With a distinct lack of Spider-Man games on Nintendo Switch (we can’t help but look longingly at Insomniac’s stellar PS4 exclusive from last year and quietly weep), it fell to the most unlikely of sources to bring city-swinging and verticality to the console: Attack on Titan 2. The original base game has a few issues (check out our full review for a more detailed breakdown), but when you’re zooming around a semi-medieval city slashing at naked giants with a pair of swords, you rarely even thought about them. It’s Monster Hunter in the sky, and it can be brilliant fun at times.
Over a year later, and developer Omega Force has given its semi-open world hack ‘n’ slash adventure a full-on update. Attack on Titan 2: Final Battle introduces scenarios and characters based on the show’s third season, two additional battle modes and brand new weapons for taking down those monolithic nudists. For Attack on Titan aficionados, it’s more faithfully-recreated content from the anime’s continuing storyline. For everyone else, it’s a more complete package with plenty of additional story moments and some fresh modes for extended replay value.
Available as a full game release (including the base version and the DLC) or as a paid upgrade via the eShop, Final Battle distinguishes itself from the base game in the way it approaches the story side of things. While the first two seasons were slightly reworked to make space for your own created character, the third season is instead broken into a series of chapters that follow the point of view of established characters in the canon. Unfortunately, that means you can’t play through any of them as your created character. On the up-side, there’s a good six-to-eight hours worth of new content to be found here, and completing main and side missions will net you additional credits and materials. And while you can’t spend them in Character Episode mode itself, they can be transferred over to other modes.
Working alongside the creators of the anime, both parts of season three have been included, providing an insight into the ongoing conflict between the titans and the remainder of humanity. With three different factions to play through (the Scout Regiment, the 104th Cadets and the nefarious Warriors), and the chance to summon the Armin Titan, Final Battle certainly isn’t holding back. As a nice touch, once you’ve progressed far enough to have unlocked Armin’s giant form, you’ll then be able to summon him in some of Final Battle’s other new modes. While it’s still frustrating to have a schism between season three and the rest of the story, it’s great to see a synergy of unlocks that link the rest of the game together.
Of all of the new content additions Final Battle introduces, Territory Recovery mode is by far the most enjoyable. Stripping away all the often constricting story elements, this mode is all about building your own regiment slowly reclaiming sections of land from the titans. It’s a more open-ended and freeform affair, with over 40 characters to find and recruit (who you can then assign into different team combinations). Territory Recovery has more of a Dynasty Warriors twist to it (Omega Force is the main developer, after all) as you and your squad head out to drive back the titan menace via rolling mini-missions, enabling you to just enjoy hacking body parts off titans. You can also spend resources earned in Character Episode mode here as well.
Mechanically, your ODM launchers still work the same (using a set of gas-fuelled wires that attach to nearby structures and fling your upwards and forwards), although the introduction of ranged weapons really changes how you approach battles. Being able to pepper the body parts of a lumbering titan with a firearm really changes the dynamic of each confrontation, especially when you need to create distance but still cause damage. Thunder Spears, a classic weapon from the manga and anime, also finally make their debut, providing a more effective way to take down armoured titans. Close-ranged melee attacks are still the main means of inflicting grief, but the opening out of the game’s combat is one of Final Battle’s most effective changes. Firearms are also available in the main Story mode (bar a few key battles), so this considerable update affects practically every part of the wider game.
One change that doesn’t sit well is Koei Tecmo’s approach to pricing this DLC update. On the one hand, you’re getting a sizeable chunk of new story content, two new modes and the game-altering introduction of firearms, but while it's decent value for brand new players (£54.99 in the UK), existing owners are going to have to fork out a significant sum (£39.99) to upgrade your existing copy of Attack on Titan 2 to include all the Final Battle-related extras. It’s an utterly perplexing pricing scheme that actually puts current owners of the game (the demographic most likely to actually appreciate this update) at a disadvantage - especially so when the bundle effectively values Final Battle at over twice the price of the full game.
Conclusion
Attack on Titan 2: Final Battle is a real oddity. There’s a lot of new content introduced as part of the expansion - much of it adding real depth and replay value to an already sizeable package - but changing the approach to how you experience season three (specifically without the character you created and used through the two previous ones) does create a schism between Final Battle and the rest of Attack on Titan 2. The introduction of ranged weaponry really opens up your titan-battling options, and Territory Recovery is a welcome new Dynasty Warriors-style mode that embraces the game’s best mechanics. However, the pricing model is far too high and only serves to penalise players who already own the base game.
Comments 13
Not having played the base game, I'll look up a physical copy of this. Strange indeed to not be able to use your custom character for Season 3... But there seems to be "post-game" content in the territory mode so I think I'll get my money's worth.
Well now I'm glad I never got around to playing it. 55€ (for the physical version) looks so much better than ~35 plus the overpriced update.
This is chalk full of content for someone who hasn’t bought Attack On Titan 2 yet.
This adds an entirely new season 3 (which heck, the Attack On Titan 2 game itself was an entire sequel based on a new season, but also combined season 1, so this offers all three seasons in a single game which is nuts).
There are so many other great games out right now it’s hard for me to recommend this (DQ Builders 2 and Mario Maker 2 are DEFINITELY worth your attention, and God Eater 3 is yet another quality contender in the running). But if you can catch it on a good sale or if you’re just into this type of game, i’d say it’s totally worth it just on the fact that the gameplay is pretty fun and there’s so much content.
Not a big fan of having to pay full retail game price JUST for a dlc pack. Expected this to be maybe $25 Canadian for those of us that owned the base game.
I have to say that having an altered story to make room for a created character is a much better solution than how SAO Hollow Realization handled it. In SAO they give you a fairly in-depth creator, but then none of it matters because you're still Kirito in all the story segments.
But then to release all this DLC can renig on the created character idea just strikes me as a weird, tacked on decision.
I finally caught back up with the anime and have to say it did get a lot better. Much of the middle of the show I found to be insanely boring. But the last 9 or 10 episodes or so really felt suspenseful and dramatic, much like the show started. Anyone know when the series will continue?
i traded my original copy in since I could get the value back at the same price I bought it.
That DLC add on price is over 3/4 of the price of the retail version if you buy the Final Battle bundle together here in Australia. I was honestly shocked how they could price the add on like that.
At worst it should have been less than half the price of the retail bundle.
It's $75 AUD for the expansion by itself if you own the original AOT 2. A retail copy with it bundled from JB Hifi is $89 AUD.
@Heavyarms55 From what I'm reading it's around the 2020 October anime season.
@Dunan Oh so they already announced it? Great!
Wish the tv series would come back to Netflix UK
@Dunan,
From what I heard both the manga and the anime are wrapping up, wich shocked me (by the way, I only watch the anime). Season 1 was very good, 2 was a bit less, 3 was amazing. I hope that they wrap it up in a satisfying way. Its sad that it will end, but on a sidenote it won't outstay its welcome (I mean, there are sooooo many anime's that keep going and going. Faaaarrrr to long). We have still a long wait to endure though. And for some strange reason they switched studios. Hopefully that won't impact the quality in a bad way...
@Henmii It's a real shame because I thought the art direction, animation and choreography was execllent throughout the entire run.
I'm not sure if they'll be able to replicate it same consistancy with another studio but only time will tell.
Apparently One Punch Man switched studios between season 1 and 2 and 2 turned out pretty horrible.
@Dunan,
I don't watch many anime, but I heard good things about One Punch Man. Might give it a try someday. But back on Attack on titan: I think there where some dips in quality, animation wise (in the past). But I think season 3 was very consistent, strong animation.
To be honest, I liked the anime and all, but the game, not much of a Hack n Slash to be honest, how is this even called a hack n slash if it is just timed attacks on giants? I get it is an Action adventure and all, but honestly, the Hack n Slash part feels a little left out. The money I spent, wasted, just... wasted:(. To me, it is not hack n slash.
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