UNDER 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.
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, particularly the GRD system, add depth and strategic elements to matches, rewarding both offensive and defensive play.
The extensive tutorial and training modes provide valuable resources for players to learn and improve, making it accessible for beginners.
The PC port had a rocky launch with numerous issues, including crashes during online play and inaccurate ping displays, which have since been mostly resolved.
The game is still region-locked, making it difficult for players in certain areas to find matches, and lacks crossplay functionality.
Some players have reported ongoing bugs and performance issues, such as resolution limitations and input problems, which detract from the overall experience.
gameplay
482 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
46%
53%
1%
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 dynamic interactions. While the game offers a steep learning curve, it balances accessibility for newcomers with rewarding challenges for veterans, making it engaging for a wide range of players. Overall, the mechanics, character diversity, and fluid combat contribute to a highly enjoyable fighting game experience, despite some initial performance issues.
“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 the game, it was hard to really get excited for the different characters, and it was hard to engage with the more nuanced system mechanics.”
“The mechanics to the game are hard to master and you need a lot of learning, but the game is pretty simple.”
“It's absolutely filled with broken defensive options with no offensive counterparts to balance them out, and centers around a tug of war mechanic that simultaneously feels out of your control and also completely determined by you, which makes it not feel good to win but bad to lose.”
music
168 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
61%
37%
2%
The music in the game has received widespread acclaim, with many reviewers praising its high energy and memorable compositions, often highlighting the work of composer Raito. Players describe the soundtrack as "bangers" and "insane," noting that it enhances the overall experience and complements the game's visuals and mechanics. The updated remixes and new tracks have also been well-received, solidifying the music as a standout feature in the fighting game genre.
“The music is amazing, the characters all are very unique in gameplay with a fair share of hard and easy characters, the visuals are pretty good and the grid system might seem complex but it's really not.”
“The freedom of movement, the character diversity, and music are all amazing!”
“The soundtrack by raito is fire.”
“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.”
graphics
106 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
51%
43%
6%
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 translate well to higher resolutions. Overall, the visuals are considered a strong point of the game, complemented by an impressive soundtrack that adds to the 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.”
“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.”
“The graphics are stunning in my opinion.”
“Last detail, graphics are worse than in BlazBlue, and I find the cast much more generic, but that's a matter of taste.”
“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.”
“The visuals improved a little bit but also got worse thanks to the new effects.”
story
84 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
31%
59%
10%
The story aspect of the game has received mixed reviews, with many players finding it lackluster and simplistic, primarily consisting of arcade mode narratives that feel standard and uninspired. While some appreciate the interesting character backstories and the game's visuals, others criticize the absence of a comprehensive story mode, deeming the overall narrative as "cringe" or "boring." Ultimately, most players agree that the gameplay mechanics and character development overshadow the story, which is often seen as a secondary feature rather than a focal point of enjoyment.
“Diverse roster, interesting story, gorgeous pixel sprites, fun combos, and more.”
“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 because 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.”
stability
30 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
10%
93%
The game's stability on the PC port has been widely criticized, with users reporting frequent crashes, buggy input reading, and issues with network connectivity, particularly during online play. While some players note that the single-player experience is standard and that the online component has improved, many still encounter persistent audio glitches and freezing when alt-tabbing. Overall, the game is seen as a "buggy mess," but there is hope that ongoing updates will address these issues.
“The online mode currently runs great, providing a stable experience, and 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.”
“The single player experience is standard, but the online stability is impressive, ensuring smooth gameplay.”
“The game offers a solid foundation with its stability, making it easy to focus on learning and improving your skills.”
“Network is buggy as hell that you won't be able to play without it crashing the game constantly.”
“Buggy port, constant crashes.”
“As much as I recommend the game, I can't recommend this port due to its buggy nature and frequent crashing.”
character development
26 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
69%
19%
12%
Character development in the game is highly praised for its diverse and unique character designs, which contribute to a rewarding gameplay experience. Players appreciate the variety in playstyles and the distinct personalities of each character, enhancing their attachment and enjoyment. The combination of impressive graphics, engaging backstories, and well-crafted sprite art further elevates the overall character experience.
“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.”
“Character designs, the sprite art, and the soundtrack are all very well done.”
“Original character designs that cause each character to feel and look unique and interesting.”
“That being said it is one of the coolest fighting games of all time in my humble opinion with all the system mechanics and character designs, etc. I'm not really good at reviewing but the game is great.”
humor
22 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is characterized by quirky character interactions and amusing scenarios, often highlighting the absurdity of gameplay moments. Players find joy in the comedic elements, such as funny character lines and unexpected situations, which enhance the overall experience despite some frustrations with gameplay mechanics. The lighthearted tone and playful banter contribute to a fun atmosphere, making the game enjoyable even when players face challenges.
“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.”
optimization
22 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
18%
64%
18%
The game's optimization has improved, with most major network issues resolved, allowing for smooth gameplay in many instances. However, players still experience occasional stuttering and input lag, particularly when using windowed or borderless modes due to Windows 10 fullscreen optimizations. While the game is generally enjoyable and a significant upgrade over its predecessor, further patches are needed to address remaining performance issues and enhance the overall experience for PC users.
“Presently, issues are rare, and the game runs smoothly.”
“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.”
“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.”
“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).”
“Stop scamming if you can't give PC players the same performance as PS's.”
grinding
8 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players report a mixed experience with grinding, noting that while the process can be enjoyable despite low win rates, it is marred by frustrating issues such as frequent disconnections from matchmaking queues. Additionally, some users feel that the game's early beta status has led to an uneven experience, particularly on different platforms. Overall, the grinding aspect is seen as both a source of fun and a point of contention due to technical problems.
“Quick search for grinding random matches is impossible for some reason and constantly kicks you out of queue every few seconds.”
“I already spent 2 hours grinding the mission for Hyde, and I probably can't refund it.”
“French Bread has been grinding away to try to fix this accidentally rushed product.”
emotional
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
50%
The emotional aspect of the game is largely criticized for its lack of depth, with players finding the storyline boring and the single-player modes feeling repetitive and uninspired. This results in a disconnection from the game, as there is little to engage players on an emotional level.
replayability
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
50%
The game is praised for its high replayability, particularly due to its engaging structure and the vorpal system, which encourages players to practice and improve their skills. This makes it stand out among other fighting games, offering a more enjoyable experience for those looking to refine their abilities.
“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.”
atmosphere
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
150%
The atmosphere of the game is highly praised for its complexity and variety, complemented by an engaging cast of characters and fantastic music, creating an immersive experience.
“The atmosphere is rich and immersive, drawing you into a world filled with complexity and an interesting cast of characters.”
“The combination of great atmosphere and fantastic music creates an unforgettable experience.”
“The game's atmosphere is enhanced by its varied and intriguing characters, making every moment feel alive.”