Fairy Tail 2 is shaping up to be an excellent RPG | Hands-on preview

Fairy Tail 2 is shaping up to be an excellent RPG | Hands-on preview

As a gamer who’s been around the block more times than I care to remember, I must say that Fairy Tail 2 is shaping up to be quite the gem. Four years ago, I was just as clueless about this anime franchise as a baby giraffe in the Serengeti, but Gust, the JRPG royalty, reeled me in with their captivating combat and enchanting aesthetic.


Anime-based games vary greatly in form, making it tricky to predict which upcoming ones will be engaging. In 2020, I hadn’t even heard of Fairy Tail, but when I learned that JRPG veterans Gust were developing it, my interest was piqued. Although I wasn’t a fan of the series, I found myself somewhat puzzled at certain stages in the game, yet its impressive combat and delightful anime style made for an enjoyable experience overall. Now, four years later, I eagerly await Fairy Tail 2, hoping to learn more about Natsu, Erza, and their group despite having forgotten most of what I previously knew.

Picking up where the previous game concluded, Fairy Tail 2 starts as a catastrophic war looms. A tyrannical wizard, known as both Emperor Spriggan and Zeref, rules his kingdom with an iron fist, causing chaos across the land. The town you spent most of your time nurturing the Fairy Tail guild in the first game has been evacuated, leaving only our heroes behind, prepared to face this imminent threat. While long-time fans of the series might have some nuances to add (as this marks the beginning of a significant arc in the anime), this is the general premise I’ve gathered for this preview.

Fairy Tail 2 is shaping up to be an excellent RPG | Hands-on preview

In this review, I managed to progress past the opening stages, including the prologue and initial chapters of the game. The adventure started with a mission to rescue a merchant’s son from lizardmen, which then unfolded into the larger invasion storyline. Throughout my journey, I encountered numerous formidable and questionable characters, as well as spending quality time with many beloved guild members that I had momentarily forgotten how much I enjoyed. Although diving into a tale that was already in full swing felt somewhat disjointed after having played the first game, there are plenty of informative entries to help you reacquaint yourself with the lore of Fairy Tail before embarking on your next battle.

In Fairy Tail 2, battles unfold in real-time, mimicking the active turn-based system from Final Fantasy. The action is filled with spectacular anime combos! As you execute standard attacks with your preferred character, you’ll accumulate SP (Special Points) to unleash powerful skills. These abilities can be directed at a single enemy, multiple adversaries, or even the entire group.

In addition to defeating enemies, some of them must be prevented from launching devastating attacks on your heroes. To accomplish this, you should aim for their vulnerabilities using weapons or elements that different characters in your team can utilize. With a large party even early in the game, there’s always someone who can step in and handle this task, although it requires some time to get familiar with each character’s abilities.

Fairy Tail 2 is shaping up to be an excellent RPG | Hands-on preview

Beyond battle scenarios, Fairy Tail 2 offers a vast, intriguing universe to traverse, brimming with loot and creatures. The rewards are plentiful for venturing off the main path in every direction, and as you recruit more characters for your team, you’ll be able to utilize their unique skills to unlock previously inaccessible areas by breaking down barriers that obstruct progress. I found myself captivated by the stunning landscapes of Fairy Tail 2 even during early gameplay hours, and with the smooth integration of battles into exploration without any interruptions, it’s effortless to become immersed in this world.

Venturing into different areas will provide you an array of fresh supplies and gear to bolster your team’s abilities, yet you can also amplify their power through origin points. Acquired as characters advance, these points allow for the customization of unique skills and stat enhancements within each character’s skill tree. It’s a rewarding mechanism that offers substantial growth, and fortunately, with less frequently used characters, you can activate auto-upgrading to avoid spending extended periods in menus.

The second installment of Fairy Tail appears to be an engaging RPG and a worthy sequel to a game I enjoyed immensely in 2020. It’s poised to delight fans of the series, although those without prior anime knowledge might find it somewhat challenging at first. Nevertheless, its exciting combat mechanics and rewarding exploration make it quite promising.

Fairy Tail 2 is coming to PC via Steam, PS4, PlayStation 5, and Nintendo Switch on December 12th.

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2024-10-16 16:16