Aragami 2....

The last few days I've been trying to be patient, considered and analytical doing this post; But the bottom line is I'm frustrated and annoyed by playing Aragami 2. There may be the factor of my disappointment clouding my views..... 

It's a good game for what it is. It's just not the game I expected as a follow up. 

While I had anticipation for it's release and had preloaded the game; It only took getting half way through the prologue and I was already 'put off'. The price of my expectation meeting reality, disappointment. I guess I was right to be a little hesitant. I'm glad now that I'd not bought it, thank you free access with Xbox Ultimate. 

It's hard not to compare the game with the first. So changes are going to seem broader whether they are or not. The first game to me was like catching lightning in a bottle. That's a hard thing to follow up. 

The first game was slightly old school in ways. Maybe that's why I liked it. The second game is visually more slick, the abilities/way of doing things is more twitch reaction-esque. It's a different game alright. Different in ways I don't like, it's not a real sequel in my book. By comparison this new version is too fast. Gameplay felt more meaningful to me when things were slower and less forgiving. The first game reminded me of the old Thief games. There was a lot more apprehension/tension to the gameplay. Playing Aragami 2, all I kept thinking about was the first game and "less is more".

The story was also a thing that 'felt personal' in the first game. As a player there was a mystery and character building. A narrative that drove gameplay. That's all something missing for me from the second game, a compelling story, not just a shoe in that feel like it's 'just because'. 

The second game has you dueling the enemies.... That wasn't even in the first game..... If you got into combat like that you had a second to 'finish' the enemy or they finished you.... 

Aragami 2 thinks it's a derived cross between Dark Souls and Ghost Of Tsushima; Both games I'm not into or want but if you are you should check this game out..... I've read online a lot of people also think the game is like Dishonored or Tenchu(also games I'm not/never been into) so maybe this game will appeal to a broader player base while not fully taking the first games fans along. Pity but as the saying goes "You can please some of the people all of the time, you can please all of the people some of the time, but you can’t please all of the people all of the time".