Spirit Hunter: Death Mark II

About

In Spirit Hunter: Death Mark II, players investigate supernatural occurrences at a prestigious academy as the "Spirit Doctor." The game features a new side-scrolling function, immersive first-person perspectives, and an enhanced partnering system that affects the success of actions during investigations. A mysterious spirit called "The Departed" is rumored to be responsible for the disturbing events, and it appears to have a particular interest in the player's character.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player Play through the game's story or campaign solo

97%

Audience ScoreBased on 168 reviews

story38 positive mentions

grinding6 negative mentions

The Spirit Hunter franchise continues to deliver engaging stories and beautiful artwork, making this installment a worthy addition.
The new gameplay mechanics, including side-scrolling exploration and character interactions, add a fresh twist to the series.
The character development and emotional stakes are well-executed, making players invested in the outcomes of the story.

The game feels less challenging and more forgiving compared to its predecessors, which may disappoint fans looking for a tense experience.
Some spirit designs are perceived as goofy rather than frightening, lacking the horror impact of earlier games.
The reliance on RNG for success rates in actions can lead to frustration, detracting from the overall experience.

story
134 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
28%
69%
2%
The story has received mixed reviews, with many praising its engaging narrative and character development, particularly the protagonist's depth and the psychological elements. However, some critics noted that the plot twists were predictable and the setting felt repetitive, lacking the adventurous exploration of previous titles. Overall, while the story is entertaining and well-paced, it suffers from some clichés and a sense of incompleteness due to its focus on a limited environment.
- “Each chapter is a well-made story in itself, and the overarching plot is well-paced throughout the chapters, giving hints and warnings at each step so you never forget why you're doing what you're doing, or feeling like nothing's going on with it.”
- “The story here is great, some magnificent psychological build up (the protagonist this time has character!) and it has some real great character moments.”
- “To begin, the suspenseful, mysterious and tragic storytelling of Death Mark II coupled with our 'precious sensei' or spirit doctor, Kazuo Yashiki, the main character, is a prime example of how horror stories should be told.”
- “The main storyline revolves around 'the departed,' but don’t get too excited; unfortunately, most of the game feels like wandering the same halls over and over, a lot of the scenarios are repetitive, all happening within the same high school.”
- “The story didn't seem to improve since the second game, and it still suffers from a lot of the same problems as the previous games.”
- “Having finished the game, I feel as though the story was underwhelming compared to the first game in the series.”
gameplay
68 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
15%
81%
4%
The gameplay in "Death Mark II" has transitioned to a side-scrolling adventure format, which some players find cumbersome and lacking in depth compared to previous titles. While the new mechanics, such as 2D exploration and item collection, offer a fresh experience, they are often seen as redundant or time-wasting, detracting from the overall tension and immersion. Despite these criticisms, many players appreciate the improved navigation and quality-of-life features, and the story's progression ultimately enhances the gameplay experience.
- “The new gameplay elements include walking around in 2D environments, collecting and using items, sometimes with a companion who we can also interact with.”
- “The new traversal system is great; I liked the old way too, but this is certainly easier to navigate, and the animated characters are more dynamic to watch. Thank you for the quality-of-life gameplay design choices like [Q] to return to the infirmary.”
- “They fixed up a lot of gameplay issues from the previous two games.”
- “The gameplay in 'Death Mark II' has shifted towards a side-scrolling adventure game format, reminiscent of the classic urban-legend game 'Twilight Syndrome.' While this nostalgic nod is appreciated, the system can be cumbersome, especially when fast-traveling.”
- “Wasting the player's time with needless mechanics does not enhance the experience; it's just tiring.”
- “The gameplay got a bit messy at times, and the encounters with spirits lacked the challenge I was anticipating.”
graphics
27 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
19%
70%
11%
The graphics in "Death Mark II" maintain the series' signature eerie and atmospheric art style, with unique and tragic spirit designs that enhance the overall experience. However, some reviewers noted that the CG quality feels less captivating compared to previous installments, lacking the same haunting impact. Despite this, the clean artwork and character designs continue to impress, contributing to an immersive spooky atmosphere.
- “I love the added 2D portion of it, and as usual the artwork, character designs, and sound designs were fantastically done to immerse you into the spooky atmosphere!”
- “The artwork in this series has always been one of its highlights, at least for an artist like me, and this game did not disappoint.”
- “However, the overall CG quality feels less captivating compared to 'Death Mark 1' and 'NG.' While the artist has certainly put in effort, the visuals lack the same haunting impact as the previous games.”
- “They almost don't look like they fit the same aesthetic as previous games.”
- “The art style in 'Death Mark II' has not changed from the previous two games, retaining the same eerie and atmospheric visuals.”
atmosphere
20 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
20%
65%
15%
The atmosphere in "Death Mark II" retains its eerie and atmospheric visuals from previous entries, enhanced by Naoaki Jimbo's unsettling music, which effectively captures a sense of oppression and anxiety. However, many reviewers noted that the overall tension is less pronounced compared to earlier games, partly due to the plot's confinement to a single location. Despite this, the game's art style, character designs, and sound design continue to immerse players in a spooky and bizarre environment.
- “The art style in 'Death Mark II' has not changed from the previous two games, retaining the same eerie and atmospheric visuals.”
- “The atmosphere is killer, which is largely due to the music by Naoaki Jimbo.”
- “I've been overjoyed by the atmosphere of this game, including the clean artwork and unsettling music.”
- “With that said, the atmosphere somehow wasn’t as creepy as in the previous entries, and I believe it was not a good idea that 90% of the main plot took place in one location and its direct surroundings.”
- “The new side-scroller-like exploration mechanic doesn't add much and is a waste of resources better used elsewhere; still, the core atmosphere, story, and overall gameplay are there.”
- “So the atmosphere is less tense than previous games.”
music
16 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
38%
44%
19%
The music in the game is widely praised for its beauty and ability to enhance the atmosphere, contributing significantly to the overall experience. Composed by Naoaki Jimbo, it effectively captures the game's themes and evokes strong emotions, often creating a sense of oppression that immerses players in the story. However, some users reported technical issues that interrupted their enjoyment, such as being stuck on a black screen while the music continued to play.
- “But the music is magnificent, something truly beautiful.”
- “The music, sounds, and illustrations never disappointed me, always giving me chills many times.”
- “So I'm stuck with a black screen while listening to the background music and characters talking, but couldn't progress and was forced to reload.”
- “The atmosphere is killer, which is largely in part due to the music by Naoaki Jimbo.”
- “I've been overjoyed by the atmosphere of this game, including the clean artwork and unsettling music.”
character development
10 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
40%
40%
20%
Character development in the game is praised for its depth, particularly in how it enhances the narrative and unlocks the true ending. Reviewers appreciate the thoughtful integration of character designs that reflect themes of death and transformation, contributing to a rich and immersive experience. The artwork and sound design further elevate the emotional impact of the characters' journeys.
- “I love love love it when character designs incorporate death relating to water by having the body be bloated and sickly; it's such a good design trope.”
- “I love the added 2D portion of it, and as usual, the artwork, character designs, and sound designs were fantastically done to immerse you into the spooky atmosphere!”
- “Like Himeko can keep the marking but make it much smaller - or with Michiho have her hair fading into its natural color (hopefully her natural color wasn't black because from a character design standpoint making her hair grey wouldn't work and would make her look as if she is still cursed, so maybe a pale brown instead of the grey).”
- “This white-haired high schooler is as cute as a button, and her character development makes it worth unlocking the true ending.”
grinding
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be tedious, particularly due to the repetitive back-and-forth movement between the same rooms and buildings in each chapter. While some elements, like jumpscares, attempt to alleviate the monotony, many reviewers feel that the overall experience suffers from this lack of variety.
- “Running back and forth between the same rooms and buildings in each chapter became quite tedious for me after a while, and not even the jumpscares worked too well.”
- “The game would have been very tedious without that.”
- “I think they look a little goofy and there was a sense of dread in the first game with loading each screen as you progressed, even if it was a bit tedious at times.”
emotional
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
"Death Mark II" enhances emotional engagement by building on character investment and creating genuinely scary visuals, particularly with female characters, moving away from fanservice. However, despite these improvements, it is still considered the weakest entry in the "Spirit Hunter" series. The artist Fumiya Sumio's signature style remains a highlight, contributing to the game's emotional depth.
- “The artist, Fumiya Sumio, continues to deliver their signature style, which is both vivid and emotional.”
humor
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is mixed, with some ghost designs being perceived as more amusing than frightening, while others rely on symbolism that fails to resonate with the spirit's narrative.