Some games stick in your mind for unusual reasons, and the original Dusk Diver was one such unique experience. Sure, the story was a little flat and overstretched, the characters weren’t as fleshed out as they could’ve been, and the gameplay could be generic and repetitive, but Dusk Diver did have one particularly redeeming quality that proved surprisingly captivating: its setting, the bustling Taiwanese metropolis of Ximending.
Previously, on Dusk Diver
Dusk Diver 2 is the sequel to the original Dusk Diver, also a single-player action RPG developed by WANIN Games and JERA. Publishing of the console release this time was handled by Idea Factory International in 2022. Dusk Diver 2 picks up not long after the events of the first game, being a direct sequel.
The game is once again set in Ximending, now with some expansion but once again fusing the anime-style visuals with realistically detailed locations, including real local businesses which have consented to appear in the game. The Dusk Diver series also expands on aspects of Chinese mythology, specifically the legend of Kunlun.
The Sacred Paradise of Kunlun
In ancient Taoist mythology, the mystical mountain-top realm of Kunlun is believed to be a sacred paradise which exists outside of our mortal reality and is the home of many Gods. Also running parallel to this reality is the Dimension of Chaos, home to the dark side of mortal imagination, the realm of The Phantoms and Chaos Beasts. To the mortal humans, the dimensions of the Gods and the Phantoms are both distant and unreachable, yet also nearby and familiar.
Ximending is a neighborhood and shopping district in the Wanhua District of Taipei, Taiwan. It is a crossroads of the ancient and modern, where history and fashion intertwine, a place of both mystery and glamour. For this reason, this eccentric locale is also an unseen paranormal hot-spot, a place which often attracts the attention of curious Gods and Phantoms alike.
As time goes by, the energies of different dimensions converge, resulting in the temporary appearance of unstable dimensional rifts. These unpredictable rifts become one of the possibilities for the Dimension of Chaos and the Human Realm to connect temporarily to Kunlun. The troubled deities of Kunlun search tirelessly for ways to prevent such a phenomenon.
Until a resolution can be found, every evening at the moment of dusk, the energy flows between these three worlds, becoming chaotic and violent, allowing reality to shift for those caught in the dimensional rift. The people of Kunlun have named this unstable rift dimension ‘Youshanding’, a twisted alternate version of reality.
The protagonist of Dusk Diver and its sequel is a college girl named Yang Yumo who was one of the unlucky humans who were transported to Youshanding, however Yumo absorbed a great concentration of mystical energy during her time there, allowing her to transform into her “Azure Flame” form which grants her superhuman abilities similar to a Kunlunian.
Following the events of the previous game, we rejoin a much more experienced Yumo and her team of Kunlunian Guardian companions. Yumo uses her powers and allies to protect Ximending’s residents by defeating any Chaos Beasts that threaten the Human Realm. However, her frequent exposure to Kunlunian powers and mystical energies is beginning to take a toll on Yumo’s mortal body, and so, she has be given permission to enter Kunlun for advanced treatment.
Yumo must also deal with the consequences of the worlds’ attempted merge in the previous game. However, in doing so, she will find herself up against some of the most powerful enemies across every dimension. Her quest is still far from over, as Yumo once again embraces the powers gifted to her by Kunlun, becoming the Azure Flame once again.
The World’s Yin and Yang
The game world is made up of two locations, the calm, real-world Ximending and the hostile and chaotic Youshanding. Beginning at your base at the Tumaz Mart shop, players can explore the shops and streets of Ximending and can also eat at local restaurants to boost their attributes. Much of the game focuses on the protection of Ximending by defeating the invading Chaos Beasts by entering rifts to Youshanding which act as the game’s dungeons.
The Guardians of Kunlun are more than simply summonable allies this time; they’re fully playable characters you can switch to. Leo, Bahet and Le Viada each have their own skills and move-sets, though all characters can make use of both light and heavy attacks during battle. Players can mix up the Phantom slaying and fight alongside the Guardians as the story progresses. In combat, you can experience the swiftness of chain attacks and character-specific tactical skill combinations.
You can also dodge and counterattack, and break the armour of certain stronger enemies to leave them dazed and vulnerable. As you learn skills and strengthen them by raising their levels, you can also assign specific individual skills for characters to use automatically during battle. Depending on how much SP you have available, you can toggle your skills and unleash devastating special attacks which differ from character to character based on their individual combat styles. SP slowly recharges as you fight.
There is also the BP gauge which increases as you fight, eventually putting you in a heightened combat state called ‘Burst’. Successfully performing special moves during Burst raises an additional percentage bar. Reaching 180% enables your character to unleash a powerful super move called ‘Burst Ultimate’, or if you reach 200%, you’ll unleash a stronger variation called ‘Burst Ultimate EX’ which will be the most powerful attack in your arsenal.
Graphics/Sound
Visually, the world of Dusk Diver 2 shares an uncanny resemblance to the Akiba’s Trip games, and that’s a big compliment. There’s an anime aesthetic, yes, yet the level of detail included in bringing the grit and glow of realism into the game is an impressive feat of design dedication. There’s a brilliant commitment to light and shade throughout.
Character models aren’t too shabby either, with a notable effort made with elaborate costume designs, though skin tone and facial details are minimal, falling back on their anime roots. This does, however, lend a helping hand in the flow of animations, with Yumo (and her beautiful glowing magical azure flame hair) in particular having a robust set of spectacular gymnastic moves and attack combos to show off what the engine can do, and it’s all delivered with a silky-smooth frame-rate throughout.
There’s an edgy techno soundtrack pumping away through the dungeons which helps with the darker tone of Youshanding while also getting a catchy rhythm going to get you moving in combat. It works really well. Characters are realistically voiced in their native Chinese dialect yet also have the option of switching to a Japanese dub. Unfortunately, English voiceover isn’t an option, which is incredibly odd.
Familiar Locations, New Developments
While this sequel keeps most of the original locations, bringing us back to the same map of Ximending which includes familiar locations such as our home-base of sorts in the Tumaz Mart and several iconic restaurants, there’s a lot more to see now in many new locations. Both the Human Realm and Youshanding have been greatly expanded, plus we now have access to Kunlun itself for the first time too.
You’ll also be introduced to a host of new characters and you’ll get to learn much more about Kunlun politics, other dimensions, and much more, as well as their part in the narrative. Almost all characters, including even minor characters featured in the first game have now had their roles expanded.
Conclusion
The team at WANIN Games have done a wonderful job at improving and adding more gameplay options and useful mechanics, while keeping the same overall vibe that made the first Dusk Diver beloved by its fans. Everything, from visuals to locations, and narrative to gameplay, is revitalised, expanded and polished.
Sadly, the repetition in the gameplay is still as overwhelming as it was the first time around. Yes, we have more playable characters, attack combos, and special moves to play around with, but we still have to contend with fighting the same recycled enemies hundreds of times, while bosses are still absolute damage-sponges with life bars which, at times, feel near-endless.
There’s a lot more life in Dusk Diver 2, however familiarity with the first game will definitely give you an edge as it serves as the core of the newly expanded mechanics. You’ll have to contend with another assortment of long, repetitive, combat-filled dungeons, but the rewards are there in the form of a decent story with fun, better-written characters.
Joys
- Some beautiful visuals and animations
- Solid story which feels a lot more fleshed out than the first game
- A stunningly detailed recreation of Ximending
Cons
- Very repetitive combat
- Bosses are major damage-sponges
- No English dub
