The Caligula Effect 2 – Review
Our Score: 8/10
The Caligula Effect 2 is quite possibly the perfect sequel. Developer historia Inc. has outdone itself and has improved the game in so many ways. Thanks to its release on the Nintendo Switch and PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 5, the game and series should get more love.
The Caligula Effect 1 might have flown under people’s radar with its original Vita release. But with the help of the re-release, The Caligula Effect Overdose, the game reached a much wider audience and was able to sort of fill that Persona itch that many people had. Keep in mind, this game is not like a Persona game but given some of their conceptual similarities, it might just be what you’re looking for.
What is The Caligula Effect 2
“A virtuadoll named Regret has created the world of Redo in order to save people from their past regrets by unknowingly imprisoning them in a simulation. However, this “Paradise” is shaken to the core when a virtual idol named X breaks into Regret’s virtual reality and restores a high school student’s memories of the real world. In order to escape Redo, they form the Go-Home Club, a resistance group that seeks to fight against regret and her enforcers, the Obbligato Musicians.”
In The Caligula Effect 2, you are stuck in a simulation world of Redo. Redo is a world created by an AI named Regret that aims to “save” people from their pain. But, it’s not the real world, it’s not really free will and people haven’t consented to this.
So after your memories unlock, you and a group of other students from the “Go-Home Club”. As the name suggests, their goal is to get out of Redo and back to the real world. The carious characters that are part of this club will be with you throughout your journey. So prepare yourself to get to know them.
And since this is a JPRG, get ready for a lot of combat. The Caligula Effect has a unique battle system where every action takes place on a timeline. The sequel keeps that system and makes improvements on it with the likes of the Key Jack mechanic. The Key Jack mechanic moves you and your party to the front of the timeline while boosting your abilities. It’s a great addition and makes combat that much more fun.
Looks and Feel
The Caligula Effect 2 is a 3D JPRG. You know exactly what to expect here. You and all the important NPCs have cool designs and looks that give you an idea of their character from the get-go. Enemy designs and variety is top-notch as well. The UI whilst in combat is to the point, clean, and nonintrusive. It’s not a headache to understand and allows you to experiment with this timeline combat system.
A lot of my love for JPRGs comes from music. And I’m happy to report that the music in The Caligula Effect 2 is top-notch. The songs in the game are from the perspective of the AI or have her singing it which is great for immersion and world-building. However, I do wish there were more songs per dungeon because they are so damn good.
Final Verdict
The Caligula Effect 2 is a fantastic sequel. It takes everything that made the original fun and unique and improves on it in every way. The story is engaging, the combat is fun and exciting and the music is fantastic. If you loved the original, you’re going to absolutely love this.
