The Caligula Effect 2

About

In "The Caligula Effect 2," players enter a virtual world called Redo, built from people's regrets, where they can relive their lives. As the Go-Home Club, they aim to return to reality, guided by the virtuadoll χ. This turn-based RPG explores themes of self-identity and regret, challenging players to distinguish reality from illusions.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player

91%

Audience ScoreBased on 371 reviews

story74 positive mentions

grinding32 negative mentions

Significant improvements in gameplay mechanics and quality of life features compared to the first game.
The soundtrack is outstanding, featuring a variety of catchy songs that enhance the overall experience.
The characters are well-written and relatable, with engaging backstories that add depth to the narrative.

The story feels rushed at times and lacks the depth of the first game, with some character arcs not being fully resolved.
Side quests are often tedious and uninteresting, leading to a less engaging experience.
Graphics and animations are dated, which may detract from the overall presentation for some players.

story
360 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
21%
72%
7%
The story of "Caligula Effect 2" has received mixed reviews, with many players noting it as a downgrade from the first game in terms of depth and character development. While the main narrative is engaging and features well-written character arcs, it often feels rushed and anticlimactic, particularly towards the end. Despite its flaws, including a tedious side quest system and some unresolved character backstories, the game is praised for its emotional themes and character dynamics, making it a worthwhile experience for fans of the genre.
- “The story and characters are fantastic, and the music is so good it should be illegal.”
- “The story is miles better; it has no comparison. I got very immersed in it and I actively wanted to interact with the choices that were given to me.”
- “The progress of the story feels natural and there is apparent character development throughout the story.”
- “It feels a bit rushed and there's so much wasted potential for the protagonists and antagonists in terms of their story.”
- “The general feel was that the plot was done very poorly from the 'bad guys' perspective, and needs way more attention.”
- “People responsible for writing the plot of the game really need to step up their game, as I was not impressed by the content given to me.”
music
360 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
34%
62%
4%
The music in the game has received widespread acclaim, with many reviewers praising its catchy and diverse soundtrack, which features contributions from well-known vocaloid producers. While some players feel that the soundtrack is not as strong as the first game's, it is still considered a standout aspect, enhancing the gameplay experience and character development through meaningful lyrics. Overall, the music is described as a major highlight, with many players enjoying the ability to replay tracks and the thematic integration of music within the game's narrative.
- “The best OST in any game I've ever played, the story and characters are fantastic and the gameplay is super unique and enthralling.”
- “The soundtrack is superb, in particular the music used for battles and boss fights.”
- “The music itself is a representation of the musicians as the lyrics of all the musician songs are a reflection of their personality.”
- “The music lacks the 'oomph': so one of the main features for the antagonists is that they are musicians.”
- “Well, it seems to me that in this part they are just getting a track made by someone else and slapping the 'musician' title.”
- “Also, the music gets annoying really fast.”
gameplay
110 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
24%
73%
3%
The gameplay of the latest Caligula Effect installment has seen significant improvements in quality of life, mechanics, and level design compared to its predecessor, offering a unique and engaging turn-based combat system that encourages strategic planning. While many players appreciate the innovative features and overall balance, some criticize the repetitiveness and lack of depth in encounters, leading to a mixed reception regarding long-term enjoyment. Overall, the game is praised for its soundtrack and character design, but it still faces calls for further refinement in gameplay mechanics and pacing.
- “The best OST in any game I've ever played, the story and characters are fantastic and the gameplay is super unique and enthralling.”
- “The gameplay loop pretty much involves planning out your timeline to counter as many enemy attacks as possible and finish them off with style, gaining bonuses if you fought well.”
- “Caligula's turn-based mechanics are something entirely new and refined from Overdose, and planning your moves right makes for a rewarding payout!”
- “The stories are often well written, but gameplay-wise it's such a chore it can barely be called gameplay.”
- “It creates a scenario where the gameplay is stale and bland.”
- “This is the 3rd Caligula game and like the 10th Persona clone Furyu has published or developed, and they still keep making the same mistakes when it comes to gameplay. At this point, I wonder if they even pay any attention to feedback when it comes to combat and dungeon design.”
graphics
48 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
17%
66%
17%
The graphics of the game have received mixed reviews, with many players noting that they appear dated and reminiscent of older titles, despite being a 2021 release. While some appreciate the art style and find the visuals acceptable, others criticize the animations as wooden and lacking polish. Overall, the consensus suggests that if high-end graphics are a priority, this game may not meet expectations, but it can still be enjoyable for those who prioritize gameplay and music over visual fidelity.
- “Graphically and mechanically streamlined compared to the first one (though I still loved the first one overall), and deeper passive and equipment.”
- “Fairly impressive game with okay graphics, kind of bad animations, really good characters, and an amazing soundtrack.”
- “Just don't put your expectations too high for this game and if you can look past the animation and graphics then you will enjoy your time!”
- “As for the negatives: the graphics are pretty much unchanged, but it's understandable since it's a low budget production.”
- “I will start off with the bad, the graphics are very very very dated, which should be obvious at one look of gameplay clips, but I am not someone that cares too much about graphics.”
- “The graphics are just okay, and many animations are wooden.”
grinding
34 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
3%
3%
94%
Overall, players find the grinding aspect of the game to be less tedious than in previous installments, with improvements in the quest system making completion feel more meaningful. However, the process of locating specific NPCs for quests remains cumbersome, and many side quests are seen as frustrating and time-consuming, particularly in postgame content. While the combat system is praised, the overall gameplay loop can still feel repetitive and clunky, suggesting that further quality of life improvements are needed.
- “Furthermore, if you're not grinding a billion levels or trying to find the most optimal stigmas, then the difficulty is relatively fair.”
- “However, it is still tedious and clunky to complete - the displayed locations for NPCs to hand in quests is often wrong or inaccurate, there is no function like in previous games to summon them to your location, and despite the minimap texture files having the icon for it, the map does not show you if there is someone near you who you can hand a completed quest into, and despite being able to 'master' a skill, you still have to manually equip it for quests.”
- “Tldr: do not do the postgame, it is not worth your time, the game does not respect you or your time, and the postgame content is tedious, frustrating (due to tedium and bugs), and offers no real incentive either story or challenge-wise.”
- “Following/doing quests can be tedious and you get lost by the sheer amount + the map is useless in terms of quest management.”
character development
10 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
20%
50%
30%
Character development in the game is praised for its natural progression and depth, with players noting that each character undergoes significant growth that is thematically cohesive with their design and interactions. The integration of character traits into gameplay elements, such as class and skill names, enhances the overall experience, making the characters feel well-rounded and engaging. Overall, the character development is highlighted as a standout feature that enriches the narrative.
- “I love how thematically cohesive the game is—from the character design to the songs, to how each party member's class/playstyle (and even their skill names) are a reflection of who they are, to how the foils are set up for each party member, the meaning behind the flowers assigned to each character, what their catharsis effect looks like, and a lot more that would take too much space if I listed them all.”
- “Your party goes through some well-deserved character development.”
- “But more than that, I love how thematically cohesive the game is-- from the character design, to the songs, to how each party member's class/playstyle (and even their skill names) are a reflection of who they are, to how the foils are set up for each party member, the meaning behind the flowers assigned to each character, what their catharsis effect looks like, and a lot more other stuff that would take way too much space if I list them all down.”
- “The progress of the story feels natural and there is apparent character development throughout the story.”
optimization
8 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
25%
25%
The game's optimization is mixed; while the PC version utilizing Unreal Engine 4 is well-optimized with solid controls, overall performance issues and poor animations detract from the experience. Additionally, the localization choices have drawn criticism, further impacting the game's reception.
- “The game is using Unreal Engine 4, and it's very well optimized.”
- “The PC version is optimized well and has some surprisingly solid keyboard and mouse controls on top of that.”
- “The game is not much better than the first game play-wise; its animations are disruptively poor, the game's performance is poor, and to add insult to injury, the English localization team thought they were being cheeky by inserting controversial political lingo and meme speak from America into the game.”
emotional
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players find the game's story to be highly emotional, with strong sentiments expressed about the characters, particularly Marie. However, the bad ending is noted to lack the emotional depth of the prequel's conclusion, despite still being impactful in its brevity.
- “I really enjoyed the game, the story is emotional and Marie is the best girl!”
- “While the bad ending is short, it is emotional.”
humor
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game's humor is characterized by its clever use of modern terminology and pop culture references, often delivered in a light-hearted manner that feels organic rather than forced. Characters are well-developed beyond stereotypes, and humorous localization moments enhance the experience without detracting from the narrative. Overall, the humor is well-integrated and contributes positively to the game's charm.
- “The game uses modern terminology and pop culture jokes, like someone calling another person 'woke' but instead of politics, they talk about their love for trains. It's genuinely funny and feels organic, with characters defined by their actions rather than just their identities.”
- “There are some funny localization moments that enhance the experience without detracting from the story. Everything feels in character, so if you're worried about that, you shouldn't be.”
- “The humor is well-integrated into the world, with a mix of modern references and clever jokes that feel natural rather than forced. Characters are multi-dimensional, avoiding one-note tropes.”
atmosphere
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
50%
The atmosphere of the game is characterized as vibrant and colorful, contributing to an engaging and lively experience for players.
- “I feel the atmosphere in this game is a lot more vibrant and colorful.”

70%Critics’ scoreBased on 1 critic reviews

Review: The Caligula Effect 2
Hardcoregamer.com
70%

Buy The Caligula Effect 2

3h Median play time

3h Average play time

3-3h Spent by most gamers

*Based on 2 analyzed playthroughs

Videos

87%1kreviews

NEO: The World Ends with You

2022

Hack and Slash

87%20.7kreviews

Tales of Arise

2021

Role Playing

This game contains adult content

76%2kreviews

Soul Hackers 2

2022

Role Playing

93%23kreviews

Metaphor: ReFantazio

2024

Role Playing

96%2.3kreviews

The Legend of Heroes: Trails in the Sky SC

2015

Role Playing

86%15.6kreviews

Tales of Berseria

2017

Open World Role Playing

74%927reviews

BLUE REFLECTION

2017

Role Playing

83%6.4kreviews

The Legend of Heroes: Trails of Cold Steel

2019

Role Playing

90%7kreviews

OCTOPATH TRAVELER II

2023

Open World Role Playing

+10

90%6.4kreviews

Sea of Stars

2023

Role Playing

The Caligula Effect 2 Tweets

The Caligula Effect 2

Platforms

About

Review: The Caligula Effect 2

Buy The Caligula Effect 2