A Class Reunion You'll Actually Want to Attend: A Class of Heroes 2G: Remastered Edition Review

By Manuel

Players: 1
Platforms: Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 5, PC

I've already mentioned my love of the first two Class of Heroes titles in my review of the first game (Which can be found HERE), but I think it's the sequel where things really get interesting. Rounding out the new PQube-published Class of Heroes re-releases is Class of Heroes 2G: Remastered Edition available now for the Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 5, and PC. We will once again be taking a look at the Nintendo Switch release, but I'm sure most of what I'm going to say will apply to both versions. I already know that this is going to be a long one, so let's jump right into it!

The principal is an alcoholic!

Costini is always welcoming to near-dead heroes.

The Class of Heroes series isn't exactly known for its strong stories, and Class of Heroes 2G is no different in that regard. You play as a new student at Crostini Academy, and you're tasked with creating and guiding a group of fellow students on the road to becoming the best adventurers the world has ever seen. Once again I'm a little confused as to who exactly it is that you're playing as, since you're addressed directly by several NPCs before you even assemble your first party of adventurers. Third party protagonist or not, neither you nor the characters you create have any particular role to play within the story itself, instead things are driven forward by the game's many NPCs. It probably goes without saying that the cast is just as colorful this time around, with fellow student Olive being your main point of contact between the Academy and your party. There are several more students and teachers for you to get to know as well. There's the silly dwarf student Coppa, the wishes-he-was-a-fairy laboratory instructor Giorgio, the unbeatable swordsmaster Dante, the slightly creepy Vice Principal Vese, the rather sus health teacher Galenus, and plenty of others that I don't have time to discuss. Class of Heroes 2G has dozens of characters of all types, and I'm pleased to say that they're all well-written and easy to love. While I do think that these characters do a good job driving the game forward, the school setting does feel a bit removed from the gameplay. I praised the first game for integrating the Academy itself into most of its other systems, but there's quite a bit of less of that here. While there probably won't be many stretches of the game where you're not reminded that you're simply a group of students, it doesn't really give players the same feeling of your adventures taking the place of attending classes or taking tests. I guess one could just imagine the entire game as a series of afterschool sessions, but I do think it's a missed opportunity to expand on what the first game provided.

In my review for Class of Heroes I discussed my history with the series, and my many biases between the first two games. I basically stated that I loved both games for different reasons, but I feel that Class of Heroes 2G is where the series really gets off the ground. Even though that may sound like I played the second game far more than the first, that wasn't actually the case. I don't want to get too deep into the weeds when it comes to details that don't matter, but it took years for me to finally get my hands on Class of Heroes 2. Basically the original PSP and PS3 versions of the game were released in very limited physical versions only to people who preordered them from a company known as GaijinWorks. This release (at least the PSP version) was first mentioned back in 2009/10, but it wasn't until 2013 that players in the West were able to finally play it. I was indeed one of the lucky few who got both physical releases, but I played them both digitally to preserve what are probably some of the rarest games I own. I immediately fell in love with the original PSP version, but initially cut my time with it short when I learned that an updated PS3 release was coming soon. This release was the actually the one we're reviewing today, and it included all sorts of additions and even full voice acting. Though I did play that one too, I never really strayed from the PSP version. The problem was that by 2013 I wasn't really playing my PSP. I basically only kept it around for Class of Heroes 2, and that meant that my time with it was far more limited than the first game. That didn't mean I didn't enjoy it far more than the first, but I figured it was worth pointing out that my biases aren't based simply on having played one more than the other. With all that in mind, I'll try to keep my comparisons as relevant as possible, and my biases to a minimum.

Olive is new best girl!

Fast travel is such a time saver.

I could very easily make this review twice as long by simply rehashing what I've already said about gameplay in my review for the first Class of Heroes game. Rather than doing that, I think I’m going to instead focus on discussing what this game does differently, and provide context as needed. While both Class of Heroes games are dungeon crawlers, I like to think of the first one as being heavily influenced by the unforgiving classic Wizardry games, while this one goes for a more player-friendly approach. The steep learning curve is still there, and you'll more than likely have a few encounters that take out your entire party in one fell swoop, but Class of Heroes 2G does a much better job when it comes to establishing better difficulty and progression balance. You once again assemble a party of up to six adventurers, and this time the default party is not complete expulsion-worthy trash. I actually used the default characters as my main party for the purposes of this review, and it's not a bad idea for players new to the genre/series to do the same. If you choose to create your own characters, you'll find that there's a lot of new additions this time around. All the races return, but their bonuses and weaknesses are better implemented, and there is far more variety within the character classes. I mentioned most of the notable races the first time around, but it's worth mentioning that there aren't as many "obvious" classes certain races are forced into. Fairies are still mainly magic users, dwarves still have high strength and the like, Elves make good rangers as always, but you can more realistically put most any race into any class if you have enough patience and determination. Besides the obvious classes like fighter, monk, mage, and ranger, you can also create ninjas, puppeteers, and idols. There are also advanced classes that require stat minimums that have to be met by levelling up in an adjacent class. Each race and class feel far more unique this time around, and there doesn't seem to be as much pointless filler. I did find it a bit odd that just about every class learns magic even if it doesn't seem like they should (Looking at you fighter!), but I guess class growth of that kind isn't exactly anything to complain about.

The first boss is really hard!

Other towns have limited resources.

Character creation and party balance isn't the only way the game is improved, as there are several other quality of life changes that speedline adventuring. For example, magic no longer has a per use cost but uses MP instead. This change means that magic users are far more useful early on as they aren't limited to just two or three spells before they have to rest. Exploration is made easier as fast travel can be achieved once you purchase an area's map and have filled in the relevant areas. This makes the frequent retreads through lower level areas far less of a chore in the long run. The entire alchemy system is made more streamlined, and you no longer have to identify materials before they can be used. Getting rid of that identify step not only ensures that players will actually use the alchemy mechanic, but it's also a big weight lifted off the party's budget. Then there's the alignment system that's been made more refined, which along with synergy is made far less important than it was in the first game. That may sound like a negative, but it actually means that gambits can be used far more frequently, and that you'll have access to more of them too. I can go on like this, but I think you get the point regarding this game's improvements. It almost feels as if the developers put out a survey asking what players didn't particularly enjoy in the first game, and then actually worked to improve the game based on those suggestions. I don't want to make it sound like it's all a cakewalk now, because it really isn't. There simply far fewer aspects of the game that seem to work against players this time around.

Considering the fact that you'll be spending much of your time in dungeons, let's discuss those for a bit. While they pretty much operate the same as they did in the first game, there are some changes worth mentioning. While I already discussed the fast travel bit earlier, the map system makes things far more accessible to the player. You can see warp tiles and traps on the maps, and there are even notations on each exit that indicate where they lead. The first dungeon in the game, The Forest of Beginnings, is also probably the best intro to the game that once could hope for. It seems large and expansive when you first enter it, but you'll quickly learn the layout of its four regions in no time. It also serves as an indirect tutorial to multiple game mechanics as you'll learn about different tile types, monster encounter spaces, the floating mechanic, and even how event squares work. It's a fun little area that you'll see a lot as you'll be forced to pass through it several times in the early game in order to get to the more advanced dungeons in the game. The repeated pass-throughs were rather enjoyable though, as there's probably no better feeling of accomplishment than plowing through enemy encounters that used to give you trouble. There will definitely still be times where you get find yourself in a jam several maps deep, but this is no trial-by-fire first dungeon. Even when you get beyond that dungeon, don't expect to get your entire party stuck in a hopeless situation like you could in the first game either. Hell, I'm not even sure this game even has a party rescue mechanic because I never once had to use it.

The bulletin board is important for progress.

Don't forget about alchemy!

Class of Heroes 2G is a very non-linear game, and its story is mainly told via a series of quests. This is my cue to once again say that I miss how integrated the school aspect was in the first game's main questlines. While you still get all your quests from fellow students and faculty, there inclusion could very well be an afterthought. That not to say that the quests here aren't without their own charm. What Class of Heroes 2G ditches in keeping the framing up at all times, it gains in sheer characterization and world-building. Many quests will introduce you to new characters in very a natural way, and you'll come to learn all about them the more you complete their requests. Even though the game feels like it moves quite a bit faster than the first, it has a much bigger world that features many more dungeons, more cities, and even three schools. The other two academies don't come into play until quite a bit into the game, but they're a neat addition nonetheless. Early on you'll find that you have to finish every quest in order for the story to progress, but things become more open-ended as the game goes on. Nearly half the game is made up of optional quests and areas, but I think that's one of the things that makes this sequel far greater. You can never have too much of a good thing, right?

I guess all my talk about gameplay in Class of Heroes 2G is circling around to the point that this probably the single best example of a dungeon crawling RPG of its era that you're likely to ever play. While I wouldn't say that it's perfect, I would say that it's damn near close. It surpasses the first game in just about every way, and maybe is only outdone by its own sequel. (Note: I have yet to play Class of Heroes 3.) I pointed out in my review for the first game that I'd refrain from talking too much about this one, but it seems that I didn't hold myself to that same standard in the writing of this review. I guess that has more to do with the both games being released back-to-back this time around, but it also has to do with the fact that Class of Heroes 2G feels more like an improved redux of the first game rather than a true sequel. There's obviously different characters and a different story here, but everything about it seems to be an attempt to perfect the first game's formula rather than attempting a true follow-up. This was actually a problem I had when I played the game back on the PSP, as it simply replaced Class of Heroes in my rotation in a way that sequels usually don't. I guess what I'm trying to say is that if you're only planning on playing one Class of Heroes game, make it Class of Heroes 2G. You really won't regret it. Now excuse me as I slowly regret making that point in a review that's only about halfway done.

Not weird at all...

Everyone is named after food.

Seeing as both Class of Heroes games have very similar art styles, you'd think I'd have to say that they both fare about the same when it comes to visuals, but I'd still have to give Class of Heroes 2G the edge. Not only do the character, monster, and area designs all look as good as the first game, but there are far more of them too. While I still have the same gripe regarding the rather limited character portraits, the game makes up for it with just about everything else it offers. There's more detail to everything, less reliance on text-only menus, and the various dungeons and base locations have their own distinct look and feel. Simply put, the world feels more fleshed out in ways that are hard to explain. Races like the dwarves, felpurrs, and fairies felt rather generic the first time around, here they have personalities all their own. That may sound like a point that shouldn't be included in a discussion on visuals, but you'll see what I mean once you start meeting students of the various races. I guess I have to say that I miss not having a robust image gallery in this one, but not only is that a rather small issue in the grand scheme of things, but I'm also not sure it won't unlock once I fully beat the game. There still isn't a lot in the way of actual animation, but one could make the point that it's a limitation that's present in many other titles in the genre. Also, while I would definitely expect things to be far more impressive if this was a newly released game in 2024, we have to of course remember that this is an update of a game that's well over a decade old. In that regard I guess we can forgive its few graphical shortcomings, even though I don't think any concession needs to be made in regard to the game's visuals.

Going along with the overall theme of the review, I have pretty much nothing negative to say about the music or sound design in Class of Heroes 2G. The soundtrack is perfect for what it is, even if I do sometimes think that the dungeon music is a bit too dramatic and ominous than it needs to be. Thanks to the overall length of the game, the soundtrack is quite large, and there isn't a bad track in the bunch. In fact, there are several that were stuck in my head throughout my time writing this review. I often say things like: "I'm going to go pick up this soundtrack after I'm done with the game!" but in this case I already have it. The limited PSP release I mentioned earlier came with a 2-Disc soundtrack, and it's been one of my favorites throughout the years. And that's just talking about the instrumentals. The opening cutscene and closing credits feature amazing vocal tracks that have seen heavy rotation in my video game playlists. If that were all I had to say about things it would be fine enough, but unlike the original Class of Heroes, this game is fully voiced. This little touch of presentation brings the entire world to life, and it's one of the main reasons why I keep going back to the fact that I love the game's characters. They're just made all the more memorable and endearing through the voice acting. Admittedly there is no English dub option, but that's never been an issue for me. That said, it would've been nice to have included an English-language option since the game was getting the remastered treatment. Once again, I have nothing at all bad to say about the sound in Class of Heroes 2G, and I encourage everyone to grab its soundtrack after you're done with this review!

WTF are these?!?!

I think this is all a Wizardy VI/VII reference.

I mentioned in my review for the first Class of Heroes game that one of the few things it had over its sequel was its difficulty and hardcore dungeon crawling nature. I have yet to personally compare the two games in regards to how long it takes to clear everything in each of them, but I can say that they both square up rather evenly when it comes down to their runtime. Even though Class of Heroes 2G is a lot smoother in its progression and difficulty, it stuffs in far more content than the first game. There are many more dungeons to explore, more locations to see, dozens of party combinations to try out, and it's simply the more enjoyable experience overall. The biggest factor has to be that it cares far more about your time than the first game did. You can probably clear the main storyline in about 30 hours if you're just running through the main questline, but you're looking at well over 50 hours if you really want to see everything the game has to offer. I never actually completed the game fully back on the PSP, but I recall putting in about that many hours nonetheless. This is quite the time sink of a game, but none of the time spent on it feels like filler. Considering that both Class of Heroes games currently come with the same $19.99 price tag, it probably makes sense as to which game I suggest you go with if you're only going to get one. Once again, they're both great and offer their own unique gameplay quirks, but Class of Heroes 2G is a must buy for fans of dungeon crawling RPGs.

Always keep your guard up.

Beware Dante!

I'm sure it comes as no surprise that I give Class of Heroes 2G: Remastered Edition the highest of recommendations. It's an amazing game that has truly held up over the years, and it's an excellent dungeon crawling RPG. Getting to play it again was a delight, and I hope that this means that we'll be getting the third game in the series soon. I didn't mention it earlier, but there's actually a more recent spin-off game in the series that players might want to check out once they clear this. It's called Adventure Academia, and you can find our review of it HERE. Anyway, grab this one on whatever platform you can and thank me later. Just make sure you're not late to class or Dante will make sure you pay for it!

Check Out Class of Heroes 2G: Remastered Edition on Nintendo Switch:
https://www.nintendo.com/us/store/products/class-of-heroes-2g-remaster-edition-switch/

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Story: A-
Gameplay: A
Graphics: A
Music/Sound: A
Value: A+

Overall: A

Pros:
+ A near perfect dungeon crawling RPG that improves on the first game in just about every way.
+ Hits the perfect difficulty balance where things never feel too easy or difficult.
+ Great monster, character, and dungeon designs make this a feast for the eyes.
+ Not only does the game feature an amazing soundtrack, but it's fully voice acted too.
+ Even though it moves far faster than the first game, it still features about double the content.
+ Advanced character classes, optimized party setups, and a rich alchemy system give players a lot to dive into.
+ At just $19.99, it's a must buy for any fan of the genre.

Cons:
- Even though it's better balanced overall, it still has a rather steep learning curve.
- While there aren't any character classes that feel useless this time around, there are some that feel far more overpowered than others.
- Definitely more heavy on gameplay over story, so it may not be for those looking for a more plot-driven experience.
- Though it didn't bother me at all, the game doesn't have an English-language dub.

A copy of this game was provided to us free-of-charge by the publisher for the purpose of this review. This did not affect our review in any way.

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This game even has its own Tingle!

#ClassOfHeroes2