Presenting a combination of monster breeding and RPG elements, Jade Cocoon 2 expands upon Genki's original title in a number of significant ways. Gameplay comprises a familiar mix of storytelling and monster raising, with significant tweaks implemented for good measure. The town acts as your base of operations and it's here you can stock up on supplies, or take jobs for which you can earn money and build a reputation. The latter proves vital as it's directly related to the number of monsters you can use in battle. The successful completion of certain tests rewards you with the ability to command more beasts -- up to a maximum of 12 at once, however, you can only take these tests when your reputation is high enough. These trials take place in the Arena, which is also home to Beast Hunter battles, where you can test your mettle against fellow Beast Hunters. Monster eggs are found on your travels and can be hatched in the Room of Life; an all-encompassing monster management room that provides detailed information on the beasts and allows you to merge them, creating hybrid creatures. The monsters now also evolve over time. Your amulet consists of 12 slots, three for each of the four elements. Your creatures are placed in positions on the amulet corresponding to their position in battle, and during combat they'll attack the enemy and defend you from harm. Their amulet position also dictates the effectiveness of their elemental powers. The storyline starts 100 years after the original adventure, with the Cocoon Masters having become the stuff of myth and legend. Beast Hunters are the modern equivalent, and players take on the role of Kahu; an aspirant Beast Hunter. A chance encounter results in Kahu being cursed, and he, along with a fairy named Nico, must rid his body of the curse or die. Levant (the original title's protagonist) is now a guardian and acts as your guide.
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All in all I still loved playing it, so I'm gonna try to break down pros and cons (for me, at least) without writting a wall of text here.
PROS
+It's intriguing to see your divine beasts evolve as you go.
+Combat format is unique (not saying it's good). You don't see that in a lot of games and it's refreshing. You can like it. I for the most part do.
+Breeding system can get adicting and it's interesting to try and get all divine beasts, or at least try a wide variety.
+The game retains that feeling of old style gaming, where things aren't as explained and you don't know all the info of how it all works. You try and make the best of what you have based on how you think things work.
CONS
-Dungeons can get repetitive real quick, as you do the same most of the time with little variations.
-Battle system feels limited by how it's designed. One skill per monster per side, no targeting, and no normal attack until out of MP is not for everyone. It can be enjoyed tho.
-Dialogue in this game. IS. ATROCIOUS. I couldn't do it worse even if I tried. It feels forced and tells nothing of interest most of the time. Nico is a savage with no feelings.
-Even normal battles can last very long if battling vs the wrong enemy (battling 3 divine monsters whose only attack is to sleep your party until they run out of MP, everytime, everyfight, is not my definition of fun).
-As I stated earlier, the game is pretty obscure about a lot of mechanics or how it works half the time. It could be as charming as much as a freaking nightmare.
only thing that bothered me here were that the dungeons werent as beautifully and differently designed as in 1. the charme 1 had is not easy to recreate and they failed here, but its still a pretty cool game!