‘A.O.T 2: Final Battle’ Review (PS4)
Based on the Manga series of the same name, A.O.T 2 (Attack on Titan 2) is a revisiting and expansion of the world discovered in the first game that offers a lot to fans of the show but also completely grabbed me as a total newcomer with its surprisingly engaging story, addictive gameplay and, of course…massive titans.
Set in an alternate Earth in which the few human survivors are walled in a city of concentric circles, surrounded by wandering ‘Titans’, literally enormous naked figures that are between nine and 150 feet tall and are concerned only with the consuming of humans, so keen are they to eat us that they don’t even bother to chew!
The main game allows you to create a character of whichever gender you decide that acts as a sort of silent protagonist, existing outside of the main series but in the social circles of the characters, offering advice to his fellow cadets and getting hips deep in the giant-killing action. Naturally my character ended up a cowboy-hatted steampunk pirate. Good.
A.O.T 2: Final Battle flits between ‘social’ and ‘battle’ sections. In the calmer parts which are punctuated by a sort of tribal folk soundtrack, your character can befriend other characters by engaging them in conversation (levelling this up leads to handy bonuses) and has the ability to sell, upgrade or reinforce equipment. In the battle combat sections, you make airborne dashes and assaults that would made Spider Man proud.
Combat in A.O.T 2 is really cool. As all enemies tower over you, you and your squad move around the city via gas-propelled dual grappling lines and chop away at the Titans limbs before finally hitting their sweet spot at the nape of the neck, bringing them down for good. Admittedly the action can get repetitive after a while but it always seems to end just before tedium kicks in, the ensuing cut-scenes and conversational sections a nice break before you get back into the action again.
As I started the game, I was slightly apprehensive as Japanese games, especially those with RPG elements can really outstay their welcome with me. I was pleasantly gobsmacked to see that after a few hours of gaming I was at 14% of the way through the main story. I’m guessing it’s due to the fact it’s based on existing material but the narrative feels punchy and has momentum, admittedly the characters at first seem a little bit ‘stock’ but there were enough twists and turns in their momentum and arcs that it kept me interested throughout.
Aside from the main game, A.O.T 2: Final Battle also includes an ‘Another Mode’ which allows your custom character to take on various challenges, ‘Character Episode mode’ which lets you play through key moments of the anime series as seen through the eyes of the main players . There’s also a ‘Territory Recovery Mode’ that allows you to go online and build up your own regiment, taking on scouting missions etc. For me, the narrative is what keeps me going so I’m leaning more towards the Character Episodes as opposed to any online rankings although it is a great inclusion for those who want to spend more time in the A.O.T world with the rankings and unlockables there’s clearly dozens of hours’ worth of entertainment here for those that want to really lose themselves in this world..
I enjoyed building up my equipment and character, eventually getting to know the other denizens (who are admittedly numerous due to the source material and thus daunting for the first few hours) watching the lore of the gameworld unfold as I zoomed around those crazy, naked, smiling Titans, bless ‘em.
A.O.T 2: Final Battle is out now on PS4, Xbox One and Nintendo Switch.
