The original Tails of Iron, for me, was a bit of a first step in not only accepting but also liking what could be considered a “Souls-like” challenge. Granted, I’ll openly admit that pretty well every significant step along the way was an arduous ordeal, but I could respect its overall simplicity, tight controls, and general story that helped to make everything come together. Now, with the arrival of its sequel, the call for bravery and determination in the face of pretty intense opposition has returned with a vengeance.

As with the original, the sequel’s presentation is exceptional, both looking and sounding great, which really helps to pull you into the experience even as it is kicking your butt. Your journey will take you to multiple lands which each have their own overall look, flair, and enemies to do battle with, though the exploration component is a bit more limited than I’d like, mostly just consisting of going back and forth and finding a spot here and there, slightly hidden from view. To go along with matching up against so many foes you’ll also have the opportunity to find and try out a fair variety of gear, hopefully consistently finding things that suit your style, whether more light and nimble or heavy and powerful.

That leads into what will likely make or break the average gamer’s interest in this follow-up, and that’s its difficulty with regards to combat. The good news is that there are 3 levels to choose from, and rest assured that picking the lowest level is by no means wimping out. There isn’t much of a ramp up before you’ll hit a wall of serious combat, and so much of your success is dependent on having a weapon that suits you, and then becoming comfortable with your enemies’ attack patterns. Color-coding will help you understand how best to evade or counter their strikes, but the penalties for mistakes can be pretty unforgiving. Patience and persistence tend to be the key, but sometimes perhaps walking away and collecting yourself may be necessary, especially in the typically daunting boss battles.

In the end, I can absolutely understand how quickly some people could be turned off by Whiskers of Winter’s punishing nature. It isn’t an experience geared for everyone, it’s looking to cater to challenge hounds who will take the time to embrace its combat and weather the pain of repeated failure. If you’re willing to stick with it though, it’s a well-written and narrated adventure that looks and sounds great, so you’ll just have to use your personal threshold for pain to help decide whether it’s for you or not.