Under Night In-Birth II Sys:Celes
- January 24, 2024
- FRENCH-BREAD
- 13h median play time
Get on SteamUNDER NIGHT IN-BIRTH II Sys:Celes is the sequel to the dramatic stylish 2D fighting game, featuring 24 characters with renewed visuals, including 3 new fighters. The game boasts of easy-to-learn controls, intense battles with HD pixel art graphics, and a gripping storyline about the impending collapse of the world. The Digital Deluxe Edition includes the full game, 25 announcer characters, and a season pass. Catastrophe beckons as Sys:Celes sinks towards ruination, and the Immortalize faces the collapse of all that is. Get ready for the final chapter of the Hollow Night.
Nintendo Switch
PC
Playstation 4
Playstation 5
Windows
PlayStation
Reviews
- The game features a diverse roster of characters, each with unique mechanics and playstyles, making it enjoyable for both newcomers and veterans.
- The gameplay mechanics, including the GRD system and rollback netcode, enhance the overall experience, allowing for fluid and dynamic combat.
- The extensive tutorials and training modes provide valuable resources for players to learn and improve their skills.
- The PC port had a rough launch with numerous issues, including crashes, inaccurate ping displays, and a lack of crossplay, which affected the online experience.
- Some players reported that the game is still region locked, making it difficult to find matches with friends or players from other regions.
- The game is locked at 720p resolution, which can lead to a blurry appearance on higher resolution displays, detracting from the visual experience.
- gameplay241 mentions
- 46 % positive mentions
- 53 % neutral mentions
- 1 % negative mentions
The gameplay of "Under Night In-Birth II: Sys:Celes" is widely praised for its depth and complexity, featuring unique mechanics like the GRD system that encourages strategic play and rewarding defensive options. Players appreciate the diverse character roster and the balance between accessibility for newcomers and depth for veterans, although some find the learning curve steep due to the numerous mechanics. Overall, the game is celebrated for its engaging combat, fluid mechanics, and a strong emphasis on player expression, making it a standout title in the fighting game genre.
“The gameplay is very dynamic with how the shield mechanic allows you to turn a defensive situation into your favor by correctly predicting your opponent, but when your opponent catches you shielding at the wrong time you will get punished hard. The shared meter in the middle called grid is what enables a lot of this dynamic flow of the game.”
“I've put in 126 hours on PlayStation and I can say with certainty I want to see more people play this perfect game. Its system mechanics feel amazing, the movement is top-notch, and all the characters feel great and unique with loads of depth and things to learn with each of them.”
“The gameplay rewards execution and creativity while giving beginners plenty of options to start.”
“I think that this game doesn't offer you a lot of engaging things to interact with at a surface level. In the first couple of hours I was playing, it was hard to really get excited for the different characters, and it was hard to engage with the more nuanced system mechanics.”
“Combos and mechanics in general are something you'll need to actually lab and study, because while the 'advantage bar' is an interesting mechanic, it's also overwhelming to use without practice.”
“The mechanics to the game are hard to master and you need a lot of learning, but the game is pretty simple.”
- music84 mentions
- 61 % positive mentions
- 36 % neutral mentions
- 4 % negative mentions
The music in the game has received widespread acclaim, with many reviewers praising its high quality and memorable compositions, often describing it as "bangers" and "insane." The soundtrack, primarily composed by raito, enhances the overall experience and is considered one of the standout features, contributing significantly to the game's appeal. Overall, the music is seen as a major highlight, elevating the gameplay and aesthetic of the fighting game.
“The music is amazing, I wish I had some friends to play it with though.”
“The music is some of the best I've ever heard in a fighting game.”
“Another positive in the game is the amazing soundtrack composed by Raito, each character's theme is a banger and definitely adds to the overall package of the game.”
“Its uni with rollback but they added new moves and they made the music and character art worse.”
“All chars are annoying af, connection - sucks as always in fb games, visuals kinda boring, music extremely forgettable.”
“Still need some bug fixes like one where the music stage stops playing sometimes when playing online.”
- graphics53 mentions
- 51 % positive mentions
- 43 % neutral mentions
- 6 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game have received mixed reviews, with many praising the crisp visuals, beautiful sprite artwork, and unique character designs that enhance the overall aesthetic. However, some players noted issues with resolution scaling and performance, suggesting that while the art style is iconic, it may not appeal to everyone. Overall, the game is recognized for its impressive visuals and engaging soundtrack, contributing to a fun gameplay experience.
“The graphics for uni2 are beautiful, the designs on the characters have been updated and they all look fantastic, with the stages matching the upgraded experience which look amazing.”
“An exceptional fighting game with great universally shared mechanics, exquisite sprite artwork, and an impressive suite of tools, training modes, and tutorials.”
“Awesome graphics and gameplay mechanics!”
“All characters are annoying, connection sucks as always in FB games, visuals are kind of boring, and the music is extremely forgettable.”
“The visuals improved a little bit but also got worse thanks to the new effects.”
“I really wish they had just made changes to the original game instead of this; besides the new moves and mechanics, it feels like a stylistic downgrade all around in terms of aesthetics.”
- story42 mentions
- 31 % positive mentions
- 60 % neutral mentions
- 10 % negative mentions
The story aspect of the game has received mixed reviews, with many players finding it underwhelming or "cringe," often describing it as a basic arcade mode narrative without depth. While some appreciate the character backstories and the visual presentation, others express disappointment over the lack of a comprehensive story mode, feeling that the gameplay and mechanics overshadow the narrative. Overall, the story is seen as a secondary feature, with most players prioritizing the fun and engaging gameplay over the plot.
“Great mechanics, cool characters, astounding music, interesting story, beautiful stages.”
“Not only does it have amazing tutorials and learning tools (extensive training mode features, replay take over, etc), it has beautiful visuals and story to back it up.”
“The story is passable but the music, world and the mechanics of each character are really unique and fleshed out.”
“The arcade mode is pretty standard, but comes with a boring storyline and the time attack and score attacks are just vaguely different ways to play the arcade mode basically.”
“If you give a shit about the story you're probably gonna be really disappointed, I definitely was, but that was always just a bonus and it doesn't really have any bearing on my enjoyment of the game cause it's really fun and for sure the best version of the game we've gotten.”
“The visual novel story mode is not in this game so if you want that you need to buy the previous one (uniclr), but I mean most people don't play fighting games for story.”
- stability15 mentions
- 7 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 93 % negative mentions
The game's stability has been criticized for its buggy PC port, with frequent crashes and issues such as input reading errors and audio glitches, particularly during online play. While some users report that the single-player experience is stable and the online mode has improved, many still experience significant network problems that hinder gameplay. Overall, the game shows potential, but its current state is marred by instability and technical issues that need addressing.
“The single player experience is standard, but the online mode currently runs great. Although I heard matchmaking is quiet, the game itself has a wealth of resources built in that are above and beyond to help you learn and improve if it suits you.”
“Buggy input reading on the PC port.”
“Network is buggy as hell that you won't be able to play without it crashing the game constantly.”
“As much as I recommend the game, I can't recommend this port due to its buggy nature and frequent crashing.”
- character development13 mentions
- 69 % positive mentions
- 8 % neutral mentions
- 23 % negative mentions
Character development in the game is highlighted by its impressive and diverse character designs, which not only look visually appealing but also offer unique playstyles and gimmicks. Players appreciate the depth and personality of each character, fostering a strong connection and attachment, while the overall presentation, including sprite art and soundtrack, enhances the gaming experience. The combination of rewarding mechanics and well-crafted characters contributes to a fun and engaging fighting game atmosphere.
“The game is very rewarding to learn and the character design is top notch, with plenty of variety in playstyles and looks.”
“Really fun game with amazing graphics and combo variety, as well as amazing character designs along with their own gimmicks unique to only the specific character being played by you.”
“Original character designs that cause each character to feel and look unique and interesting.”
“The character development feels shallow and lacks depth, making it hard to connect with the characters.”
“I found the character arcs to be predictable and uninspired, which detracted from my overall enjoyment of the game.”
“While the character designs are visually appealing, the lack of meaningful growth or change throughout the game is disappointing.”
- humor11 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is characterized by a mix of quirky character interactions and amusing gameplay moments, often highlighting the absurdity of certain situations and mechanics. Players appreciate the lightheartedness, with funny character lines and scenarios that add a comedic touch to the overall experience, despite some frustrations with gameplay.
“I'm surprised uni2 is even a thing because I'm pretty sure the devs have no money to work with, so let's just say the DLC release schedule is... funny.”
“I can't block anything in this game, but I like doing the funny Hilda combos, so that makes it good.”
“Not sure if Byakuya is laughing because he is having fun or because of my unmatched skill issue.”
- optimization11 mentions
- 27 % positive mentions
- 45 % neutral mentions
- 27 % negative mentions
Overall, the game's optimization has improved, with most major network issues resolved, allowing for smooth gameplay in many instances. However, players still report occasional stuttering and performance hiccups, particularly related to fullscreen optimizations and input lag in windowed modes. While the game is enjoyable on PC, further patches are needed to address remaining performance concerns and ensure parity with console versions.
“Presently, issues are rare, and the game runs smoothly.”
“I want you to know that most of the major network issues have been solved, but there are still many, less impactful, performance issues left to be fixed at the time I'm writing this review.”
“I would still recommend getting this game on PC, especially if that's the platform most of your friends are playing on; it's an incredibly fun game when it does run smoothly, just be prepared for semi-frequent hiccups.”
“It is unacceptable to have so much stuttering on connections from 90-120.”
“Pretty much all that's left is to make Steam invites work and the game not utilizing Windows 10 fullscreen optimizations, which means there's additional input lag if you play in windowed/borderless.”
“Aside from the performance issues and lack of certain graphical options, the game is a straight upgrade over the original with the more refined balance, faster game speed, and new mechanics that are overall healthy for the game.”
- grinding4 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Players express mixed feelings about grinding, noting that despite spending extensive hours on matches with low win rates, they still find enjoyment in the experience. However, frustrations arise from technical issues, such as frequent disconnections from matchmaking queues and the perception of an unfair advantage for players on the PS port due to early bug fixes. Overall, while the grind can be tedious, it remains a significant part of the game's appeal for many.
“But 9 hours of grinding matches and even at a 30% win rate, I'm having an absolute blast getting my ass kicked.”
“The PS port had all their bugs fixed early since they had an early beta, which I still feel is unfair, but I've already spent 2 hours grinding the mission for Hyde; I probably can't refund it.”
“Quick search for grinding random matches is impossible for some reason and constantly kicks you out of the queue every few seconds.”
- emotional2 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 50 % negative mentions
The emotional aspect of the game is largely criticized for its lack of depth, with a standard arcade mode and a boring storyline that fails to engage players. The single-player modes feel repetitive and uninspired, leaving little incentive for players to invest emotionally in the experience.
- replayability1 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The game offers significant replayability, particularly for players who enjoy practicing and improving their skills, thanks to its structured gameplay and the vorpal system, which enhances the overall experience compared to other fighting games.
“It is one of the more enjoyable fighting games to actually practice and get better at, given that the structure and vorpal offer much more replayability than some other games on the market.”
- atmosphere1 mentions
- 300 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The atmosphere of the game is highly praised for its complexity, diverse and engaging cast, and exceptional music, all of which contribute to an immersive experience.
“The atmosphere is incredibly immersive, drawing you into the world with its rich details and stunning visuals.”
“The combination of haunting soundscapes and beautifully crafted environments creates an unforgettable atmosphere.”
“Every corner of the game is filled with a unique ambiance that enhances the overall experience and keeps you engaged.”
