An action RPG with bite
By Paul Hunter
Tails of Iron 2: Whiskers of Winter is a 2D action RPG developed by Odd Bug Studio and published by United Label. It’s the follow-up to 2021’s Tails of Iron, known for its gritty setting and punishing gameplay. This time around, the story shifts to a frozen frontier where a new rat hero named Arlo must defend his ruined homeland from a monstrous bat invasion. Built on hand-drawn visuals and a deliberate, weighty combat mechanic, the game wears its inspirations proudly—borrowing from well-known action RPGs and adapting those ideas into a side-scrolling format that feels both familiar and distinct.
Odd Bug Studio keeps things personal in scope. You don’t get sprawling maps or huge character rosters. Instead, Whiskers of Winter focuses on tight battles, light exploration, and collecting just enough gear and materials to push forward. It offers just the right amount of challenge and simplicity to stay welcoming without losing its bite. Whether or not you’ve played the original, this sequel stands strong on its own, making it easy to dive in without missing a beat.
There’s a lot to say about how the game blends different ideas into its rodent-sized world. From icy ruins to insect-filled caves, does this sequel manage to sharpen its claws and improve on what came before—or does it slip on the snow? Let's take a look!
Tails of Iron 2 shifts away from the frog-filled swamps of the first game and brings you into a bleak, snow-covered region ruled by Arlo’s family. Things don’t stay peaceful for long. Arlo’s father, the Warden of the Wastes, is slain in an early ambush by the invading Dark Wings—a brutal army of bats. His home fortress is left in ruins, and the responsibility to rebuild, rally allies, and seek revenge falls on Arlo’s small but determined shoulders.
The overall plot is straightforward. You travel through several animal kingdoms, including burrowing rabbits, owl scholars, and the remnants of a fallen frog empire, gathering support and resources to fight back. While the story rarely surprises, it’s told with sincerity. Key moments hit harder thanks to the moody backdrop and quiet confidence of the lead character. Despite the absence of traditional dialogue, the world-building does a decent job of filling in the blanks, especially for returning fans. Those who played the first game will notice a few nods to past events, but they never get in the way for new gamers.
Doug Cockle returns as the gravel-voiced narrator, and his delivery carries the story forward. He’s your main guide since the animals don’t talk—instead, they squeak, chirp, or growl, with symbols popping up in speech bubbles to hint at objectives. It’s a clever touch in theory, though not always clear in execution. Some emotional scenes don’t land quite right due to this style, but they keep the pacing snappy.
The tone walks a strange line. One minute, you’ll see a brutal execution. The next, a pun will sneak into the narration. This inconsistency can be distracting, but it improves in the second half. The final missions, in particular, manage to feel large and purposeful without dragging on too long.
What’s most impressive is how much ground the story covers across a modest runtime. You’ll see kingdoms rise and fall, uncover strange lore, and lead a rebellion in under 15 hours. It never overstays its welcome and keeps the focus where it matters—on Arlo’s journey and the animal world around him, scarred and snowy as it may be.
Tails of Iron 2 describes itself as a 2D action RPG, but it borrows smartly from some heavyweight franchises. You’ll recognize hints of Dark Souls in the parry-focused gameplay and checkpoint benches, but there’s also a dose of Monster Hunter in the gear crafting, elemental weapons, and giant creature fights.
Combat stays at the forefront as you juggle between light and heavy weapons, your trusty shield, and ranged tools like a bow or blunderbuss. Each attack from enemies is signposted by coloured flashes—white for blockable projectiles, yellow for parries, red for unavoidable hits. Early on, I gracefully took a beating during boss fights. But after dying a few times to a frost-breathing bat, I finally nailed the timing and walked away without barely a scratch. That felt great.
Checkpoints are generous. You won’t need to slog through long stretches just to retry a boss. Load times are short, which helps take the sting out of repeated deaths. The healing system adds a neat risk-reward layer. Your flask restores health slowly and leaves you vulnerable, so choosing when to use it can decide a fight. It reminded me of that one time I limped through a multi-stage WereOwl battle with barely a sliver of health, waiting for the right second to chug and survive the next hit. That sort of moment sticks with you.
Beyond the brawling, you’ll also explore multiple biomes, each with its own look, materials, and enemy types. Between battles, you can upgrade your gear using monster parts, unlock elemental enhancements, and even track down large roaming beasts that flee mid-fight—classic Monster Hunter behaviour. There are also environmental traps and a few basic magic abilities, which become useful as fights become more complex. Even with all these tools, the game never feels bloated.
The equipment you find offer some cosmetic variety, but their mechanical differences are minimal. Light, medium, and heavy categories don’t change your movement much, so it’s more about style than substance. That said, when everything clicks—dodging through fire, parrying a hammer strike, landing a final blow—it’s just plain fun.
Tails of Iron 2 makes a strong first impression with its meticulously crafted art and layered environments. Every area—from icy mountains to swampy ruins—feels like a physical storybook, packed with tiny details that reward a closer look. The colour palette leans muted and weathered, fitting the bleak atmosphere without feeling washed out. Character designs strike a neat balance between cute and grim, which can be a bit unsettling during some of the more violent scenes.
On the audio side, the game emphasizes atmosphere over music. You’ll mostly hear ambient sound—armour clanking, weapons scraping, or distant creature roars. When music does show up, it’s often tied to boss battles or environmental cues. One memorable fight featured a bat army rocking out in the background, which gave the encounter a weirdly fun edge. Still, if you're expecting a sweeping soundtrack, this might feel a bit sparse.
From a technical standpoint, the game runs well. Frame rates stay stable, even during chaotic fights with multiple enemies and effects flying across the screen. Load times are short, and transitions between areas are brief.
All considered, the world is consistently visually interesting from start to finish. Whether you're wandering through a snowy rat fortress or creeping through a spider-infested tunnel, there’s always something cool to look at, even when the story takes a backseat.
Final Score: 8/10 - Great
Developer: Odd Bug Studio
Publisher: United Label
Genre: Action Role-Playing
Modes: Single-player
A key was provided by the publisher.
By Paul Hunter
Tails of Iron 2: Whiskers of Winter is a 2D action RPG developed by Odd Bug Studio and published by United Label. It’s the follow-up to 2021’s Tails of Iron, known for its gritty setting and punishing gameplay. This time around, the story shifts to a frozen frontier where a new rat hero named Arlo must defend his ruined homeland from a monstrous bat invasion. Built on hand-drawn visuals and a deliberate, weighty combat mechanic, the game wears its inspirations proudly—borrowing from well-known action RPGs and adapting those ideas into a side-scrolling format that feels both familiar and distinct.
Odd Bug Studio keeps things personal in scope. You don’t get sprawling maps or huge character rosters. Instead, Whiskers of Winter focuses on tight battles, light exploration, and collecting just enough gear and materials to push forward. It offers just the right amount of challenge and simplicity to stay welcoming without losing its bite. Whether or not you’ve played the original, this sequel stands strong on its own, making it easy to dive in without missing a beat.
There’s a lot to say about how the game blends different ideas into its rodent-sized world. From icy ruins to insect-filled caves, does this sequel manage to sharpen its claws and improve on what came before—or does it slip on the snow? Let's take a look!
Tails of Iron 2 shifts away from the frog-filled swamps of the first game and brings you into a bleak, snow-covered region ruled by Arlo’s family. Things don’t stay peaceful for long. Arlo’s father, the Warden of the Wastes, is slain in an early ambush by the invading Dark Wings—a brutal army of bats. His home fortress is left in ruins, and the responsibility to rebuild, rally allies, and seek revenge falls on Arlo’s small but determined shoulders.
The overall plot is straightforward. You travel through several animal kingdoms, including burrowing rabbits, owl scholars, and the remnants of a fallen frog empire, gathering support and resources to fight back. While the story rarely surprises, it’s told with sincerity. Key moments hit harder thanks to the moody backdrop and quiet confidence of the lead character. Despite the absence of traditional dialogue, the world-building does a decent job of filling in the blanks, especially for returning fans. Those who played the first game will notice a few nods to past events, but they never get in the way for new gamers.
Doug Cockle returns as the gravel-voiced narrator, and his delivery carries the story forward. He’s your main guide since the animals don’t talk—instead, they squeak, chirp, or growl, with symbols popping up in speech bubbles to hint at objectives. It’s a clever touch in theory, though not always clear in execution. Some emotional scenes don’t land quite right due to this style, but they keep the pacing snappy.
The tone walks a strange line. One minute, you’ll see a brutal execution. The next, a pun will sneak into the narration. This inconsistency can be distracting, but it improves in the second half. The final missions, in particular, manage to feel large and purposeful without dragging on too long.
What’s most impressive is how much ground the story covers across a modest runtime. You’ll see kingdoms rise and fall, uncover strange lore, and lead a rebellion in under 15 hours. It never overstays its welcome and keeps the focus where it matters—on Arlo’s journey and the animal world around him, scarred and snowy as it may be.
Tails of Iron 2 describes itself as a 2D action RPG, but it borrows smartly from some heavyweight franchises. You’ll recognize hints of Dark Souls in the parry-focused gameplay and checkpoint benches, but there’s also a dose of Monster Hunter in the gear crafting, elemental weapons, and giant creature fights.
Combat stays at the forefront as you juggle between light and heavy weapons, your trusty shield, and ranged tools like a bow or blunderbuss. Each attack from enemies is signposted by coloured flashes—white for blockable projectiles, yellow for parries, red for unavoidable hits. Early on, I gracefully took a beating during boss fights. But after dying a few times to a frost-breathing bat, I finally nailed the timing and walked away without barely a scratch. That felt great.
Checkpoints are generous. You won’t need to slog through long stretches just to retry a boss. Load times are short, which helps take the sting out of repeated deaths. The healing system adds a neat risk-reward layer. Your flask restores health slowly and leaves you vulnerable, so choosing when to use it can decide a fight. It reminded me of that one time I limped through a multi-stage WereOwl battle with barely a sliver of health, waiting for the right second to chug and survive the next hit. That sort of moment sticks with you.
Beyond the brawling, you’ll also explore multiple biomes, each with its own look, materials, and enemy types. Between battles, you can upgrade your gear using monster parts, unlock elemental enhancements, and even track down large roaming beasts that flee mid-fight—classic Monster Hunter behaviour. There are also environmental traps and a few basic magic abilities, which become useful as fights become more complex. Even with all these tools, the game never feels bloated.
The equipment you find offer some cosmetic variety, but their mechanical differences are minimal. Light, medium, and heavy categories don’t change your movement much, so it’s more about style than substance. That said, when everything clicks—dodging through fire, parrying a hammer strike, landing a final blow—it’s just plain fun.
Tails of Iron 2 makes a strong first impression with its meticulously crafted art and layered environments. Every area—from icy mountains to swampy ruins—feels like a physical storybook, packed with tiny details that reward a closer look. The colour palette leans muted and weathered, fitting the bleak atmosphere without feeling washed out. Character designs strike a neat balance between cute and grim, which can be a bit unsettling during some of the more violent scenes.
On the audio side, the game emphasizes atmosphere over music. You’ll mostly hear ambient sound—armour clanking, weapons scraping, or distant creature roars. When music does show up, it’s often tied to boss battles or environmental cues. One memorable fight featured a bat army rocking out in the background, which gave the encounter a weirdly fun edge. Still, if you're expecting a sweeping soundtrack, this might feel a bit sparse.
From a technical standpoint, the game runs well. Frame rates stay stable, even during chaotic fights with multiple enemies and effects flying across the screen. Load times are short, and transitions between areas are brief.
All considered, the world is consistently visually interesting from start to finish. Whether you're wandering through a snowy rat fortress or creeping through a spider-infested tunnel, there’s always something cool to look at, even when the story takes a backseat.
The Verdict
Tails of Iron 2: Whiskers of Winter delivers a compact, challenging 2D action RPG that draws smartly from genre heavyweights. Its precise combat, carefully crafted visuals, and generous checkpoint system make for a rewarding experience. The storytelling keeps momentum, and the grim yet charming world sticks with you. It may look unassuming at first, but there’s a lot to enjoy for fans of skill-based battles and dark fantasy.Final Score: 8/10 - Great
Tails of Iron 2: Whiskers of the Winter details
Platform: PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, PCDeveloper: Odd Bug Studio
Publisher: United Label
Genre: Action Role-Playing
Modes: Single-player
A key was provided by the publisher.