The Attack on Titan series, like its many characters, has had its ups and downs. This is true of the TV series, but also the video games released by Koei Tecmo. Starting strong off the back of the fantastic global sensation that was the first season, the games somewhat floundered when it came to continuing the story. This is, of course, because the show did the same, taking a very extended break before Seasons 2 and 3 premiered. Now though, there’s plenty of content to draw from and so Koei Tecmo and developer Omega Force is back with a massive set of DLC or a brand new game depending on your investment so far. But does Attack on Titan 2: Final Battle create the ultimate experience for fans?
Attack on Titan 2: Final Battle is basically a Game of the Year and Enhanced Edition release all rolled into one. Taking the core experience of Attack on Titan 2, which released early last year across multiple platforms. The game sort of picks up where the last one left off at the end of Season 1 of the show, but it also retreads a lot of that content from a new perspective. Letting players create their own character is a great idea but the experience was a bit lackluster mostly because you had to replay the same story you’d already experienced (probably many times through different forms of media).
Since then though we’ve had a lot more Attack on Titan injected into our media and the game has followed suit. Attack on Titan 2: Final Battle offers up the same basic story mode but extends it with Character Episodes that allow you to enjoy stuff from the latest seasons through the main characters from the show. If you were like me and felt the original character was forced and uninteresting compared to the likes of Eren Yeager, Mikasa Ackerman, and Captain Levi then this is a godsend, but for those who put a ton of time into crafting that persona, it might be a small detriment. Still, the show has featured a lot of new action set pieces and key plot moments that are great to see in the game now either way you do it.
It’s all gleefully chaotic, violent, gory, and adrenaline-filled.
You’ll play through those levels just as you have in the original Attack on Titan 2 and its predecessor before it. The core gameplay of this series hasn’t changed much, and that’s for the better. The action of this franchise would be difficult for any developer to craft into a coherent whole, but Omega Force nailed it with their Dynasty Warriors-esque base with some truly amazing maneuvering mechanics layered on top.
Players can roam freely across the massive levels, hooking their grapples onto any nearby structure. You’ll swing, fly, and boost your way wherever you want, then enter combat with gigantic Titans of varying sizes and types. Focus on whichever weak point you wish, then swoop in for the killshot. It’s all gleefully chaotic, violent, gory, and adrenaline-filled. What you end up with is a fantastic action experience that truly makes you feel like your a Scout taking on all the Titans in the world.
Beyond this Final Battle adds some nice stuff. One great addition is the Territory Recovery Mode which extends overall playtime by quite a bit, if you dive into its depths. Here you take command of the Scouts in their attempt to retake portions of land from the Titans. Recruiting from a massive selection of characters from the series, you’ll create a team and then lead them into battle in various situations. There’s also a heavy amount of item collecting, random upgrading, and inventory management here and mixed throughout the other modes. If you prefer a streamlined experience you might ignore a lot of this, but for those who appreciate this style of gameplay it’s fairly robust.
These are the major additions to the game, but Attack on Titan 2: Final Battle is more than just a jumble of gamemodes and some additional levels. In many ways it acts as the definitive release for this series as it stands now. It combines the base of the original release, adds fresh stuff to it, and brings the whole thing in line with the story as it’s been told so far. It could be argued that what was originally included could have been DLC for the first game and this would have been a more logical full sequel, but either way we’re getting what fans wanted now. However, that does present potential buyers with the biggest question of is this worth it.
If you haven’t picked up Attack on Titan 2 before then this is by far the best way to make the leap. The base game was far from perfect, featuring a tacked-on character that offered little new in terms of story. However, with the added Character Episodes and content from the latest seasons this is mostly assuaged for the Final Battle release. But the tougher question is for those who’ve already picked up the base game. Is this DLC worth the price? At its current high level, that’s tough to say but I’d mostly only recommend it if you blasted through the base game and have been dying for more. Huge series fans will love the added content and the new modes not only expand the plot but offer tons of replayability with the core gameplay you’ve come to love.
The Verdict
Where the base game faltered due to content and plot constraints, Attack on Titan 2: Final Battle is the full-blown sequel we’ve all been waiting for. Of course that is only if you didn’t already pick up that base release and found it lacking. As DLC this is a great addition, but at a fairly hefty price tag. Once that comes down, everyone should pick it up, but until then it feels like the best way to join in on the fun if you missed it the first time around.
