They actually listened to some of the complaints about the first game and this one is much better overall. Still has issues but the improvements make it easier to stick with for the full 60 hours.
The day-night cycle is a game changer. NPCs have different routines and you can use different Path Actions depending on the time. Switch to night to have Throne rob a guard then back to day to have Partitio purchase from a merchant. Every town has twice as much to discover now. Enemies change too so exploration stays fresh throughout.
Combat got some nice additions with Latent Powers that work like limit breaks. Hikari can unleash multi-hit attacks while Castti boosts her concoctions and Partitio fills everyone’s boost gauges for free. These create huge burst windows that make boss fights more dynamic. The new Inventor and Arcanist jobs add variety too. Building gadgets or chaining status effects gives you more options for party composition.
The big improvement everyone talks about is Crossed Paths. These are stories where two characters actually interact and work together. Finally some acknowledgment that these people are traveling together. It’s a step in the right direction and these chapters were highlights for me. The problem is it’s still just pairs. The other six party members continue to not exist during these moments.
You don’t get real full party interaction until the very end of the game which was disappointing again. Like they were so close to fixing this issue but stopped halfway. The individual stories are better written this time and they connect to an overarching plot more clearly but I still wanted more group dynamics throughout the journey.
The gameplay improvements carry a lot of weight though. Fast travel is better implemented without making things too easy. The pacing feels smoother and I never hit the walls I did in the first game where I wanted to quit. Everything flows better from chapter to chapter and the difficulty curve makes more sense.
Latent Powers especially make each character feel more unique in combat. Planning around these burst windows adds a layer of strategy that was missing before. Boss fights become puzzles of when to unleash everything for maximum damage.
The soundtrack is incredible again. Maybe even better than the first game. The way they mix everyone’s themes in the final dungeon gave me chills. The HD-2D style looks more refined too with better lighting and effects. Switch performance is solid with no major issues.
It’s frustrating because they were so close to nailing it. Crossed Paths show they understand people want party interaction but limiting it to pairs for most of the game still leaves that disconnected feeling. The gameplay improvements and better pacing make it much easier to recommend though.
60 hours felt worthwhile this time even with my continued disappointment about the party dynamics. It’s a good JRPG that could have been great if they’d fully committed to letting these characters be an actual party instead of eight individuals who occasionally acknowledge one other person exists.
Better than the first one in almost every way but still missing that special ingredient that makes the best JRPGs memorable. Worth playing if you can accept the limited party interaction.