Nights of Azure 2: Bride of the New Moon

 PlayStation 4
User Score
7.1

Mixed or average reviews- based on 38 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 24 out of 38
  2. Mixed: 5 out of 38
  3. Negative: 9 out of 38
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  1. Valtiel86
    Oct 25, 2017
    10
    This is a big improvement over the original game. It has a great story, good characters, and rewarding combat. Excellent music and visuals. A great action RPG overall.
  2. Moge4579
    Nov 11, 2017
    9
    La verdad me gusto mucho
    se nota una mejoria grafica comparado con el primer juego de la saga
    la historia es un poco mas de lo mismo, no te esperes una gran historia, pero la verdad hay algo que me encanta de este juego, la musica, el diseño de los personajes es tan oooooffff, recomendado para los amantes del Rpg pero no se esperen una obra maestra
  3. mymooo3
    Oct 25, 2017
    8
    CGmagazine gave it a low score mainly because it objectifies women. These SJW are so sad and stupid way to give a reason why it got a low score.

    I gave it an 8 and if you were a fan of the first game they tweaked it and its either you will going to like it or hate it, its a gamble and thankfully I like it.
  4. vahn
    Dec 2, 2017
    7
    Nights of Azure was a surprising game for me: it wasn't amazing as an action game and very poor as an RPG, but it was still a very fun game and after finishing it I was very excited for the sequel!

    But the truth is, this game is both a massive and downgrade: it doesn't worsen things enough to say it's downgrade, but it doesn't improve enough to be a better game either. Let's start    Nights of Azure was a surprising game for me: it wasn't amazing as an action game and very poor as an RPG, but it was still a very fun game and after finishing it I was very excited for the sequel!

    But the truth is, this game is both a massive and downgrade: it doesn't worsen things enough to say it's downgrade, but it doesn't improve enough to be a better game either.

    Let's start from the positives: the game has massively improved on graphics and it shows: characters have better animation and there's a better use of the motion capture, and characters are also better designed and more varied both in looks and physique. Even a small girl.
    Areas are less this time, only 7 (plus a free DLC area), but much bigger and more detailed than before and unlike the previous game, you won't get lost while trying to find the next area. And you got a map this time as well!
    And last but not least, the story is a lot better and all characters are well written and likable - except the bad "girls". Yes, this game has enormous "yuri" tones and yes the main protagonist loves Liliana - the second protagonist - but unlike games like Neptunia where the yuri is a lot more sensual, in here it's more platonic and closer to friendship rather than actual lesbians. I never cringed while seeing the romantic scenes because I genuinely felt their friendship and I don't dislike this kind of relationships either. But I digress.

    Combat has also seen massive improvement: it feels heavier and still a bit clunky but a lot more powerful, as you feel the hit and the slashes more than the previous.
    You have only 2 servans slots - down from 4 decks of 4 slots - but this time you have also a companion you can choose among 6 and each one have their special skills, a double chase (a combo) and a Lily Burst (a final skill) that are all unique and some work better for bosses and some for cleaning the areas.
    In addition, the leveling system is far better now and you can level up to 50 this time, with 3 level tress you can unlock and better servan leveling up as well - while companions will require quests to unlock their additional skills and everything.

    As you might notice the flaws of the original game - clunky combat, poor character details and lack of them, and poor maps etc - seems to be gone and this could be the best sequel ever right? Well, I still haven't touched the cons and believe me when I say, I really had a hard time to swallow it...

    First of all, combat might be improved but you'll have one weapon all the time - down from 5 - and while technically you have other weapons available in the game (great shield, mirror, lance, greatsword), they're tied to your servans...this means that you have to carry a servan along that transforms into a weapon and this could be all good if the weapon had a time limit - the servan's mana.

    But forget about the weapons because you'll NEVER use them anyway, because there's another gimmick: some servans (specifically Nero, Scharf, Farfalla, and Froid) can open barriers or and pathways to secret rooms and areas, this essentially means you'll ALWAYS have to carry 2 servans that can open pathways or else you might not be able to get a specific servan, which are now recruitable via cocoons you "unlock" through the maps.

    This might not be such a terrible idea if it wasn't for another mechanic that has been implemented into the game: day limit. That's right, you have a time limit of days on each chapter, ALONGSIDE a time limit inside the dungeons - initially 10 minutes - and while it can be improved via levelling up at first you will feel suffocated from the very short amount of time given and how long some battles can be at first!
    This is not a new feature mind you: NoZ had a time limit too but it was more lenient with its 15 minutes and there was no day limit at all, despite mentioning it all the time.
    NoZ2 starts out hardcore with only 10 minutes to spare, a very strict day limit mechanic that essentially forces you to plan your soirèes, and if you die you might as well reload your save file since you lose a day and if it's your last one, it's game over.

    I just don't understand these changes because once you finish the game, the NG+ will give you unlimited days and you also gain AP from quests which make learning abilities faster...It feels like they rushed the game because the game is VERY short, clocking in about 16 hours to reach the end - I took 25 in the original + 7 for the extra ending - and being extremely thinner in terms of content and gameplay features.

    This game was a disappointment for me: I had a lot of fun but I couldn't stop saying "I wish I could do this" all the time while fighting or playing. With NG+ the game could become tolerable enough, but what a price to pay just to play at your own pace

    Try this game on discount, or give the original game a shot, even if it's flawed.    … Expand
  5. tomvs123
    Jul 14, 2020
    3
    More cohesive story than the first game, but not worth your time if you didn't like the first game.

    The game is basically Nights of Azure version 1.2. Much of the same stuff happens here, but they've made small improvements to the world, story, and characters. The story is much less nonsensical this time around. That might be bad if you're a fan of stories where amazing stuff happens    More cohesive story than the first game, but not worth your time if you didn't like the first game.

    The game is basically Nights of Azure version 1.2. Much of the same stuff happens here, but they've made small improvements to the world, story, and characters.

    The story is much less nonsensical this time around. That might be bad if you're a fan of stories where amazing stuff happens for no reason. Considering that the first game didn't do so well in Japan, I'm guessing they tried to make the story more believable this time around.

    And it is more believable, but still in a kid's cartoon, not-as-good-as-Sailor-Moon, sort of way. Don't expect any mature themes or deep thought here. It is still firmly on the dumb side of the JRPG intelligence spectrum.

    To summarize, you're off to save your friend/lover as she's being offered up as a sacrifice to save the world. It would be great if these Final Fantasy X-copied plots would copy more than just this - I mean it's all right there for the taking: the great character drama, growth multi-layered storytelling, and tragedy. But they've decided not to for this game and the results are disappointing. Nothing really happens besides going place to place getting nonsensical things so you can get to the next nonsensical thing.

    Oh, and you get to rescue/find a new female friend every now and then, for a total of seven girls who can join you on your quest. The game is definitely more focused on the relationships between you and your girlfriends. But unfortunately those relationships don't progress very far.

    The gameplay is relatively horrible. Choppy animations, meaningless skills and moves, and just a general feeling of not having full control over your character. The overall gameplay quality reminds me of the large number of bad MMORPGs that came from Korea and China about 10 years ago - with the lag included.

    The combat is third-person (instead of top-down like the first game). You can choose two creatures and one human to go out and fight monsters. The creatures are mostly useless in combat (unlike the first game) and I primarily used them to open shortcuts or open doors to treasure (the treasure and equipment being mostly useless). Your human companion is much more useful, but is primarily there to pull off a move randomly, give you a buff, or participate with you in a combined special move.

    There's not much impact to hits, so for some attacks, you'll feel like you're just slashing away at air. Surprisingly, some of the combined special moves have some of the least impact, as if they forgot to add in the sound effects for them. Monster-fighting strategy is also nearly non-existent. Spamming the same attack takes care of everything except certain bosses, where blocking becomes necessary.

    "But this is a game about scantily-dressed lesbians" I hear you say. So what about the fanservice aspects? Overall, It's a bit better than the first game, but still not up to par to other horrible fanservice games, such as School Girl Zombie Hunters. This is a breast game, with all character outfits showing off various breast aspects. Unfortunately, low camera angles are not possible, but that's okay since the character rears aren't very nicely done. The characters all have one default costume and one swimsuit, which are all nonsensical and likely not appealing to most people. Though you'll just have to judge for yourself by looking at the character models.

    There's somewhat of a dating aspect of the game, where you can fill up hearts with the various girls by taking them out to battle with you. But nothing comes from doing this besides short not-very-good post-credit cut scenes or the "good" ending if you max out the hearts on the right girls. I decided that wasn't worth my time, so only maxed one girl and settled on the bad ending.

    Thankfully, the game can be completed within 15 hours, if you skip all of the meaningless side content and affection grinding.    … Expand
  6. vijatiya
    Mar 24, 2018
    10
    I loved this game, and its predecessor. I get where people are coming from with the hate, I just genuinely don't share it nor did I find any of the negatives all that damning. My clear data after my 3rd play-through for the platinum trophy was just over 190 hours and while it's not a perfect a game, It's definitely one my favorite games (Dragon Age 2 is also one of my favorite games andI loved this game, and its predecessor. I get where people are coming from with the hate, I just genuinely don't share it nor did I find any of the negatives all that damning. My clear data after my 3rd play-through for the platinum trophy was just over 190 hours and while it's not a perfect a game, It's definitely one my favorite games (Dragon Age 2 is also one of my favorite games and people sh╜t all over that). Even after completing the game 3 times, I'm looking forward to going back and playing both games in order again sometime in the future. For all of its flaws, it's still in it's own league and I pray to the Gods there will be more games in the series. It's a very Niche game, and In the end if your looking for reasons to hate it and ruin your experience, you'll find them, but for those whom this game was meant, persevere and you may find rare treasure.… Expand
  7. ahluche
    Oct 13, 2019
    10
    Nights of azure 3? We need it. Amazing game, had a few flaws but I really did enjoy the characters and the story. Wish we could see more of aluche (one of my fave characters atm) underrated as well.

Awards & Rankings

96
#96 Most Shared PS4 Game of 2017

Critic Reviews

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Metascore
66

Mixed or average reviews - based on 32 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 12 out of 32
  2. Mixed: 17 out of 32
  3. Negative: 3 out of 32
  1. GameCritics
    Feb 14, 2018
    80
    With its solid gameplay, touching story and attractive art design, Nights of Azure 2: Bride of the New Moon is a fantastic Action-RPG. Clear objectives ensures that players never have trouble moving the story forward, while likable characters pull them into the story. Just as importantly, the game respects the player’s time — coming in at around 25 hours, it tells a complete, affecting story without dragging on. It’s rare that I’ll go back and explore New Game+ modes, but the high quality of the narrative and the fact that I got the sad ending has convinced me that it’s worth a second look.
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  2. Gaming Age
    Jan 2, 2018
    58
    Nights of Azure 2 isn’t all bad. It’s got a distinctive look and feel, which isn’t something that can be said 20+ games into Atelier. Setting aside the ridiculous clothing choices of many of the characters, there’s no denying that this game features some dazzling environments. I wouldn’t say that’s enough to offset the dialogue, bad camera controls, and leering fanservice, though. Nights of Azure 2 may represent a departure from the developer’s norm, but it’s also proof that simply being different isn’t inherently a good thing.
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  3. Cubed3
    Dec 20, 2017
    60
    Initially stepping into Nights of Azure 2: Bride of the New Moon, it feels even worse than the first outing. It's retreading the same ground with the story, but doing it with an inferior overall plot and some cringe-worthy writing for the dialogue. The gameplay is highly repetitive, both on exploring the world and on the generic mash-y gameplay, but, despite all the negatives, there's actually some fun to be had here. The large amount of side-quests and the varied mixture of support characters make revisiting areas to find all the little secrets enjoyable.
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