Tails of Iron 2: Whiskers of Winter is the much-needed sequel to the surprise smash hit of 2021. A 2D sidescroller in the modern day is a hard sell at the best of times, but when you throw Soulslike elements and a rat protagonist into the mix, it could either be really bad, or incredibly unique. The first managed to land on the better side of that dilemma, but what about the sequel? We checked it out to find out for you!
Tails of Iron 2: Whiskers of Winter is a Worthy Sequel
If you’re unaware, Tails of Iron 2: Whiskers of Winter follows Arlo the Rat, the King’s son who’s desperate to get himself into battle and prove himself to his father. He gets his wish all too quickly, as he finds himself training with his father, before returning back to his kingdom to find it under siege from the Dark Wings, a race of evil bats desperate to overthrow the current regime.
Mass destruction and death occurs, and Arlo is properly thrown into an adventure of exploration and battle to survive and fight for his and his kingdom, as well as rebuild everything that was lost in the original attack.
Featuring 2D sidescrolling action and surprisingly deep combat all things considered, Tails of Iron 2: Whiskers of Winter will keep you on your toes throughout the ten hours of playtime, drip-feeding you constant upgrades and new abilities that’ll keep you on the front foot against the many different enemies you’ll encounter, from snakes to spiders and more.
While the combat is simple enough to learn, it is pretty fun and versatile, offering a layer of depth you may not expect in a 2D sidescroller. Hard-hitting enemies featuring different elemental attacks and weaknesses will have you thinking about your approach before you do anything, but unlike other Soulslikes, the regular checkpoints will take any real danger or risk and minimize the frustration commonly associated with games in this genre. This is a Soulslite, really.
Tails of Iron 2: Whiskers of Winter features a wealth of armor and weapons, all of which will influence your playstyle. Slow and heavy? Dodge a lot. Got a gun? Ranged will do the job. How about a quick swiping sword with fire attributes? You’ll beat pretty much everything. It’s a real bright spot for the game.
The biggest positive to my entire experience with the game though? The beautifully drawn and designed environment, backgrounds, foregrounds, and character models. It is a genuine delight to behold, and it made exploring all the optional areas feel worthwhile, even if the eventual loot didn’t. The variety in the areas kept everything fresh, and I can honestly say this may be the best-looking game in its genre full stop. It’s gorgeous, and something I’ll never get bored of looking at.
It Can’t All Be Good Though
Tails of Iron 2: Whiskers of Winter isn’t a bad game, far from it. In fact, it’s a damn good game that I had a huge amount of fun with, but there are some issues that a hopeful third entry would need to fix.
Both the main story and the side quests are lacking, and it’s fair to say that it feels a little like a rehash of the first game, even down to rebuilding Winter’s Edge, albeit with far more agency this time round. The side quests are very much ‘pick this up for this person’ or ‘kill this boss’ and don’t really offer anything greater to the story beyond rewards. You’re not going to miss anything by not doing them, which is not what a side quest should be.
During my playthrough, I kept wondering why the devs bothered with such things like the Grappling Hook, a boring and pointless tool that doesn’t offer much to the platforming, sadly, and the same could be said for the whetstone. An item aimed purely at offering a damage buff, you largely won’t even realize if you don’t use it, and I found myself regularly forgetting I even had them to hand if I’m honest. Admittedly, the same could not be said for the new addition of traps, which allowed me an entirely new strategy compared to the first game.
As it goes, Tails of Iron 2: Whiskers of Winter does exactly what a sequel should do. It builds upon the ideas of the first, expands the narrative, and introduces new elements. Some of this works, some doesn’t, but it feels like Odd Bug Studio is really finding its feet, and I can’t wait to see what the hopeful third installment brings with it.
Tails of Iron 2: Whiskers of Winter
Featuring a new protagonist, a new threat, and new abilities, Tails of Iron 2: Whiskers of Winter will pit you against an entirely new enemy as you try to avenge your family and rebuild your kingdom.
Summary
Odd Bug Studio has managed to build on the first game in some great ways, with deeper combat, even better visuals, and the magnanimous Doug Cockle narrating throughout, but a boring story and some lackluster additions make it fall just short of being perfect.
HOURS PLAYED: 10
PLAYED ON: PS5
- Truly stunning and unique visuals will keep your eyes on the screen and having you desperate for what's next.
- A huge array of traps, weapons and armor will give you new ways of approaching battle.
- New abilities will keep the combat and gameplay fresh throughout.
- A rehashed story from the original of sorts is lacking.
- Too many checkpoints could take the challenge out of it for any Soulslike enthusiasts.
- Whetstones and Grappling Hooks feel like lazy additions that offer very little.
Tails of Iron 2: Whiskers of Winter was released on 28th January 2025 and is available on PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, PC, Linux, and Mac.
For more Thumb Wars reviews, check out our impressions of Driving Is Hard, or Rebellion’s latest foray into the franchise with Sniper Elite: Resistance. This and every Thumb Wars review is featured on OpenCritic.
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Luke Addison is the Founder and Editor-in-Chief of Thumb Wars. Having previously been a part of multiple outlets over the years, including building an entire gaming team from nothing to something, he thought it best to forge his own path and answer only to himself. As likely to be found playing the latest game as he is in the kitchen relaxing (by cooking), he always brings the same bold and brash attitude to everything he does, with a heavy leaning on sarcasm and dry wit!
