Dark Deity 2 Review
Dark Deity 2 is an excellently made Fire Emblem clone that feels like a lost entry in the series.
Dark Deity 2. Sword & Axe LLC
Dark Deity 2 is the second game in the series from developer Sword & Axe, bringing us more TRPG goodness that lovingly takes its inspiration from Nintendo’s Fire Emblem series. The game complements its challenging turn-based tactical combat with an engaging story that features a large cast of compelling characters.
Dark Deity 2 takes place a quarter century after the events of the first game. Irving and the Eternal Order have rebuilt their country of Verroa, but a new threat is emerging. Irving’s descendants, Gwyn and Riordian, must now gather their own army and build alliances to survive the invasion of the expanding Holy Asverellian Empire that has set its eyes on Verroa.
Dark Deity 2. Sword & Axe LLC
The game’s story is excellent. The script is well-written; characters have unique personalities, and I was genuinely interested in their growth and journey. On a macro level, the world’s political intrigue made for suspenseful storytelling. Most of the game is fully voiced; while in many games like this, I’ll quickly read over the text and skip to the next line, it was a pleasure to listen to the dialogue in full here.
Players who have experience with the Game Boy Advance Fire Emblem games and those beyond will find the presentation and mechanics of Dark Deity 2 familiar and will be right at home. The game’s turn-based skirmishes take place on a 2D battlefield. Each unit is an individual hero that players move around the map to attack enemies. Once the player’s turn is over, the opponent takes their turn. Each time units fight, the combat is presented in a side view with more detailed sprites.
Fights are decided similarly to Fire Emblem’s rock-paper-scissors style system, where damage is mainly governed by the strengths and weaknesses of each unit’s weapon type as compared to the opponent’s, with some added randomness and luck. It’s essential to keep that in consideration before sending your heroes into the fray.
Dark Deity 2 isn't reinventing the wheel in its gameplay; it’s doing things that we already know work well from its predecessors in the genre. For example, it includes systems that let you preview individual enemy units or all enemy unit movement and attack ranges, as well as combat damage results ahead of committing to attacks.
Dark Deity 2. Sword & Axe LLC
The 20 playable characters that make up your army have unique special abilities, and each will gain more depending on the upgrade paths you choose. Some heroes have overlapping classes, but overall, there’s enough variety to keep units feeling unique. Stat gains when characters level up are randomized, so there's some luck involved in their growth.
It’s hard not to keep bringing up Fire Emblem here, but when talking about the graphics, it’s inevitable. The visual design makes Dark Deity 2 feel like it’s a lost entry in the older series’ canon, because it’s nearly identical. Those games looked great in the GBA’s 16-bit graphics, and the style works here, flawlessly executed. It’s just not very original. Like with the gameplay, Sword & Axe chose not to rock the boat, but it leaves me wishing the game had a visual identity that’s uniquely its own.
Dark Deity 2. Sword & Axe LLC
Players hungry for more 16-bit TPRG action will love Dark Deity 2. The game follows the Fire Emblem closely enough that it almost feels like a new game in the series. The quality of its script and storytelling helps the game stand out, but not enough to break free from the shadow of the older series. Though unoriginal, Dark Deity 2 is a highly polished, well-made game that’s still a pleasure to play.
Dark Deity 2 is available now on Steam.
Overall Score: 8/10
Played on: Steam Deck
