Tails of Iron 2: Whiskers of Winter

Tails of Iron 2: Whiskers of Winter builds on the original and makes it better in every way, with excellent combat and a strong story.

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.

In a deluge of Soulslikes and 2D Metroidvanias, 2021’s Tails of Iron stood out, thanks to its beautiful art, excellent combat, and engaging premise. All of that’s true for Whiskers of Winter. The sequel is just as visually distinctive and narratively interesting. The game’s combat can be extremely challenging, but this time there are options for dialing back the difficulty, which makes the game slightly more accessible to less hardcore ARPG fans. Tails of Iron 2: Whispers of Winter doesn’t radically reinvent the first game’s art or approach but definitely improves and deepens it. Anyone feeling fatigued with copycat pixel art Soulslikes should give Whiskers of Winter a try.

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 a game I almost gave up on during the first hour, but after getting past that initial difficulty wall, it became increasingly fun and enjoyable, and I really liked my journey with Arlo and his companions.

Don't be fooled by its fairytale-like graphics; in this exquisite example of the 2D soulslike genre, a grim, ruthless, and melancholic story awaits you.

Tails of Iron 2: Whiskers of Winter is a quality sequel that expands the world, enriches the combat and deepens the RPG mechanics. The developers could have been bolder with their improvements, but fans of the first game will be satisfied. And attracting new players won't be a problem either.

Evolution over revolution. Tails of Iron 2: Whiskers of Winter doesn’t reinvent the wheel but carefully expands on what made the first game great. The sequel is richer, more refined, and offers greater variety. However, a few lingering flaws keep this woodcut-style adventure, reminiscent of Mouse Guard, from reaching the heights of gaming greatness—though it comes very close.

Tails of Iron 2 has made it pretty clear to me that Odd Bug Studio understands how to make a sequel: keeping the essence while expanding the possibilities. The roughly 15-hour main campaign is packed with memorable moments, and side activities can extend the experience considerably for those who want to squeeze in all the content.

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 2: Whiskers of Winter presents an experience that picks up the mechanics, style, and strengths of its predecessor and places them in a slightly more fluid game, where exploration and combat feel smoother and more responsive. While retaining the previous game’s progression system, it focuses on refining upgrades, combat mechanics, and the difficulty curve, offering a good overall experience. Still a bit uninspired in its boss encounters and not always memorable, its excellent artistic direction supports a solid adventure.

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.

Many of Tails of Iron 2's new ideas feel out of place, underused, and poorly implemented. More often than not, they simply get in the way rather than adding anything of value. It’s a great experience and a worthy follow-up to one of 2021’s standout indies, so it’s unfortunate to see some of its ambitions fall flat.

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.

It’s disappointing how often Tails of Iron 2 leads me to wander the darkened valleys of over-demanding combat and back-track-demanding save points. However, the view from the mountain summits – the game’s secret-filled levels, propelling narrative, and magical visuals – cast sunlight on even my hardest experiences.

Tails of Iron 2 Whiskers of Winter is practically a version 2 of the first game. It takes the bulk of its mechanics and structure, offers a game world that is beautiful to look at, and expands it slightly with a magic system and a management side. The two major new features, however, are not particularly impactful, for better or worse. If you liked the first chapter and want something very similar, you will be satisfied; if, on the other hand, you wanted an evolution or expansion, it seems you will have to wait for a third chapter.

Tails of Iron 2: Whiskers of Winter offers a solid action RPG experience with its focus on combat and world-building. The game excels in making you feel connected to the world and its inhabitants, particularly with its challenging combat and the promise of growth and rebuilding. However, the repetitiveness of the gameplay loop and the lack of a truly compelling story keep it from reaching its full potential. While it delivers on many fronts, it doesn’t fully break new ground, which may leave some players feeling like they’ve seen it before. It’s a great value for its price but may not be groundbreaking some might have hoped for.

Tails of Iron 2 is the poster child for a game that’s going to have a hard time winning over anyone who wasn’t already sold on its predecessor, not due to any lack of quality but because it essentially is its predecessor. It looks and sounds identical, and has nearly the same narrative, despite its new protagonist and setting. It also plays much the same, though the introduction of elemental magic is a welcome bonus source of dishable punishment. Returning players will know to expect a considerable challenge, as the game’s default settings don’t extend a helping paw (though both easier and harder modes are available and can be switched to at any time). All of these elements are what made the first game such a treat, so getting more of them is great, even if it means the game isn’t moving forward in any noticeable way. Unfortunately, some of this excitement is undercut by the new beast hunts, which feel like rather uninspired ways to pad a few extra hours into the game’s runtime. A retread of a fun game isn’t a bad thing by any means, but returning players should be aware that they’ve seen what’s on offer here before.

Booned by a timelessly pretty art style and fulfilling adventure structure, Tails of Iron 2: Whiskers of Winter is a beautiful, sprawling hack-and-slash soulslike let down by its overly forgiving combat.