Tails of Iron 2: Whiskers of Winter | Review

Some cheeses for us meeces

Matt "Deadly" Headley January 27, 2025Last Updated: January 27, 2025

0 761 5 minutes read

Tails of Iron 2: Whiskers of Winter is a triumphant marriage of genres.

Odd Bug Studio’s latest effort promises brutal, soulslike combat in a Metroidvania action RPG, paired with a beautifully unique hand-drawn art style and a captivating world to go with it.

Playing as a rat called Arlo, we gnawed through brutally punishing combat with the most fur-ocious enemies, so that we could tell you if it managed to ‘whiskers’ away.

What to expect

Right off the bat, I will say that you don’t need to have played the first Tails of Iron game to be able to enjoy its sequel. Tails of Iron 2 works perfectly as an entry point into the series. The original Tails of Iron has become a cult hit since its release in 2021. Its successor prioritises key player feedback to further refine the already fan-favourite formula.

Tails of Iron 2 introduces several new mechanics to the series. A grappling hook for better traversal, tactical traps, and a more advanced combat system with Elementa damage and spellcasting deliver an experience that developer Odd Bug Studio describes as “evolution-over-revolution.”

Fans of The Witcher video game series will instantly recognize Geralt’s voice actor, Doug Cockle, reprising his role as the game’s narrator. His distinctive tones accompany us on a journey through an icy tundra, a charming golden forest, an eerie wasteland, and more as we follow Arlo on a savage path for vengeance.

You’ll meet some weird and wonderful creatures on your journey to help you along this challenging road as you dodge, block, and parry your way to bloody victory with its souls-like combat system.

Tails of Iron 2 has so many interesting layers to it. There’s a loot and crafting system that allows you to build fast travel posts and upgrade your home at Winter’s Edge to unlock upgrades for Arlo to better equip him for the fight ahead. The gear management system is surprisingly granular. Your gear can vary in weight, which impacts your speed and damage output, as well by type of Elemental damage and resistance offered. I liked the depth of it, but I found myself having to jump into my inventory to tweak my gear often, depending on which type of enemy I encountered.

Customizable load-outs could be a useful improvement here but in fairness, load-outs could make min-maxing your equipment feel more restrictive; and create a lot more work for the player. With that in mind, having to hot-swap gear a lot feels like the lesser of two evils here – but it does interrupt the flow of gameplay.

A thing of hand-crafted beauty

Every asset has been hand-drawn. The attention to detail throughout Tails of Iron 2 is truly remarkable, and I’m constantly distracted by how good the art direction is. Playing Tails of Iron 2 is like diving an illustrated storybook, albeit a violent one. It’s a remarkable achievement. It’s full of character and quirky charm that makes this world feel really compelling.

There are seven different locations, each with a unique vibe. The game even has a day/night cycle, so lighting changes throughout your experience too. There are dozens of enemy types and hand-crafted NPCs that you’ll encounter, as well as monstrous beasts for Arlo to slay in the form of Giant Beast Hunts.

Again, every asset used is delivered with this hand-illustrated finish that just oozes craft, attention to detail, and care. I have to give Odd Bug Studio its flowers for the level of polish delivered by a five-person team. Tails of Iron 2: Whiskers of Winter a really impressive achievement.

Trials of Iron

We can’t talk about Tails of Iron 2 without addressing the game’s difficulty, because it’s brutal souls-like combat should not be underestimated. The default ‘Tails of Iron’ difficulty makes the game feel surprisingly hard.

Combat is a delicate dance of timing, parrying, and dodging. Encounters with multiple enemies and different attack types coming towards you can turn the intensity up on higher difficulties very quickly. If you’re not wearing the right type of armor, dealing the right type of damage or you just get caught by an attack you’re not expecting – be prepared to see your health take a sizable hit.

You’re limited by how much healing juice you can carry, which as far as I could gather is made from bugs, berries and, quite possibly… Beer? Tails of Iron 2 is charmingly quirky in that regard. As a side note, I really appreciated the world-building throughout my playthrough. Character dialogue is actually just a series of illustrations in speech bubbles.

It’s funny how a game can feel so savage with regards to difficulty and still bring home a delightful sense of whimsy and wit. Trust me though, it won’t take long for Tails of Iron 2 to remind you that it is not for the faint-hearted.

That’s not a complaint from me though. Far from it.

Combat felt great and that inner glutton for punishment wanted more of it. But, having a full-time job alongside a review embargo doesn’t exactly work in my favor for a game that’s supposed to be hard. So, shamelessly… I opted for the game’s ‘Fairy Tail Mode’ – otherwise known as the easy setting.

Around halfway through the game, I started craving the challenge of the souls-like experience that Tails of Iron 2 offers, so I jumped back up to the game’s default ‘Tails of Iron’ difficulty. Combat felt challenging but rewarding. I liked the step up, and it definitely felt like there was more at stake moving from one save point to the next, keeping an eye on when I can next top-up my bug/berry/beer juice.

Even after playing through the game’s story, kitting myself out with some decent gear and now being fully versed with Tails of Iron 2’s combat system, mistakes or over-zealousness can both still lead to a bitter end. I could feel that pulsing hunger exposing my inner risk-vs-reward system that drives players through souls-like experiences.

I found myself pushing one step too far to land an extra attack on a boss called the “Bird Beast,” who taught me a cruel lesson for losing myself in the want to inflict maximum damage – by taking my health all the way down to 1hp in just one hit. I persevered, burning the midnight oil to take down the Bird Beast, and that sense of triumph made the heavy bags under my eyes the following day feel completely worth it.

Providing you don’t mess up your combat cues, ‘Tails of Iron’ difficulty feels appropriately balanced and is the setting I’d recommend if you want a challenge, and you’re not working to a review embargo deadline! With that said, in the interest of giving you a thorough and fair review, I finished the rest of the game on ‘Fairy Tail Mode.’

‘Bloody Whiskers Mode’ is the game’s highest difficulty setting. It steps up the pace of combat, as well as enemy aggression and damage output. It’s a noticeable jump that Tails of Iron 2 recommends avoiding for your first play-through. I will absolutely be jumping back into this game on ‘Tails of Iron’ difficulty, starting with a fresh save because the combat and gear grind is extremely satisfying. If you do end up finding the intensity of the game’s default setting too much though, I really would recommend Tails of Iron 2’s ‘Fairy Tail Mode.’

Wrapping things up

Odd Bug Studio boldly combines the charming whimsy of a hand-illustrated children’s book with brutal violence and storytelling inspired by the likes of Game of Thrones.

Tails of Iron 2: Whiskers of Winter is a thoroughly enjoyable Metroidvania with detailed action-RPG mechanics, that still offers challenging soulslike combat without feeling like a punishing ride on its easiest mode. On it’s normal and hard difficulties, the game offers a grind that will leave you feeling tested at best, and a crying mess at very worst.

It’s an extremely well-put-together experience that I can wholeheartedly recommend.