Tails of Iron 2: Whiskers of Winter

Sequel to the beloved action adventure from Odd Bug Studio, Tails of Iron 2: Whiskers of Winter puts players in the shoes of Arlo, the heir to the Warden of the Wastes, as he seeks to avenge his father and rebuild his home. Prepare to fight fang and claw, go through numerous equipment to see what fits you and helps in the battles with unique bosses, all against the stunning backdrop of dark medieval fantasy.

This sequel improves on the original with enhanced combat, expanded exploration, and a deeper progression system, including more weapons and a crafting mechanic. While the difficulty selector makes the game more accessible, it lacks groundbreaking innovations and could have been more ambitious.

Tails of Iron 2: Whiskers of Winter is an excellent follow-up to the first game, and a great game in its own right. The addition of elemental spells and overall rebalancing of a few features feels like an intuitive expansion of the original, and the new locations and characters introduced in this sequel were great additions, buoyed by Doug Cockle’s iconic narration. That said, it still doesn’t feel quite as good as it could be, with its preponderance of annoying flying bosses and Arlo’s disappointingly limited moveset. That said, Odd Bug Studio has a good thing going so far with the Tails of Iron series, and I look forward to what they have planned for the future.

Tails of Iron 2: Whiskers of Winter is a great sequel that is bigger and more punishing in the best way. The addition of elemental spells and a monster-hunting gameplay loop make the overall experience a huge improvement over its predecessor. However, the game has some issues that are hard to ignore. Due to the game's large focus on exploiting elemental weaknesses, it's hard to create a reliable build without having to constantly switch gear to accommodate the upcoming boss or biome. Additionally, the increased emphasis on enemies using elemental AoE attacks mixed with multiple enemies in some encounters can really make it difficult to focus on what's happening on screen. Still, Tails of Iron 2: Whiskers of Winter does enough stuff right to warrant its existence, and any fan of the first should definitely play it.

Tails of Iron II: Whiskers of Winter retains its strong suites (impeccable presentation, satisfying combat) from its predecessor, but the simplistic quest design and, especially, the rote exploration have room for improvement and are holding it back from reaching its true potential.