Developer: PixelGreeds and HarDDer
Genre: Adventure, JRPG
Reviewed version: Final
Censored: No
Patch Needed: No
OS: Windows
Language: English, Russian
Arcana: Heat and Cold. Season 2 is the second installment of the "Arcana: Heat and Cold" franchise and an improvement over the already good first game. I had high expectations since I liked the prequel a lot, and it still impressed me.
Pros
Its art is as beautiful as it was in the first game
The new combat system is solid and makes the game even more entertaining
Cons
While the story is still funny, the first half moves at a snail's pace.
Story
The story starts right where the first game finishes when the protagonist gets saved from the city guards and later discovers that Plank has gone missing, so he's now hired to find him and bring him back. The writing is still as good as it was in the first game. It has a healthy mix of funny, lighthearted moments and serious ones that help flesh out the new and recurring characters. Some new characters didn't get much of an introduction, but it's more than likely they'll get developed in the sequel (there's no way this game won't have one after ending with such a massive cliffhanger).
On the downside, the story moves at a snail's pace in the first half. The plot barely progresses from chapter 2 to chapter 4, and most of the time is spent on silly hijinks (this is even lampshaded by one of the achievements)
Art
If you liked the game's art in the first game as much as I did, then you're also going to love the art in this game. The quality is as high as before and keeps the same features that made the sex scenes in the prequel unique. Moreover, the characters' designs are more varied, now featuring other races of monster girls and different skin colors for the human characters. I'm a bit bummed the amazon girl barely had any screen time, but I guess they'll have a more prominent role in the sequel if it's made.
Gameplay
The game replaced the old Arcana system from the first game with a neat RPG-like combat system, and as much as I miss it, it was a welcomed change. The battles also are different because it looks closer to a card battle than your average battle system. Your characters and the enemies are placed in front of each other, and you can attack, use any skill you have, or switch positions during your turns. Moreover, there's a speed counter at the top of each character which fills up until it's their turn, and it fills faster when you skip your turn before using all your stamina.
Verdict: Great
This game is a big improvement over the prequel, to the point any fan of the first game is going to love this one too. I also recommend it to anyone who played the first one and felt like it could be better. After all, the changes in the game may be what it needed to be fun for you.