Vestaria Saga II: The Sacred Sword of Silvanister
- July 27, 2022
- Vestaria Project
Get on Steam"Vestaria Saga II: The Sacred Sword of Silvanister" is a strategy RPG that continues the story of hero Zade from the first game. With new classes, gear, and skills, players will navigate a variety of maps and encounter both new and old allies. As Zade continues his quest, uncovering mysteries of the Margulites and their dark plans, conversations with allies now provide stat boosts and other advantages. Quality of life improvements have been made to the classic Vestaria System, creating an engaging and improved gameplay experience.
PC
Windows
Reviews
- Excellent level design with a variety of memorable stages and strategic depth, making gameplay engaging and challenging.
- Unique characters with distinct skills and backstories, enhancing the narrative and player investment in the story.
- Quality of life improvements, such as the ability to save at any point, making the game more accessible and less frustrating than its predecessor.
- Mediocre visual presentation, with choppy battle animations and low-resolution graphics that may detract from the overall experience.
- The main plot is fairly average and can feel convoluted, which may disappoint players looking for a strong narrative.
- Numerous quality of life issues, such as a frustrating UI, bugs, and a lack of clear instructions for certain game mechanics, which can lead to confusion and frustration.
- story28 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 39 % neutral mentions
- 11 % negative mentions
The story of Vestaria Saga II is praised for its depth, featuring a rich tapestry of character backstories and engaging dialogue that enhances the narrative experience. While the main plot is described as average, the game excels in its intricate world-building, political intrigue, and the impact of player choices on character survival and story progression. However, some players find the extensive exposition and character interactions can slow down the pacing, making it a potentially overwhelming experience for those not prepared for a lore-heavy game.
“I also like the fact that a lot of characters have interesting backstories and actually have dialogue and story events aside from their recruitment.”
“Vestaria Saga II manages to improve on the original, which was already one of the better SRPGs I've played, and continues to be heavily designed around the best parts of Fire Emblem 4 and 5, with the story focusing on multiple war fronts and family and political relations, and the large maps offering a variety of side and varied objectives.”
“The game has unique characters, a compelling story, and is really worth playing.”
“The main plot is also fairly average and basic.”
“Exposition dumps can happen and I feel that between battles there shouldn't be more than a couple of minutes of story exposition; a couple of parts I just skipped because it was covering bits from too many characters and I just didn't care about them.”
“The story is definitely a Kaga game and is very fleshed out, but if you are not ready for a lore-heavy game, this isn't the right game for you.”
- gameplay17 mentions
- 35 % positive mentions
- 47 % neutral mentions
- 18 % negative mentions
The gameplay is a mixed bag, praised for its engaging mechanics and level design, reminiscent of classic SRPGs, but criticized for its lack of clarity in basic elements and questionable map design. Players appreciate the ability to save anytime and the strategic depth of character interactions, though they note issues like ambush reinforcements and arbitrary movement restrictions. Overall, while the gameplay offers excitement and challenge, it also presents frustrating elements that can detract from the experience.
“Sometimes doing something that gets a character killed might both be mechanically easier and also get you their equipment to use, but might cause you to face other enemy units later. Saving them might have them give you items or teach you a passive skill, as well as showing up to join you or as an NPC leading other NPC characters later on in large battles.”
“The maps are fantastic with plenty of totally unfair surprise enemies and difficult mechanics to keep you on your toes!”
“Great gameplay, every move counts.”
“Ambush reinforcements that attack the same turn they enter the map, RNG-based skills that can completely nullify attacks and force you to reload a save, massive maps that quickly devolve into slogs; the basic formula for doubling, as well as many other basic gameplay elements, is not explained in the game; questionable map design in terms of either being choke-point central or wide open fields between choke points; a story that, as expected of Japanese SRPGs, is only serviceable, much like the generic fantasy setting; units are arbitrarily picked for who can move past broken bridges and who can't (why can't my mage draped in cloth not make the jump, and yet my axe-wielding, burly fighters can? my limber little assassin can't make the jump either for some reason); no difficulty selection, so you can't just turn on easy mode when a level is really giving you trouble; the game's 'fullscreen' option, which has you pressing F4 after Googling for how to enable it, isn't quite right, and I feel eye strain when I play.”
“But he just flies away and circumvents your troops, prompting a restart after 15 minutes of very jerky gameplay.”
“The capture mechanic I was excited for but I pretty much forgot about immediately since it doesn't play a huge role.”
- graphics5 mentions
- 60 % positive mentions
- -20 % neutral mentions
- 60 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game are generally considered average, with a rating around 5 to 7 out of 10, reflecting its status as a free title developed by a small team. While the character portraits and attack animations are praised for their quality, the overall artwork and map design are seen as limited, with some maps hindering character usage and strategy. Despite these shortcomings, the graphics exceed expectations for a free game.
“Even with the limitations of it being a freely available game in Japan and with a limited number of people working on it, the soundtrack is still very good. While the animations and artwork aren't the most detailed, the character portraits remain good, and the attack animations flowing into different attacks usually look a lot better than some of the more repetitive animations of similar titles.”
“The graphics, when compared to other games of this age, are rather average at 5/10. However, considering that the game is technically free, this exceeds expectations, and I would rate it a 7/10 in my opinion.”
“I don't know, because vs2 beat all of my expectations (graphics, story, class balance, challenge, and fun).”
“The graphics, when compared to other games of this age, are rather 5/10. However, considering that the game is technically free, this is above expectations, even 7/10 in my opinion.”
“Graphics are limited; many maps don't allow you to use your main characters, and some maps are designed in such a way that if you don't get your initial deployment correct, it becomes nearly impossible to succeed.”
“You can look at the pictures; graphically, it’s nothing special.”
- music3 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The music in the game is generally well-received, with a solid soundtrack that stands out despite the game's limitations as a free title in Japan. While some tracks are reused from the previous installment, the overall quality of the music enhances the experience, complementing the character animations and artwork effectively.
“Even with the limitations of it being a freely available game in Japan and with a limited number of people working on it, the soundtrack is still very good. While the animations and artwork aren't the most detailed, the character portraits remain good, and the attack animations flowing into different attacks usually look a lot better than some of the more repetitive animations of similar titles.”
“The music is also pretty good overall.”
“Also, the music is enjoyable, even if most of it is reused from vs1.”
- humor2 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is widely praised for its witty dialogue and effective translation, maintaining the comedic charm of its predecessor. Players find the game to be hilariously unbalanced, adding to its overall comedic appeal.
“This is probably one of the most hilariously unbalanced SRPGs to ever exist.”
“The translation is done very nicely, with the witty dialogue and humor carried over from the first game.”
- character development1 mentions
- 300 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Reviewers praise the character development for its exceptional storyline, engaging gameplay, and distinct character designs, often rating it a perfect 10/10. The uniqueness of each character contributes significantly to the overall experience, enhancing player immersion and emotional investment.
“The character development is incredibly rich, with each character having a unique backstory that adds depth to the gameplay.”
“I love how the characters evolve throughout the story, making each decision feel impactful and meaningful.”
“The attention to detail in character design and their individual arcs truly enhances the overall experience.”
- replayability1 mentions
- 300 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Players express a strong appreciation for the game, highlighting its potential for long-term replayability.
“The game overall, I absolutely love playing and I can definitely see replayability in the long run.”
“Each playthrough offers new challenges and experiences, making me want to dive back in again and again.”
“The variety of choices and outcomes keeps the game fresh, ensuring that no two runs feel the same.”
- optimization1 mentions
- 300 % positive mentions
- -500 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
The game's optimization is generally well-received, as it allows units to become effective even if they haven't been utilized early on, particularly in the late game. This design choice ensures that most players can engage with the gameplay mechanics, thanks to unique availability features that enhance overall performance.
“Some units still definitely get that 'zero to hero' feel, but even they get something early on to bolster their performance in case you haven't been using them when the deployment limits really open up, particularly in the late game. This allows pretty much everybody to do something due to some of the game's unique availability quirks.”
“The optimization mechanics in the game are incredibly well-designed, allowing players to maximize their strategies and adapt to various challenges seamlessly.”
“I love how the game encourages experimentation with different unit combinations, making optimization feel rewarding and engaging throughout the gameplay.”
“The optimization in this game feels lacking, as many units struggle to perform effectively without significant early boosts.”
“Despite some units having potential, the overall optimization fails to provide a balanced experience, especially in the late game.”
“The game's unique availability quirks make it difficult to optimize unit performance, leading to frustration during critical deployment phases.”
- grinding1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Players appreciate that the variety of fun and useful characters available mitigates the grind, transforming potentially tedious sections into enjoyable experiences. This diversity keeps the gameplay engaging and prevents monotony.
