Death end re;Quest 2

 PlayStation 4
Metascore
74

Mixed or average reviews - based on 13 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 8 out of 13
  2. Mixed: 5 out of 13
  3. Negative: 0 out of 13
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  1. Digitally Downloaded
    Aug 14, 2020
    90
    While Death End re;Quest 2 didn't have quite the same impact on me as the original, that's only because things are never as surprising the second time around. I still found this game to be an intensely engaging blend of a brutal kind of horror, classical turn-based JRPG, and fan service. It's a mix that I would never have thought could work prior to this series, but Idea Factory has proven otherwise, and done so incredibly effectively. I wish I could delve more deeply into the themes in this review, because there's a lot to talk about with this particular dark mystery and I'm looking forward to discussing it at greater length with people down the track, but just be aware going in that there are layers of nuance to this game that it will never get the credit it deserves for.
  2. GameCritics
    Sep 4, 2020
    85
    I can’t stress enough what a bleak experience Death end Re;Quest 2 is. There are bright moments and the gameplay is tight, but players will always have the sinking feeling that wrenching emotional agony is just around the corner.
  3. God is a Geek
    Aug 16, 2020
    85
    Death End re;Quest 2 tells an impressively dark story with aplomb, and if you can handle the subject matter and difficulty spikes is a must play.
  5. Noisy Pixel
    Aug 14, 2020
    85
    Death end re;Quest 2 is an exceptionally well-made RPG that encompasses great systems and characters. It does its best not to rely too heavily on the first entry and instead creates new relationships for new and returning players. There’s a bit of slow start as it sets up the plot, but once the game gets going, it’s full steam ahead for a dark and twisted set of events leading to the conclusion.
  6. RPG Fan
    Sep 2, 2020
    82
    Despite a few faults here and there, its numerous strengths make the game worth a look. Stellar writing, endearing characters, phenomenal voicework, eye-catching artwork, a catchy yet haunting soundtrack, and a delightfully dark atmosphere all stand as Death end re;Quest 2‘s strongest points.
  7. Video Chums
    Aug 16, 2020
    82
    If you're a fellow fan of the original Death end re;Quest then playing Death end re;Quest 2 is a must. Although it doesn't feel like a huge step up for the series, there's definitely a lot of fun to be had in its delightfully twisted world.
  8. Hardcore Gamer
    Aug 14, 2020
    80
    Death end re;Quest 2 follows the mold of its predecessor but is ultimately more enjoyable. There are times when the day portion of the game feels like it’s going on for too long but the story is at least interesting enough where it’s not too tedious. The battle sequences are simple but the enhanced knockback mechanics make them more enjoyable. It’s not the deepest RPG out there, both in terms of depth of a character development and combat mechanics but the gameplay is enjoyable and the story finds a way to be grisly and dark while still having an overall lighthearted feel to the game. It does have the certain feel to it that Compile Heart/Idea Factory games have, but Death end re;Quest 2 is arguably one of their strongest games overall.
  9. TheSixthAxis
    Aug 14, 2020
    80
    Death End re;Quest 2 is the horror RPG I never knew I wanted. Its mysterious and grim story is reminiscent of some of the all-time great Japanese visual novel and indie adventure experiences, but the fact that it's tied up into an addictive and enjoyable RPG package is the icing on the cake. The fun begins to get soured a bit by the sudden difficulty spikes throughout the game, but that didn't stop me from enjoying this terrifying and jaw-dropping story from beginning to end.

User Reviews

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User Score
6.6

Mixed or average reviews- based on 22 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 12 out of 22
  2. Mixed: 5 out of 22
  3. Negative: 5 out of 22
  1. vahn
    Oct 25, 2020
    5
    I have so many questions about this game, but if I could use one word to summarize this game, it would be "disappointing", because there wasI have so many questions about this game, but if I could use one word to summarize this game, it would be "disappointing", because there was so much potential but it ends up being a mediocre sequel to the original DERQ, which was a jrpg that I really enjoyed and was above average for the standards.

    So the question now is, why do I think this game is mediocre? I can boil it down to 3 points:

    1) Worse Characters.
    The main roster consists of 3 characters which are Mai, Rotten (or Rottie), and Liliana, and that's about it. What about the others? Oh, there's Shina but she doesn't fight, instead, you use her Avatar, just like the avatars of the other girls. But that's not actually Shina fighting with you!

    Anyway, the main trio is really pathetic: Mai starts out really interesting but ends up being really meh, and Rottie is constantly nagging Mai to become her girlfriend (just to be fair, Rottie does get good scenes much later). As for Liliana...she exists I guess, she doesn't get many many good scenes except very few in the middle and maybe at the end.

    As for the rest, I appreciate the fact there are a lot of NPC with faces, but that's about it. Overall, the characters feel mediocre and not that interesting, and even in the end, it's really disappointing.

    2) Too much VN, very little JRPG:
    The first game was a mix between VN and JRPG, and it felt like a decent mix in my opinion as both parts were required and they had a contrasting feeling, with the VN parts being in the real world and the JRPG in the game world. This game however brings far too much VN sections and this also causes the problem that "there's no more distinction" between the two parts and now you're basically in the real world, sorta.

    On top of that, there's much, MUCH fewer choices now, and the game is also lacking in the atmosphere since it's basically one location, a city called "Le Choara" (and later on another area), so even on that regard is lacking! Even the Pain Area is the same thing as the first! They added some unique puzzle mechanics sure, but that's it! There's so much less to explore in this sequel that it makes Neptunia look like a better game!

    And last but not least...

    3) Death end Re;Quest 2? More like Corpse Party 3!

    I'm almost certain that this game wasn't meant to be a sequel to DERQ but instead was meant to be a game more akin to Corpse Party: If you remove everything about the programming, the gaming world, the hacking and etc, this game becomes a jrpg about the occult where you fight demons at night and need to discover the truth. I appreciate that they tried to tie the first game though, in particular by adding bits of story with Lydia from the first game in ng+, but i really don't see this game as a sequel to DERQ: the fact that you're "hacking" in the real world, the fact that you're using avatars in the real world, it's a mess. Stuff like Glitch Mode isn't even explained, or the Buggie, or why the world is filled with Code...

    In addition, the game is very short, clocking in about 24 hours or less, depending on your reading speed, and there's not much content beyond the Pain Area, which probably took me 2 to 3 hours to finish, and only because it's long and really repetitive.

    Honestly, this game is just disappointing but it's not bad, which is the problem: if the game was simply bad I wouldn't bother too much but this game had a lot of potentials, a lot of promise, but it comes out just as another below-average jrpg, whereas DERQ1 was above average!

    And add the fact that there's a freaking sequel bait in the EX ending, we're supposed to get another DERQ game...but honestly, I'm not having many hopes and, honestly, DERQ1 had a pretty decent ending.

    Do I recommend it? Yes but don't buy it full price, it is NOT worth the full price: I spent 40 and I still feel disappointed.
    And if you can, grab and play the first game, cause there are going to be spoilers from the first game.    … Full Review »
  2. Hammer7
    Sep 10, 2020
    10
    Easily one of the best RPGs of the year! I love the way it tackles mature themes and isn't afraid to make you uncomfortable. The story isEasily one of the best RPGs of the year! I love the way it tackles mature themes and isn't afraid to make you uncomfortable. The story is incredibly well written. Its a rare horror RPG done right. Noone is safe from the horrors of Le Choara. Don't miss this one. Great sound track, fun battle system, likable characters, and a great story.

    Gameplay - 8.0
    Story - 10.0
    Music - 9.0
    Characters - 9.0
    Overall 9.5    … Full Review »
  3. UWutM8
    Sep 4, 2020
    10
    In general, the combat is not exactly much to write about, like the first game's. It is more streamlined and somewhat better balanced, butIn general, the combat is not exactly much to write about, like the first game's. It is more streamlined and somewhat better balanced, but they also didn't replace the mechanics that they removed with much else either (though most were kind of bloated and not that useful). but I'd say the story is very much a worthy follow-up to the first games, and is basically why one would be interested in this game in the first place.

    In some ways, the story isn't quite as good, such as there being too many slice of life scenes that slow the pacing down a bit too much at times (thankfully, the game gives you the option to skip them, though some are important like the one featuring Rotten and Mai at the start of chapter 5), but it also excels over it in ways I feel matter most, such as the ending stretch of the game (which is legitimately great instead of legitimately awful and falling apart like the firsts), and character development (I liked the first game's cast a lot, but they're also largely static and don't change much over the course of the game). The game's pacing isn't as brisk as the previous game's, partly because of the slice of life scenes, partly because the nature of the story is more mystery and character oriented rather than twist oriented like the first, but I feel this leads to a much better payoff in the end. Basically, I feel the first half of Death End Re;quest 1 is stronger then the first half in 2, but the second half of 2 is much, much stronger then the first game's. I know for sure the last few chapters and ending are going to stick with me for much longer then they did in the first game, where I feel the last few chapters and endings were a pretty big blemish in that game's story.

    The censorship of the costumes of the first game's characters costumes kind of sucks, but if you're like me, there's a good chance you'll just stick to the main 3 characters over the course of the game. I wouldn't hold it against the game for this, blame Sony. I'd recommend the PC version since it's uncensored, but it has issues with bugs and glitches (heh) at the moment, so this is you're best option unless you're patient and don't mind the risk of being spoiled. Given the steam forums, it seems like they may be close to releasing a patch given how some users were given a beta branch that fixes the issues being complained about.    … Full Review »
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