Wow...who knew a game I picked up on a whim would be this much of a surprise? I thought it was just going to be Atelier but magical girls, which it is, but I didn't think I was going to care so much by the end. The ending was bittersweet in a way I haven't experienced in a game in a long time. It's a low-budget affair but the entire way through, I could see the vision and how much work was put into its characters and story. It's slow and way too easy but I think it's one of those games you're meant to just cruise through and enjoy the vibes. It will definitely be seeing a new game plus run from me.

This game is great, incredible characters, music, story and unlike the first game I would say is a great time even if you are not a magical girl fan (like me). It does have some issues, eventually you just snowball to a point that fights are done in 4 attacks, at least in normal difficulty but as you need to beat the game to unlock hard it's not like you can get around this, and some forced backtracking through the areas near the end that felt like padding but other than that it's great.

Still I would recommend checking some gameplay online to see if you like what you see.

This game has a lot of things going on for it. The visuals are GORGEOUS as well as the OST. The story is not the greatest and kind of generic, but in the way that going to school everyday is generic, it feels correct. The characters and their relationships are very good and I connected to most of them. That said, the gameplay loop can be quite boring sometimes, with the dates feeling kind of repetitive. Side quests are also kind of boring, and the managing of the school is ok at best. Combat was a bit hard to get used to for me, coming mostly from traditional turn based rpgs, but it got easier with time and quite enjoyable. Sometimes it's a bit difficult to know where to go so a bit of clarity would be much appreciated. I was going to rate it lower but the final boss battle felt very epic and I kind of loved it. The worst thing in this game is, without a doubt, the stealth side quests which I felt were rather hard to control and tedious. Overall I would recommend this game, and I'm looking forward to playing its prequel.

One of the most endearing and heartwarming games ever, with fantastic storytelling and well done character relationships. 🌻

Second Light sets out to tell a story about growth, change, how everything won't remain the same, and the value of that time before change. The adventure and time in the game is akin to summer vacation (as Ao Hoshizaki had stated), a relaxing and fun time that will eventually end before returning to "reality". Ao and the cast often linger on this thought and the troubled feelings they have of their inevitable fate. They aren't sure what lies ahead of them after the Oasis, whether or not they'll even see each other again or if the memories of their time together will stay with them. The school setting in the Oasis is perfect for capturing what they feel as most players will be able to sympathize with this, comparing the cast's feelings to the unnerving feeling of moving on after school years. Right off the bat, I was interested and felt some sort of connection to this game.

So to make the most of their summer vacation, the reflectors spend it decorating the school, making new devices and pastimes, and most importantly of all, spending time together. The game is very heavy on building relationships with each of the girls. However before being able to build your relationship with them, their Heartscapes must be explored through first along with their history (aside from a few, most of them have their Heartscape as the start of their character arc). Each Heartscape reveals a distinct and personal struggle each one was facing prior to entering the Oasis. Even after confronting their memories and gaining them back, their issues don't go away. Your relationship and time with them helps them to recover from their past and to help them go forward with their lives.

The cast and each of their relationships are well thoughtout. The girls felt like real and understandable people, especially with how their problems are presented and resolved. They felt like people I've met across my life. It's a cast that can emotionally attach you to them easily. They're also a large cast, yet they feel distinct and unique, and their character arcs all feel balanaced and strong. A lot of other casts typically fail and fumble when it comes to their side characters' characterization and relationship with the protagonist/player, however Tie excels at these aspects. None of them really feel like they were wasted (unlike other JRPGs that have a focus on relationships and have a system based off that, not naming any names).

Other aspects of the game I loved ♥:

The concept and visuals of the Heartscapes are great. I always like settings/areas that are based on the psyche of characters. The Heartscapes also looked so pretty and pleasing. Sunflowers look unusually good in this game.

The OST was lovely. Heartscape themes were unique and felt appropriate for each character. There were some simple tracks, but they were nice to listen to and really elevated the calm and comfy experience.

An improvement in every possible way to its predecessor.
Gameplay-wise as well as story-wise.

The only thing I'm missing are the very good-looking cutscenes that the first game had.

I hope there will be a third game

It took a very long time for me to finish this game putting around 84 hours from trying to do everything the game has to offer. I really enjoyed my time playing this as I feel close with the characters as if they're my friends, going on dates, fooling around and having meaningful conversation I simply adore this game. Especially when I beat the first game and watched the anime. Now I still have to go through new game plus as that's how I get the true ending. I will make an edit when I finish NG+ and write more of the game. But for now I truly love my time with this game.

For the most part, this game is junk food. It's not the most fulfilling, but it's fairly low-effort way to experience an appealing if trashy flavour. The combat is never particularly challenging, but it still demands just enough input from the player - and shoves enough flashy nonsense into your eyeballs - that it remains engaging without being stressful, so you can pass the time well enough while you sit back and enjoy girls being gay.

It's worth noting that I skipped straight to this game, not playing the first - it seemed to be reviewed quite a bit more poorly, with reports of fanservice that might've bordered on outright uncomfortable. I was already taking a gamble, with very little idea if this would actually be any good, so it made sense to shoot for the best chances.

One really standout aspect of this game is the way Rena and Yuki's relationship is handled - undeniably explicit, a core part of their arcs, and a consistent factor the game still pays mind to once it's established. It had me grinning from ear to ear. That said, it does make all of the other casual intimacy in the game kind of weird - like, in almost any other context, I'd be saying "yeah these girls are gay as hell", but since the game has proven it's willing to actually come out and say it... what does it mean when it doesn't? I dunno. Nonetheless, seeing the girls walk around holding hands and go on "dates" where they lie in bed together is good for the soul.

The game does have a number of rough edges that add up to a janky experience, like, I could seriously nitpick all day. So I will.
- The camera in fights is all over the place.
- Enemy designs are just kind of weirdly abstract without any connection to what's going on in the game.
- The skill names all being in different languages for ~aesthetic~ makes them very difficult to memorise and assign meaning to.
- The crafting system demands a tedious excess of material grinding if you care about upgrading everything.
- The fragment system has a lot of niche or redundant effects, rather than encouraging interesting builds.
- The stealth segments are godawful and contribute little.
- There's a lot of asset reuse and padding - even if that one time it was totally justified and really cool.
- Having to wait for skill animations to play out makes timing awkward when blocking big attacks or in the whole one-on-one mode.
- Asking a whole second playthrough for the true ending in a game that is neither short nor deep is very questionable.
I definitely wouldn't go so far as to call this an outright bad game, it's just, I dunno - making good art is really hard, actually, and when you focus on the standout masterpieces that's easy to lose track of. Sometimes you need a little mid in your life.

That's a lot of complaining, but the game's pleasures are comparatively simple, as already described - flashy spectacle, hella yuri, and a relaxed pace. Ultimately, I did enjoy my time, and the game was exactly what I needed right now.

Blue Reflection: Second Light is a beautiful, cozy game that gently grabs you by the hand and asks you to stay awhile. It’s a game that encourages you to not only discover new parts of yourself, but embrace the parts of you that have always been there. It’s a game that reassures you that sometimes we have to let go, move on, and let us as people grow apart, but to remember that we are always growing, and growing does not have to mean forgetting.

All you need to be is you, and you will always, always be enough.

It's hard to put to words, but despite being a technically better product than the first game, this feels like a downgrade. Yes, the first game is a janky mess, but it's got heart. It's charming. This...doesn't feel like that. The battle system is "improved," but really it's just ATB and it's not even a well executed ATB. Levelling up and getting new talents are no longer tied together. Grinding is a thing now, and crafting is apparently actually necessary. The first game's fun simplicity is gone, replaced by a generic JRPG. I really wanted to love this game, but it just wasn't to be.