10 years after an event known as the "Awakening," an Oni slayer finds that he had been teleported through time after a giant Oni opened a portal. The world has not changed much since, so he sets out to continue the find, just with new help. Can you save all that is in danger? Everything you need to know about the game can be found right here!
The Awakening; a war that ravaged lands as Oni, demons ranging from small to large size, sought to destroy and conquer. A small group of slayers who banded together to protect mankind, and drive back the Oni, have set out to defend the city of Yokohama. When one giant Oni opens up a portal in the middle of the chaos, a slayer is dragged inside, sending him 10 years into the future and to Mahoroba Village. Thanks to the help of the village's professor, you begin slaying for a new cause in a new era. This future still faces all the struggles as before though and the Oni are still extremely powerful. Players can expect to find a bright cast of characters, quality JRPG elements, and a world that's asking to be saved.
One of the most significant changes this titles has when compared to the first Toukiden is the open-world. The first one felt isolated at times and arguably a little basic or repetitive, and I couldn't help but feel slightly detached from the overall experience. Now, things feel like a breathing world. Your main hub will be Mahoroba Village, but the world outside is seamlessly combined. The developers did a good job with all things involved. The only thing I would have liked to also see is a less linear structure to some of the map areas. More times than not you'll be traveling around small villages and backwoods, so being confined in any way is a tad awkward, but it's nothing bad, I'm simply just nitpicking.
There's a dozen different types of weapons to choose from and/or craft. By completing side quests you'll collect more materials, effectively stockpiling resources, that will allow the crafting of new weapons and gear from the blacksmith station. With any RPG there's bound to be some grinding or farming involved, and the same is said for this title. The good news is that it's always really fun no matter what you're doing (and there's a lot to do). Oni are found almost anywhere in the world so you won't have trouble looking for action. It gets tricky when more than one giant Oni is attacking you, but luckily you'll have some great combat abilities that will help.
The second most significant addition to the game when compared to the first one is a special ability known as the "Demon Hand." It's an invention of the professor's who you'll meet early in the game, and it serves multiple purposes. It can be used to traverse the environments, for example, by reaching up and grabbing a cliff's side and almost bungie jumping up to it. Asides from the appendage ripping benefits of the Demon Hand, players can rely on combo attacks to lay havoc on enemies. It's a hack-and-slash style of combat but does take some skill in regards to execution and aggressiveness.
Multiplayer is an option as well but it does come with some pros and cons. One cool aspect of it is that if your friend owns the PlayStation 4 version and you own the PlayStation Vita version (for example), then you can both play together. The drawback to it however is that it's more mission based than it is open-world exploration and traveling. You won't be able to cross the lands and slay who you want when you want, but instead will be teamed up for some monster hunting action.
Sound and Graphics
The soundtrack behind the gameplay fits extremely well and is something I wish I could find more in other games. It's the music that makes you instantly think about the era and culture these events take place in. From the main menu to the intense combat, the musical theme being good is one of the best features in regards to audio. The game didn't receive English voice work, which isn't necessarily a negative, but certainly it would have been a welcomed addition. It would have made the game come even more to life for me personally. Instead conversations will show character cutouts and text at the bottom of the screen.
The graphics are a little bit controversial; I could understand how some may find them underwhelming, but in general they're really good and really detailed. Even the cutscenes look amazing with high amounts of detail and visual effects. The game begins with a big cutscene that will set the tone for the story, grabbing the player's interest immediately. Combat takes place with exaggerated visuals though, with a sweeping line following your weapons as you swing them around. The hit marker acts as one of the lines just colored so you can tell the difference. Truthfully I really don't have any complaint about the graphics; I enjoyed them immensely and found that it balanced an anime style with semi-realism nicely.
Conclusion
Toukiden 2 makes many steps in the right direction, and for the most part it executes everything extremely well. The open-world, while doesn't follow suite with all the other open-world games on the market exactly, offers an amazing experience of seemlessly traveling around and fighting Oni. There's a huge amount of content in the game, meaning you'll always be able to find something to work on. The multiplayer will be hit or miss with some people, but at least the option to play it is there. Overall, the game provides a high quality monster hunting experience with a legitimate story to support everything.
