©Hiro Mashima, KODANSHA/FAIRY TAIL COMMITTEE, TV TOKYO ©KOEI TECMO GAMES CO., LTD.
In 2022, Fairy Tail fans were treated to the Koei Tecmo game FAIRY TAIL. Continuing the story of the anime and manga of the same name, it received moderate praise. However, with the manga ending in 2017 and the anime in 2019, there's still some story left for a video game adaptation of the series to explore. Now, in December 2024, we will have the finale of Fairy Tail and then the finale of Koei Tecmo's upcoming FAIRY TAIL 2. We had some time to play it during Tokyo Game Show 2024.
FAIRY TAIL 2 takes players and fans of the anime and manga series to the final story arc of Fairy Tail, the Alvarez arc. More specifically, it looks like players will start around episode 52 of the manga series or episode 287 of the anime series. Thus, the demo will start for players with a dramatic confrontation between the characters Makarov Dreyar and Zeref Dragneel. This is a great introduction, at least for the demo, that gets us straight into the action and prepares us for the events to come.
©Hiro Mashima, KODANSHA/FAIRY TAIL COMMITTEE, TV TOKYO ©KOEI TECMO GAMES CO., LTD.
That upcoming event is our first battle with the demo. Featuring Fairy Tail protagonists Naruto Dragoneel, Lucy Heartfillia and Erza Scarlet against the villainous Spriggan 12 member Ajeel Raml, the battle is reminiscent of their confrontation in the anime and manga series . However, its real purpose is to introduce players to combat mechanics.
Fans of the previous installments of the Fairy Tail series will immediately notice the improved combat system. Instead of going into the menu to select the attack you want to use, the four attacks are now set to the square, triangle, circle, and X (for PS5) buttons. For the demo, the square button is the default attack, while the other three buttons are assigned to more powerful and character-specific attacks. Unfortunately, in many random encounters, it seems like you're mostly using the default attack. But as you use it, you'll build up a unique gauge to use more specific and powerful attacks for each character. It's a fun move that adds action to the turn-based combat system.
©Hiro Mashima, KODANSHA/FAIRY TAIL COMMITTEE, TV TOKYO ©KOEI TECMO GAMES CO., LTD.
Another small change to combat is a shield meter on your opponent's health bar. When these gauges are broken, you can perform a combo attack, called a “Link Attack” with one of your party members. It's a bit of a shame that this move is considered a combo attack and not the powerful “Unison Raid” attack seen sporadically in the anime and manga series. But this is understandable, since “Unison Raid” is supposed to be an ultimate attack and not a simple combination attack.
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While the FAIRY TAIL 2 demo at Tokyo Game Show 2024 gave players a chance to explore a bit of the final installment of the Fairy Tail anime and manga series, it seems like the game will also have a completely different story. The new series continues the events of the anime and manga. According to a Koei Tecmo employee at Tokyo Game Show 2024, the game company created a new story after the Alvarez arc, but before the events of Fairy Tail: 100 Years Quest. So, despite being an adaptation of the Alvarez arc, fans of the anime and manga series will have something to look forward to after completing the “main” story.
FAIRY TAIL 2 is not a game that is easily accessible in terms of story for those unfamiliar with the Fairy Tail series. There are some menu options that allow players to look up character histories, but that feels more like homework than a natural introduction. But for Fairy Tail fans, this game is a great way to relive the Alvarez arc of the manga and anime series, albeit with some liberties taken. So if you're a fan of Fairy Tail, you'll want to join. a look.
