Completing missions earns experience points, as the Aragami now levels up RPG-style rather than finding hidden scrolls to learn abilities, and can be replayed to chase a higher success rank or earn extra experience to level grind.

While the original told a fairly guided, linear story, Aragami 2 instead opts for a mission-based approach with the village elder, Katashi, sending you off to investigate Akatsuchi’s movements or rescue villagers. Drawn to Kakurega Village, a small town entirely populated by fellow shadow people, you’ll learn that not only is the population slowly losing their memories but the entire Rashomon Valley is under threat from a faction knows as the Akatsuchi. Players take on the role of an Aragami – a being seemingly made of shadows – after awakening from a bloody skirmish. Just about everything else about the game has changed, from its stealth mechanics and power sets to the very structure of the game itself. Returning players will find Aragami 2 an almost shocking departure from its predecessor, to the extent that its red-and-black garbed protagonist is about the only solid link. In some respects, coming in blind might be preferable, as the two games are almost as different as night and day – for better and worse.

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Barcelona-based developer Lince Works stepped out of the shadows with a beautiful, cel-shaded shinobi saga that weaved a fable of umbral warriors and kidnapped maidens in a mystical not-quite-Japan world, which coupled with pure stealth gameplay to win the studio a legion of fans. Fittingly for a stealth game, the original Aragami was something of a sleeper hit when it arrived in 2016.

Aragami 2 outfits