Tails of Iron II: Whiskers of Winter | PS5 Review

You’re a bastard son, placed into the care of the Warden of the North. A dark threat looms large just over the horizon, a threat long since forgotten by the rest of the realm. A necromantic race with their undead dragons descends upon your supposed safety. Unfortunately, your Father is beheaded in short order, and it’s now up to you to save the kingdoms as best you can. Sound familiar? Well, Tails of Iron II: Whiskers of Winter knows that, but brings with it a compelling spin: you’re a rat.

A Game of Thrones

Much like the original Tails of Iron, this sequel is placed into a savagely uncompromising world, where death comes brutally swift. It just happens to star many adorable animal creatures instead of our typical human protagonists. Doug Cockle returns to voice our lovable narrator, and he’s the only voice you’ll hear the entire game. It gives this series a storybook feeling, even if it’s a bit of a grim one.

A Clash of Kings

I must say the story is an improved one here in Tails of Iron II: Whiskers of Winter. Part of that is the snowy setting, something I always find compelling, and part of it is worldbuilding. You’ll see many other animal kingdoms this time around, as our hero Arlo must unite the disparate races to combat the Darkwings, a race of evil bats. Even though you only ever hear characters speak in squeaks and pips, I did become attached to my rodent friends, and some of the story decisions near the end are genuinely exciting, managing to both provide a worthwhile conclusion and cleverly set up a potential third game.

A Storm of Swords

Combat is the same soulslike 2D combat of the original, with some small changes here and there. The most interesting and satisfying of which are the i-frames included in the dodge roll. The first Tails of Iron certainly had its own unique combat feel by not including invincibility while dodging, and that’s appreciated, but there’s no doubt having those i-frames really does open up the way you can approach combat. Your equipment load affects the dodge you’ll be doing, so there’s always a push-pull between staying light on your feet or feeling protected.

Exploring the various regions is simple, but quite fun indeed. The levels are individual from one another, so no interconnectedness you would imagine in a gear-gated game. This is an action-focused affair over an exploration-focused one. The backgrounds and artwork look stunning, and I admit I took damage a few times by being distracted with the wonderful details. Each area looks distinct, and I was always excited when my world map revealed a new area to visit so I could see which animal friends would be there.

There are boss fights aplenty in Whiskers of Winter, and they’re a very challenging level of fair. I often beat a boss in only a try or two, but it felt satisfying nonetheless as these foes have fun move sets and even one mistake is rather costly. I won plenty of fights with no health potion left and only a fraction of a health bar. There are also monster hunting boss fights you can pursue, and I even had fun with these. I’m really not much of a fan of that particular genre, but it did work for me here likely because of a quickened pace. It was fun to quickly ascertain enemy information and equip the proper elemental resistances and armor.

A Feast for Crows

Elemental affinities are new to Tails of Iron II: Whiskers of Winter, and unfortunately I think the game implemented them poorly. It’s all well and good for having weapon preferences for damaging enemies, it adds a little extra flavor. But each affinity locks Arlo into place, and requires you to mash the dodge button several times to escape. It’s annoying, but I know it’s likely meant to incentivize you to pay attention, though I wish the meter gauging its effect on you was more readily visible. The real disappointment with these attacks, however, is that all four elements affect you in the exact same way. If you succumb, it’s always mashing dodge until you’re set free, whether you’re on fire or have been poisoned. It comes across a little half-baked.

Less half-baked are the base building mechanics. Winter’s Edge, your home, is destroyed by the evil Count Kazak and his darkwing army in the opening minutes. Much of the game is centered around rebuilding this fortress into the powerhouse it used to be. While the upgrade paths for each building are linear, it’s up to you where each property goes. There are even opportunities for decorating, which is really nice. It’s just as complex as you’d want it to be, feeling like you accomplished something without feeling overwhelming.

A Dance with Dragons

I should mention there is also a crafting system, though I couldn’t understand its usefulness. You’ll find great gear out in the open environments of each region, and it’s all pretty good stuff. I wanted to interact with this system more, but I couldn’t help feeling it was a waste of my time and Arlo’s money. I only really crafted for the sake of trophies. The monster hunting bosses seemed to have armor that outclassed anything the blacksmith at Winter’s Edge could put together.

The Winds of Winter

Tails of Iron II: Whiskers of Winter is more of the first game, but improved in most ways. There are some disappointments like crafting or the elemental affinities, but these are so minor compared to the positives. Exploring this exciting universe with exquisite narration is a delight, as is the surprisingly good story around it. The combat is improved, and maintains the perfect level of challenge. I’m already looking forward to my next journey into the Ratdom.

To hear me talk more about Tails of Iron II: Whiskers of Winter, be sure to listen to the February 6, 2025 episode of The Gaming Outsider podcast around the 53:52 time stamp.

This review is based on a purchased copy of Tails of Iron II: Whiskers of Winter on PlayStation 5. It is also available on PlayStation 4, Xbox, Nintendo Switch, and PC via Steam and Epic Games Store.