Ah, I always wondered what would happen when Kairosoft would make a more 3D-esque game. Well, Sword and Fairy Inn 2 deliver on this aspect. But can it live up to its predecessor? Let’s find out and dive inn! (Ha.).
Alright – I have to be honest with you. Before picking up this game, I had no clue what the Sword and Fairy series was about. I thought it looked cute, and I like games set in these management settings. But then I googled a few things about the franchise and was overwhelmed with information. To give a bit of context, I’ll do a quick rundown of what the series is about before diving into the game series itself.
The Legend of Sword and Fairy
Oke – rundown time:
The Legend of Sword and Fairy (Chinese: 仙劍奇俠傳; pinyin: Xiānjiàn Qíxiá Zhuàn), also known as Sword and Fairy or Chinese Paladin, is a Chinese language fantasy video game series/media franchise centered on a series of nine Chinese mythology/xianxia-themed adventure role-playing computer games created by Yao Zhuangxian and developed by Taiwanese game company Softstar Entertainment. Additionally, there are numerous spin-off online games, mobile games, live-action television series, web series, comic books, novels, and stage productions adapted from the main games, as well as associated fan fiction, artbooks, soundtracks, and collectible merchandise such as figurines, action figures, and plush dolls.
The eponymous first game in the series was published by Softstar’s “Crazy Boyz” team (狂徒創作群) in 1995, became both a commercial and critical success, and multiple sequels have been spawned due to its popularity. The video game series has since branched into other genres, such as business simulation, MMORPG, and card games. It has been widely regarded as one of the most iconic Chinese RPG series ever made and is one of the so-called “Twin Swords of Softstar” (大宇雙劍) along with the sister Xuan-Yuan Sword series.
Fast forward to 2023, and the mainline series published over ten mainline games, fourteen spin-off games, and many other media (like stageplays, comic books, etc). Sword and Fairy Inn 2 combines all these facets and brings together familiar faces from across the Sword and Fairy universe to come together to run an inn and build a happy life. What you get with Sword and Fairy Inn 2 is a cute and casual life simulation RPG that combines various gameplay mechanics in an adorable chibi style! Manage a family restaurant, travel the world to find legendary kitchenware, trade special food items, grow crops, play mini-games, and more! But above all else, you’ll need to make sure your customers are happy with the services you provide, which will bring more people to the village and make your inn a bustling success story.
Gameplay
As you manage the inn, you can assign specific roles to each character you meet and recruit. As you progress, you’ll learn more about your companions – their goals, personalities, skills, and often-comical flaws. This is a lighthearted take on the Sword and Fairy world, comforting and familiar for long-time fans but also welcoming newcomers. Remember that my opinion of the game is based on no experience with the source material or other games in the series. What immediately helped in my case was my vast experience with Kairosoft games; just like those titles, Sword and Fairy Inn 2 throws you into the deep end without much help or tutorial sense, which made my first run a bit hard.
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uckily I’m also here to provide some helpful tips for players that may not be immediately obvious. In order to set the work day to “auto”, you need to assign a staff member as the manager. Tips must still be collected manually by tapping/clicking on them. When the game notifies you that you can recruit, you must visit the lounge and speak to the NPC before sending a staff member to town to hire new recruits. It’s important not to overlook the training and cleaning of various rooms in the inn. If you’re running low on materials, you can purchase them in town or grow them on a farm. These tips are often missed since there is no tutorial available – but make your gameplay run a whole lot better.
Conclusion
So to conclude – when you’re picking up this title, it’s good to keep in mind that this is not a full sequel to the original Sword and Fairy Inn game. In comparison, this is more like an idle clicker mobile game. Not that strange, since this release is a direct port from the mobile version. This results in a storyline that’s probably only interesting to people that know the series by heart. Many mechanics and features feel early access; and if you search for something in this particular genre, you should probably look into the Kairosoft games.
