Spirit Hunter: Death Mark II

98%
Game Brain Score Based on 83 reviews
  • story
  • gameplay
  • graphics
Spirit Hunter: Death Mark II Game Cover
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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.

  • Nintendo Switch
  • PC
  • Play​station 4
  • Play​station 5
  • Windows
  • Play​Station
Genres & TagsPlay Modes

Reviews

98%
Audience ScoreBased on 83 reviews
story19 positive mentions
graphics3 negative mentions
  • The game features a captivating story with engaging character development and emotional stakes, making it a worthy addition to the Spirit Hunter series.
  • The artwork and spirit designs are visually appealing, maintaining the franchise's signature style while introducing new elements.
  • The gameplay improvements, such as the side-scrolling mechanics and quality-of-life updates, enhance the overall experience and make navigation more enjoyable.
  • The game lacks the tension and difficulty of its predecessors, with many encounters feeling less challenging and the mystery elements being more predictable.
  • Some spirit designs are considered goofy or less frightening compared to previous entries, which diminishes the horror aspect of the game.
  • The reliance on RNG for success rates in actions can be frustrating, leading to moments where players may feel unfairly punished despite making the right choices.
  • story67 mentions

    The story has received mixed reviews, with many praising its engaging and well-paced narrative, interesting character arcs, and psychological depth, particularly in the context of horror. However, some critics noted that the plot twists were predictable and the setting felt repetitive, leading to a sense of underwhelming exploration. Overall, while the story maintains a strong foundation and captivating moments, it struggles with predictability and a lack of new environments, which detracts from the overall experience.

    • “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, with 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, 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.”
  • gameplay34 mentions

    The gameplay in "Death Mark II" has transitioned to a side-scrolling adventure format, which some players find cumbersome and less engaging compared to previous titles. While the new mechanics, such as 2D exploration and item collection, offer a fresh experience, they often feel redundant and fail to enhance the overall tension and immersion of the game. Despite these criticisms, many players appreciate the improved navigation and quality-of-life features, as well as the impactful story that unfolds as the game progresses.

    • “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.”
    • “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.”
  • graphics13 mentions

    The graphics in "Death Mark II" maintain the eerie and atmospheric art style of its predecessors, featuring unique and tragic spirit designs that enhance the game's horror elements. However, some reviewers noted a decline in overall CG quality compared to earlier titles, suggesting that while the artwork remains impressive, it lacks the haunting impact of previous installments. Overall, the visuals are still celebrated for their clean execution and ability to immerse players in a 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.”
    • “The art style in 'Death Mark II' has not changed from the previous two games, retaining the same eerie and atmospheric visuals.”
    • “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.”
  • atmosphere10 mentions

    The atmosphere in "Death Mark II" is characterized by its eerie visuals and haunting music, which effectively create a sense of unease and tension. While some players feel that the atmosphere is less creepy than in previous entries due to the confined setting and new exploration mechanics, others appreciate the game's ability to evoke feelings of oppression and anxiety, enhanced by the art and sound design. Overall, the game maintains a captivating and unsettling ambiance that immerses players in its macabre world.

    • “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.”
    • “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.”
    • “Now for the fan-service on the main heroines, they are tastefully done and don't clash with the ghastly, macabre atmosphere at all; rather, it serves to further entrap you with a sense of bizarreness and anxiety where death is your constant companion.”
    • “Although what I feared did occur, the overall atmosphere is still as tense as ever, and adding the side scroll makes the exploration feel much more fun.”
  • music8 mentions

    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 experienced technical issues that detracted from their enjoyment of the music.

    • “The atmosphere is killer, which is largely due to the music by Naoaki Jimbo.”
    • “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 music, sounds, and illustrations never disappointed me, always giving me the chills many times.”
    • “I've been overjoyed by the atmosphere of this game including the clean artwork and unsettling music.”
  • character development5 mentions

    Character development in the game is praised for its depth and emotional impact, particularly in relation to unlocking the true ending, which enhances the overall experience. The character designs are noted for their creativity, especially in how they incorporate themes of death and transformation, contributing to a rich and immersive atmosphere. Overall, the combination of strong character arcs and visually striking designs elevates the game's narrative.

    • “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 loved this game; it was worth waiting four years for, in my opinion.”
    • “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.”
  • grinding3 mentions

    Players find the grinding aspect of the game tedious, particularly due to the repetitive back-and-forth movement between the same locations in each chapter. While some elements, like jumpscares, provide brief moments of engagement, the overall experience can feel monotonous and lacking in excitement.

    • “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.”
  • emotional2 mentions

    While "Death Mark II" enhances the emotional stakes and visual storytelling compared to its predecessor, it is still considered the weakest entry in the Spirit Hunter series. The game's art style by Fumiya Sumio effectively conveys vivid emotions, contributing to the overall atmosphere, though some elements may still lean towards fanservice.

    • “The artist, Fumiya Sumio, continues to deliver their signature style, which is both vivid and emotional.”
  • humor1 mentions

    The humor in the game is perceived as a mixed bag, with some ghost designs being more amusing than frightening, while others rely on symbolism that fails to resonate with the overarching narrative.

    • “I found half of the ghost designs more funny than scary, and the other half utilized symbolism that didn't really connect to the story of the spirit.”
    • “The humor in the dialogue had me laughing out loud; it perfectly balanced the spooky elements.”
    • “The quirky character interactions and witty one-liners added a delightful layer of humor to the gameplay.”
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