
After releasing the first Tails of Iron in 2021, developer Odd Bug Studio seemingly hasn’t taken a moment to rest, returning to its bleak world of anthropomorphic rats, frogs, and bats with a sequel that looks to offer fans a slightly expanded experience in Tails of Iron 2: Whiskers of Winter. And while it’s certainly an incredibly well-realised fantasy world with stunning visuals, atmospheric sound design, and thoughtful combat, it’s unfortunately also held back from greatness by lacklustre level design and excessive backtracking.
Presenting what may well be a good entry point to the world of Tails of Iron if you happened to miss out on the original, Whiskers of Winter shifts the perspective over to an entirely new protagonist called Arlo, an heir to the Warden of the Wastes who must travel to multiple biomes on a quest to defeat the malicious Dark Wings clan.

The juxtaposition of seeing cute little rats wearing armour and wielding weapons is a little odd initially – kind of like when you read Art Spiegelman’s ‘Maus’ for the first time – but like the first game, it works, as it lets you easily distinguish between the various species and factions that inhabit the world. This is bolstered by the simple fact that Tails of Iron 2 is comfortably one of the most stunning 2D games we’ve seen in quite some time.
Seriously, the level of detail on offer here and the wide array of colours is a true sight to behold. It’s a bleak game, which is well-realised through the dank environments, hostile weather conditions, and heaps of bloodied carcasses lying on the ground. But while this could have resulted in a rather dull, uninspired visual aesthetic, the bursts of colour from objects like lanterns, glowing eggs, and even the moon towering above the landscape make every environment a joy to look at.
The same goes for the sound design too. Everything from the constant booms of thunder to the light clinking of your armour, as you dash across the screen, works to fully immerse you within Tails of Iron 2’s foreboding world. Voice actor Doug Cockle (Geralt from The Witcher games) also returns to narrate the story, and having this take place in the background while you’re playing means you can take in the story while focusing on other, more pressing matters. It allows the game to maintain momentum throughout, and we appreciate the decision.

That said, Cockle’s performance here is quite literally “What if Geralt of Rivia had a side job as a narrator?”, and it’s a little weird hearing such a familiar voice here. The gravelly nature of it works in the context of the action on-screen, but a little more work to distinguish it from his most famous role would perhaps be beneficial.
Combat remains more or less the same from the first game, requiring you to maintain a good defense while looking for a crucial opening to unleash your attacks. Tails of Iron 2 is an exceptionally difficult game in which even the most unassuming enemies can pack a meaty punch, so you’ll need to approach each encounter with extreme caution. That said, there are also three difficulty options on offer, so if you’re finding things a bit too much, you can drop the difficulty down and have a slightly easier time of it.
One notable addition, however, is the requirement to utilise your whetstone to sharpen your weapons to maintain their effectiveness. This is indicated via a yellow bar just below your health information, and it's crucial to keep this as full as possible if you want to take on more fearsome enemies and bosses. You’ll still manage without it, but you’ll have a much more challenging time.

That said, to mitigate this somewhat, the game heaps loads of additional gear on you as you progress through the environments. Whether it be from a fallen corpse or a gift from a friendly faction, there’s almost always an opportunity to check out your latest loot from your inventory screen and ensure you’re as prepared as possible for the dangers ahead.
Our biggest disappointment, however, came from the levels themselves; not from a visual standpoint, but rather their layout and distinct lack of variety. There’s a temptation to say that Tails of Iron 2 has elements of Metroidvanias in the way that you explore the world and organically encounter items and foes, but there’s very little verticality, so exploration is very much a case of “continue left or right until you reach your goal, then go back”. As a result, there’s a load of backtracking involved which could have been alleviated with some shortcuts or alternative routes.

Moving through the world is improved a bit thanks to a new grappling hook that lets you launch yourself up to nearby platforms. It’s used sparingly and it does little more than offer a neat little visual flair to exploration, but it’s a cool little addition. Save points are also dotted around generously, so if you do find yourself in a situation where you’re perishing quite frequently, you’ll never have to go very far if you wish to jump straight back into the fight.
Conclusion
If you enjoyed the original, then Tails of Iron 2: Whiskers of Winter offers up more of the same brutal combat and stunning visuals, introducing minor yet welcome new additions like the whetstone and the grappling hook. Its basic environment layout can lead to a lot of excessive backtracking, which is a shame, but the world itself is so well-realised that we find ourselves compelled to recommend you check it out regardless. Just be warned; it's not for the faint of heart.
Comments 20
Will pick this up as enjoyed the first. I hope they do another physical - I think the first was limited to the US (had to import) - a wider release would be nice
Tried the first and thought the controls were a huge clunky mess. Also lost my interest quite fast, so I'm not going to invest into the sequel. Especially after seeing the review here.
Loved the first one and this is my most anticipated game for a long time
I haven't played the first, but I really want to play this one! Along with Blade Chimera, Laika and Ender Magnolia, of course.
A lot of great metroidvanias lately!
Not played The Witcher so never noticed that it sounds like Geralt so that's not really a minus for me. Actually feels like a really weird thing to add as a con given it's based on an assumption that everyone has played a completely unconnected game.
Playing the first at the moment and there's a fair bit of backtracking too. I don't super mind it, most areas aren't anywhere near as big as the map makes it look, but it could have been alleviated in the sequel. But then I also maybe think that's partly the point, it's not and easy road for these rats, it's long and arduous and the enemies are tough and unforgiving. The first game embodies that well and it sounds like the sequel is essentially more of that so sounds pretty good to me!
This one looks interesting but I still need to play the first one.
On a side note, I never do this as I understand that you don't have to review every game, but aren't you planning to review Guilty Gear Strive? There's no review of any major site or YouTuber and it has been a few days since it came out. Considering that this is one of the most popular fighting games of the moment, that they did a fantastic job with the port and that smaller fighting games have gotten coverage, I think that it deserves attention.
Thanks for the review, while I'm not personally interested in this I'm glad to hear it's an overall good game (sounds like it would be great if not even better if it weren't for the levels' layouts and lack of variety) for those who are!
I bought the first and didn't even play it. Doug is cool though
@roy130390 We are yes, it'll be going live later today.
Loved the first game and it had a fair bit of backtracking too. The backtracking came with its perks though as you saw the town evolve and get more robust and repaired. The combat was so satisfying with the animations. Chunky, satisfying hits. Looking forward to playing 2.
@Olliemar28 Thanks!
I might grab this for those gorgeous visuals alone. Guess I should probably check out the first game first though.
Got to finish the first one. I play it for atmosphere/world first, art second and challenge third.
Yep good enough for me. I don't really think the first was too much of a metroidvania, it felt like a methodical action rpg. If you go in fighting like a hack and slash you will get bodied and dislike it. Fighting in this game is just different and after dropping the first one hard years back I tried it again and enjoyed it. I'll definitely play this next
Violent mice? Makes me think of the Deptford Mice trilogy of books and those rats.
Loved the first game, still yet to buy a physical copy.
I'll wait for this to be released in physical form.
I’ve had a physical copy of Tails 1 backlogged for a while now. Maybe waiting for the physical for Tails 2 will give me time enough to play the first one!
I really liked the looks and concept of the first game, even if it’s a little gorier than I’d prefer. I’m glad it got a sequel. It’s like The Secret of Nimh crossed with Conan the Barbarian! 🐭🗡️
@AmplifyMJ or the Redwall series I read as a kid
Always amazes me the amount of people saying that they bought a game but haven't played it yet. People have way too much money these days, I'm sure we could all work 50% less if we were more sensible
@AmplifyMJ It makes me think of Reepicheep from Narnia. He was my favorite character in those.
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