Pick My Heart Chapter 2 (Nintendo Switch) Review

Once again, Pick My Heart Chapter 2 begins with a short introductory segment where young Sota and his childhood friend Yuina have some small talk. This time this dialogue sequence acts as a multiple-choice quiz that basically asks who Sota chose as his girlfriend in Chapter 1. After that the story begins, and this time around things take a turn for the mundane, as you can forget all about the paradise island of the first game, with this part taking mostly place in Sota's school. Also, there's no big mystery involved, since Sota and Yuina know all about the whole "Goddesses amongst Us" thingy.

Okay, there sort of is a "mystery" here, but it's an even smaller deal than the one in the original. Zeus has entered the scene, and in his hunky anime version he retains the things that've made him such a charming fellow. In other words, he is a jerk who doesn't take no for an answer. Chapter 2 begins as a slice of life tale where Sota will get to meet two more people, the first Yuina's overprotective cousin, and the second a shy classmate who seems to have the hots for him. After an… event, you'll get to meet the King of the Olympians. Extra awkward for those (like yours truly) who chose to romance Hera.

One's enjoyment of Chapter 2 relies wholly in how much they liked the first one, as this is the same exact thing. The only thing that spices things up a bit is the interaction with Yuina's overprotective, cretin of a cousin, who - guess what? - in true VN fashion, turns out to be a tortured soul, who actually hides a big heart underneath his extra-hostile behaviour and well-toned abs. The thing is that the "mystical" aspect is once again pretty weak. Moreover, while Chapter 1 felt like a relaxing vacation, this is more like everyday boredom… but with pretty girls all around you. It doesn't help that the characters aren't exactly that multi-layered.

Expect any mechanical differences with the original part? Keep waiting, because this is as light as possible. Still no UI or text settings, and, again, no in-game artwork, as players are required to download them via Nintendo's store. At a measly price? Yes, but can anyone remember of a VN that required paying for a few slides of simple paintings? Maybe fans of the genre should wait for a complete package that includes all chapters (current and future), along with all content. As is, this isn't a strong recommendation.