had me almost crying.”
- “Each character's story made me feel for them until their chapter closed.”
replayability
41 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
39%
54%
7%
Skullgirls offers excellent replayability with a variety of gameplay modes, unique characters, and a robust online experience supported by top-tier netcode. While single-player content can feel brief, extensive multiplayer modes, challenges, and modding options provide nearly infinite replay value. The game's style, mechanics, and soundtrack further enhance its lasting appeal, though some players wish for more playable characters.
- “Older versions can be modded in incredibly flexible ways, allowing for a lot of extended replayability.”
- “Not only do I love the style of this game, but it plays just as great as it looks – I play games for the sake of replayability and enjoyable longevity through creativity, and I have almost 400 hours in this game at the time of writing, which is more than I've put into any game that I've ever played.”
- “Once you're done with that, the randomized arcade ladder, multiplayer, and practice modes should provide you with all the hours of replayability you could ever want.”
- “My only complaints are that a couple of the story modes are a bit meh and I do wish there were more playable characters.”
- “I bought all the DLC (I wish there were more playable characters!!)”
- “I only hope there will be more playable characters.”
optimization
40 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
65%
25%
10%
The game is highly praised for its excellent optimization, running smoothly on a wide range of systems including low-spec and older PCs without significant frame drops or performance issues. Online play is also well-optimized, offering minimal lag even at high ping. Some minor criticisms involve suboptimal keyboard controls and a few updates negatively impacting performance, but overall the graphics and gameplay run efficiently across platforms.
- “The game has great art direction and extremely well optimized graphics that make it run and look great on basically any PC.”
- “The game deserves acclaim for the lovingly made aesthetics, gameplay, online experience and great optimization for even a 7+ year old laptop.”
- “Runs perfectly on even older computers with no frame drops or other performance issues.”
- “The new development team are more occupied censoring frames that you don't even notice because of the high-speed crazy gameplay, changing art compendium, and gameplay cutscenes than solving the performance issues in the online modes and the general game.”
- “Maybe try a bit of graphic optimization, it's kind of laggy if I play this on my laptop considering the specs are about average and this is just 2D rendering.”
- “The movement controls are poorly optimized for keyboards, which is exacerbated when you combine it with attack to create combos.”
stability
34 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
26%
3%
71%
The game generally runs smoothly with solid frame rates and good performance on low-end machines, but it is still plagued by various bugs, including graphical glitches, buggy menus, freezing during cutscenes, and issues with online matchmaking and lobby stability. While the developers are actively fixing these problems, the current state remains somewhat unpolished and occasionally frustrating.
- “Bug free.”
- “The game runs great, with no drops in framerate anywhere to be seen, and it looks amazing.”
- “Runs great even on a low-end machine, with amazing frame-by-frame animations.”
- “Controller support is buggy as hell. Don't buy this broken crap.”
- “The online mode is very buggy, with random connection drops and lobbies often stopping to work.”
- “The tutorial is buggy, the game is unpolished, and the menu is horrible and very buggy.”
atmosphere
28 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
39%
11%
The game is widely praised for its rich, distinctive atmosphere that blends vibrant 2D art, smooth animations, and creatively designed stages with a jazzy, stylish soundtrack inspired by 1920s-30s aesthetics. Reviewers highlight the immersive worldbuilding, unique character designs, and excellent music composition, which together create a captivating and enjoyable fighting experience. Overall, the atmosphere is considered a core strength that enhances both gameplay and storytelling.
- “I love the atmosphere and worldbuilding of many fighting games, and Skullgirls truly captures the limited yet visceral storytelling of two or more over-the-top characters battling it out in wacky arenas with weird weapons and gadgets.”
- “From the combo mechanics to the beautiful details of the 2-dimensional graphics perfectly blended into the atmosphere of each stage you play in; to the MVC style fighting mechanics that go into the technical skills you can learn to attain incredible combos; words can't begin to describe how this game makes me feel when it pops up in my head.”
- “The background characters as well as the scenery are all fantastic and contribute greatly to the game's incredible atmosphere.”
- “The stage themselves are kept very simple, so as not to distract from the gameplay, but also given minimal attention, resulting in a lack of a compelling atmosphere for players to appreciate.”
- “And seriously, don't ever, ever get me started about the soundtrack or overall atmosphere. It greatly detracts from the experience.”
- “The online multiplayer is constant without lag, but the community is highly professional while the graphic style and general atmosphere seem childish, creating a conflicting and off-putting environment.”
grinding
15 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
20%
13%
67%
Grinding in the game is often described as time-consuming and sometimes tedious, requiring significant patience to improve skills and complete challenges. However, many find the grind rewarding and engaging, with a steady learning curve and plenty of content to master, making the effort worthwhile despite occasional difficulty spikes.
- “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
- “Grindy (60 - 100 hours).”
- “A bit grindy sometimes.”
- “For the asking price, you can spend a lot of time grinding this game out without getting bored.”
- “There's always something to learn and grind about this game, whether it be basic moves to advanced techs or challenges or characters you've never played; I literally spent the past hour and a half grinding on one tutorial because I was trying to get the timing down for air chains, which are like the equivalent of aerial combos in Smash, loosely speaking.”
- “And if you are brand new, know that people have been grinding for like 3 years at this point, so you probably won’t even be able to hit them and they will reset you 100 times until you die.”
monetization
7 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
14%
29%
57%
The monetization of the game has faced criticism for predatory DLCs and microtransactions, especially following a post-release studio change, leading some players to feel disrespected and dissatisfied. However, the main game itself is praised for avoiding typical overpriced DLC practices and intrusive microtransactions common in modern fighters, which some players appreciate. The mobile version is noted for heavy microtransactions, but the full game purchased on sale is seen as a worthwhile investment with effective advertising.
- “Also no stupid ridiculous overpriced DLC practices or microtransactions or dumbed down autocombo gameplay or any of the other nonsense most modern fighters try to pull off, so that's great too.”
- “Now with the super predatory cash grab DLCs and stuff, avoid it.”
- “You show your disrespect for the money we paid, you infantilize our opinions and you sweep dissatisfaction under the rug with advertising Marie.”
- “I decided I wanted to invest in buying the game after trying that mobile version of the game (lots of microtransactions in that one, but free-to-play), and while getting the game on special I booted it up.”