A.O.T. 2: Final Battle - Switch

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A.O.T. 2: Final Battle (Switch)
Also for: PS4, Xbox One
Viewed: 3D Third-person, over the shoulder Genre:
Adventure
Beat 'Em Up: Hack and Slash
Shoot 'Em Up
Media: Cartridge Arcade origin:No
Developer: Omega Force Soft. Co.: Koei Tecmo Europe
Publishers: Koei Tecmo Europe (GB)
Released: 5 Jul 2019 (GB)
Ratings: PEGI 18+
Connectivity: Save data cloud
Accessories: Nintendo Switch Pro Controller
Features: Handheld Mode, TV Mode, Tabletop Mode

Summary

Technically speaking, Final Battle is an expansion pack for A.O.T. 2. With the amount of new content packed in, though, you could more or less think of it as a full-blooded sequel in its own right.

Narratively, the reason for Final Battle to exist is that it adds content pulled from season three of Attack on Titan to the story of seasons one and two. You can access all three seasons, shown from three different perspectives, and get stuck in with your favourite characters as horrific giants pound at the walls keeping humanity safe.

There's more here than just new story content, though. Combat is changed significantly thanks to two new features. The first is the addition of guns to your traditional arsenal of blades. It changes combat significantly - you can now launch ranged attacks while you're zipping around on your wires, adding a whole new dimension to the action (you also have the devastating addition of thunder spears, which can take down a small titan with a single hit!). There's also human on human combat in the mix now, which is a lot faster moving and will almost certainly require some gunplay if you don't want to die quickly.

The other big addition is territory mode. This ditches AOT canon in favour of a more sandbox-y type approach. Your job is to take back territory occupied by the titans and as you go about your business you'll interact with all sorts of new characters from the series, whether they're dead or alive, creating opportunities for unique meetings between characters who've never come across each other. You'll also get the opportunity to create your own base camp, dishing up assignments to personnel, customising your own regiments and doing some crafting. Fans of base-building from the Metal Gear series will feel right at home.

There's something here for newcomers, too. A regular grumble among fans is that combat can be a bit tough for the uninitiated, so the team have added in a 'control assistance' feature, which lets you target and attack from one button with no fiddly timing needed.

Final Battle might, strictly speaking, be an expansion, but it's a beast of one.