Opinions on this game are pretty spilt, but personally I feel like I slightly prefer this game to the original.
The first game was phenomenal, and I feel like the direction they went in with this game just ended up being more interesting to me personally. Themes regarding dualism and grief were pretty prevalent and intriguing to see played out. The twist was done well, though a few tweaks should’ve been in order.
Honestly the thing I ended up liking the most about this game was Ryuki and seeing how certain events played out with him. I was really invested in learning more about him as a character, though I felt as if he was a little underutilized. The new cast members were pretty great for the most part. I really wasn’t expecting to get as attached to some characters as I ended up being.
As for somniums, while a ton are more linear, I still feel like they’re better overall. I felt like I had more fun this time around and actually had to problem solve as opposed to investigating everything I could until something inevitably worked. The Unlimited Somnium feature was also a neat quality-of-life add on.
Story-wise I just felt more invested throughout. The downtime didn’t overstay its welcome and allowed for the story to progress without ever feeling like a slog.
While the game does have a few glaring flaws, they didn’t end up ruining my experience of the game. The highs felt incredibly high, and the lows only really ended up being more prevalent in retrospect.
I’d say that you should at least give this game a chance and see what it has to offer.
There’s a ton of intriguing messaging hidden within the seams.