Honestly, most anime games are kind of a cash grab. You know the ones—the arena fighters where you just mash two buttons and watch a flashy cutscene. But the Attack on Titan video game series, specifically Attack on Titan 2: Final Battle, is a weird, beautiful exception to that rule. Developed by Omega Force, the same studio that pumps out those Dynasty Warriors games, it actually manages to capture the terrifying momentum of the source material. It isn’t perfect. It’s janky in spots. But when you’re swinging through the Odiha district at eighty miles per hour, it feels exactly like the nightmare Hajime Isayama dreamed up.
The Omni-Directional Mobility Gear Problem
The biggest hurdle for any Attack on Titan video game is the movement. Think about it. Spiderman games live or die by the web-swinging, right? This is that, but on steroids. You’ve got two grappling hooks, gas propulsion, and the laws of physics actively trying to kill you.
In the first game released back in 2016, the movement felt a bit like you were on rails. It was fine, but it didn't give you that "I'm about to die" adrenaline rush. By the time Attack on Titan 2 dropped, they figured it out. They added this "hook drive" mechanic that lets you parry a Titan's lunge and counter-attack with a cinematic spin. It’s visceral. You aren’t just pressing a button to "do damage." You are managing your gas pressure, your blade sharpness, and your angle of approach. If you hit a Titan's nape from the front? You do nothing. You have to circle around, build momentum, and strike at the precise moment. It’s a rhythmic, high-stakes dance that very few licensed games ever actually nail.
Storytelling from the Sidelines
One of the smartest—and most controversial—decisions Omega Force made was the "Custom Scout" system. Instead of playing as Eren or Mikasa for the whole campaign, you create your own character. You’re basically a nameless soldier in the 104th Training Corps. You eat with them, train with them, and watch people you’ve spent hours talking to get bitten in half.
It sounds like a gimmick. It really does. But it works because it grounds the scale of the world. Seeing Eren’s rage from the perspective of a terrified peer makes his character shift in later seasons feel much more earned. You see the gaps in the story—the moments between the big battles where everyone is just trying to survive. The game covers the first two seasons of the anime in the base version, and the Final Battle expansion pushes into Season 3.
Why the Expansion Changed Everything
The Final Battle DLC wasn't just a map pack. It introduced the anti-personnel gear. Suddenly, you weren’t just hunting mindless giants; you were in high-speed gunfights against Kenny Ackerman’s squad. The shift from blades to guns changed the entire physics engine. You had to learn how to lead shots while swinging through trees. It turned a monster-hunting game into a weird, aerial third-person shooter.
A lot of fans complained it was too hard. They weren't wrong. The difficulty spike when you first face human enemies is brutal. But that’s the point, isn't it? The show is brutal. The game shouldn't let you feel like a god. Even at max level, one wrong move—one moment where you run out of gas in an open field—and it’s over. You’re just a snack.
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The Gritty Details of the Grind
Let’s talk about the gear. You aren't just stuck with the standard-issue blades. The game has a surprisingly deep crafting tree. You can build "scabbards" that hold more gas or "blades" that are basically giant chainsaws.
- Material Gathering: You have to break specific Titan parts—arms, legs, etc.—to get the loot needed for upgrades.
- Blade Sets: There are fire blades, electric blades, and even "duster" sets that look like cleaning supplies (a nod to Captain Levi’s obsession with cleanliness).
- The Buddy System: You can call in teammates. Levi will do a whirlwind attack, while Armin might set up a distraction.
The "Territory Recovery Mode" is where the real end-game happens. It’s basically a management sim mixed with an action game. You pick a commander, recruit soldiers from different eras of the show—even ones who should be dead—and try to take back the world outside the walls. It’s non-canonical fan service at its best. You can have Erwin and Keith Shadis fighting side-by-side. It’s absurd. It’s great.
What Most People Get Wrong
People often assume the Attack on Titan video game is just another "Musou" game because Omega Force made it. It’s not. In a typical Warriors game, you kill 1,000 enemies in ten minutes. Here, killing five Titans is a genuine achievement in the early game. You have to be surgical.
The AI is actually somewhat competent. Titans will grab you mid-air. They’ll jump. Some will just sit on you. There’s a "bizarre" Titan type that moves unpredictably, and they are the absolute worst. They ruin your flow. They make you panic. That panic is the secret sauce that makes this game better than the VR titles or the 3DS games.
Performance Issues and the "Ugly" Truth
We have to be real: the game can look rough. On the Nintendo Switch, the frame rate chugs when there’s too much smoke or too many Titans on screen. Even on PS4 and PC, the environments are kind of bland. The houses all look the same. The forests are repetitive.
But you’re moving so fast you barely notice the low-res textures on the grass. You’re looking at the nape. You’re looking at your gas gauge. The game prioritizes the feel of the swing over the beauty of the world, and honestly, that was the right call. A pretty game that played like trash would have been forgotten in a week. Instead, this game has a cult following that’s still active years after the anime finished.
How to Actually Get Good
If you're picking up the Attack on Titan video game today, don't play it like a standard action game. Stop spamming the attack button.
- Master the "Sneak Attack": Use your monocular to target a Titan from a mile away, then launch yourself. If you time the button press right, you'll do a massive amount of damage in one hit.
- Upgrade Your Scabbard First: Everyone wants better blades, but gas capacity is the real bottleneck. If you run out of gas in the middle of a field, you are a dead man walking.
- Don't Ignore the Side Missions: In the middle of a battle, you’ll see green smoke signals. Go to them. They usually give you more supplies or let you set up automated turrets.
- Learn the "Turn": Don't just fly straight. Use the environment to swing around corners. This builds the momentum multiplier which is hidden but very much real.
The game doesn't hold your hand much after the tutorial. You'll die. A lot. You’ll get swallowed and have to mash buttons to cut your way out of a Titan's throat. It’s messy and frustrating, just like the Survey Corps' actual job.
The Legacy of the Walls
There hasn't been a "Part 3" yet, which is a bit of a tragedy considering how the anime ended. We’re missing the Rumbling. We’re missing the final, apocalyptic scale of the series' conclusion. There are mods on PC that try to add some of this, but it’s not the same.
The Attack on Titan video game remains the best way to understand the sheer physical terror of what the characters go through. It transforms the anime from something you watch into something you survive. If you can find the Final Battle version on sale, grab it. Just don't expect a relaxing time.
Actionable Insights for Players
- Check Platform Compatibility: If you want the smoothest experience, play on PC or PS5 (via backward compatibility). The Switch version is portable but struggles with "pop-in" where Titans appear out of thin air.
- Prioritize "Final Battle": Do not buy the base Attack on Titan 2 without the Final Battle expansion. You lose out on the Thunder Spears and the entire Season 3 storyline, which are the best parts of the game.
- Focus on Friendship: In the daily life sections, talk to everyone. Maxing out friendships unlocks permanent stat boosts and special skills (like Levi's multi-hit attack) that make the late-game "Inferno Mode" actually survivable.
- Reap the Rewards of Inferno Mode: Once you finish the story, don't stop. Inferno Mode is where you get the materials for the "Ultimate" gear sets, which you'll need if you plan on tackling the DLC missions.
Everything about this game is designed to reward precision over button-mashing. Learn the physics of the wires, respect the Titans' grab range, and always keep an eye on your blade durability. You’re not a superhero; you’re a soldier with a very expensive, very fragile backpack. Act like it.