Project X Zone 2

When it comes to most role-playing epics, the story is deep, complex, engaging, and core to the game. That's not the case with Project X Zone 2. Here, the story is little more than a thinly veiled excuse to throw together a menagerie of characters who otherwise have no rhyme or reason to be seen together. You know the plot is an afterthought when even the characters make fun of it in their dialogue. This is about fan service, pure and simple. And to a certain degree, it works. It's actually a lot of fun to see how all the characters interact, cracking jokes at each other's expense and pointing out the absurdity of the situation. Some of these interactions are a little more juvenile or sexist than others, but overall they're good for a few laughs.

From a gameplay perspective, Project X Zone 2 is a pretty solid tactical turn-based strategy game. Battles take place on large grids with plenty of room to move around and try to gain an advantage. The combat is interesting as well, with timing and button-mashing elements more akin to a fighting game than a role-playing game. All the moves are flashy, over the top, and fun to watch … at least the first few times. Unfortunately, these battles rarely change over the course of the game, so something that seems exciting early on wears out its welcome after the 50th time. Eventually, the game becomes more of a monotonous chore, and you're left going through the motions and passing the time between wisecracks and tangled plot threads.