Princess Maker 2 Regeneration

With only a handful of new refinements, Princess Maker 2 Regeneration is most notable for bringing Gainax's classic life simulator game to a wider audience than ever before. While its retro aesthetics are charming and its no-wrong-way-to-play design philosophy is still just as rewarding to tinker with all these years later, there's no denying that this title is beginning to show its age. That said, those with a deep interest in game history or the simulator genre should still be able to find plenty of enjoyment in helping their virtual daughter grow up to face the world head-on. It's an experience that may not be everyone's cup of tea - but the original wasn't either, was it?

Fruit of its time, Princess Maker 2 Regeneration should please only the most ardent fans of this obscure Japanese franchise.

Princess Maker 2 Regeneration is a solid remastering of the second game in Gainax’s child-rearing simulation series. It’s still the same charming experience that was released in 1993. All of the depth is retained, and the remastered art is handled by the original director and artist, ensuring that PM2’s legacy is preserved 30 years later. Decision-making is the name of the game. The stats your daughter works so hard to gain mean nothing if she doesn’t have the proper guidance. Your scheduling and management are what will determine the future that awaits her. With over 70 endings, there are plenty of outcomes you can strive for.

In summary, do not buy this game

Princess Maker 2 Regeneration is a solid rendition of Princess Maker 2 with a variety of improvements to the art and dialogue. I do wish for more improvements that utilize QoL changes.

Princess Maker 2 remains an incredible and addicting game, but Regeneration is a disappointing remaster, offering barely any gameplay changes and an inconsistent art style. It misses obvious quality-of-life improvements that Princess Marker 2 sorely needed, leaving us at a loss as to why they bothered to remaster the game at all. Play Princess Maker 2 as it's a fantastic piece of gaming history, but there's no need to pay for this particular version.

Princess Maker 2 Regeneration was a prime reminder that some things do not need a re-release, despite some artistic additions.

That all being said, Princess Maker 2 is a game worthy of your time, if you’re interested in gaming history but also if you want something that has held up as being genuinely fun and compelling 30 years later. It’s certainly not for everyone, but as a menu game enthusiast I enjoyed myself thoroughly and will keep playing, if only so I can finally make my character into the Princess the title suggests.

A classic take on the challenges of raising a child in sim form gets returns with a minor facelift

Despite initially seeming complex, Princess Maker 2 proves to be a masterpiece of social simulation games once you understand what needs to be done. I've never played anything like it before and there might not even be anything like Princess Maker on the market these days. As a newcomer, it was a fun experience overall, and the gameplay loop kept me hooked until I could watch my daughter get on with her life and bring tears of pride to my eyes. This remaster, however, despite being welcome to catch potential dads of the current generation, ends up being too basic, to say the least. It turns out that, for those who are veterans, shelling out money to replay this, it is perhaps only justified by the glimpse of Takami Aka's new arts, as I don't believe that the scope itself has expanded.