Busta Babes, the boys are back!! Pack your bags we’re going back to New Sieg to kick it with Limbo, Shu, Helvetica, Mozu, and (my personal fave) Scarecrow in BUSTAFELLOWS season 2, an all new action packed installment. In BUSTAFELLOWS we beat the odds, uncovered long buried secrets and bagged our bae, now it’s time to revel in our happily ever after… right? This new adventure takes place after the credits rolled on the previous game and finds Teuta and the boys picking up the pieces and moving forward with their lives after the dramatic twists and turns of the finale. Uncover a new side to your fave boys as you guide each new couple as they settle into their “happily ever after”. Navigate new conflicts specific to each love interest all while balancing the ups and downs of a new relationship.
Game Details
- Genre: Action | Crime Thriller | Romance
- Get the Game: Steam | Nintendo Switch
- Developer & Publisher: Extend & PQube
- Similar Games: Despera Drops | Piofiore Fated Memories | Mirage Noir
About BUSTAFELLOWS season 2
BUSTAFELLOWS season 2 takes place some time after first game, particularly after the events of the finale (yes… that incident) and follows Teuta and the crew as they continue their lives in New Sieg. At the start of the game you are asked by the Anima system to choose the name of your cat. This choice determines which of the love interests is your boyfriend at the start of the game. Each route is unique to the love interests, focused on a conflict specific to them and how those challenges effect their relationship with Teuta. However, there is also an overarching storyline connected to a devastating fire in Basoalto, a seaside town near New Sieg, that occurred seven years prior to the story. As you play through each route you uncover clues about the incident and its connection to Teuta and the boys. In this new installment, the beloved cast of characters from the first game are back with a few new faces.
Since there is no character route section in this review, here is a tier list for the BUSTAFELLOWS boys, where I share my unfiltered thoughts on the guys~
BUSTAFELLOWS season 2 Review
BUSTAFELLOWS season 2 Focuses on Established Relationships
Most (read: all) otome games focus on the excitement of falling in love, ending just as the MC and her chosen lover ride off into the sunset. Credits roll. The End. Rarely do we get to see how that relationship plays out after the final passionate kiss, but in BUSTAFELLOWS season 2 we go beyond the credits into the every day ups and downs of being in a relationship. From the small miscommunications and petty fights to bigger issues like balancing career obligations and quality time—each route attempts to give us a realistic look at each couple and their romantic struggles.
The overall theme of BUSTAFELLOWS season 2 is “change or end” and each route marks a shift that pushes the characters into the next phase of their lives. Change is good, but with it comes new, more complex problems that bleed into other parts of the character’s lives. Most importantly, their romantic relationships, and let’s just say there are plenty of growing pains for Teuta and her chosen love.
Is it pretty? No. These boys had me yelling at my Switch more times than I care to admit, because they were FUMBLING the bag with Teuta. But, despite their missteps the love between the characters is never in doubt and the genuine chemistry between each pair softens out some of the rough edges of their relationship fails.
BUSTAFELLOWS season 2 Doesn’t Shy Away From Tough Topics
Much like its predecessor, BUSTAFELLOWS season 2 doesn’t shy away from tough topics. Corruption, gang violence, and political unrest are a few of the themes that crop up in the sequel. The grittier, more realistic narrative is what sets this series apart from other otome games, especially for Western audiences. But, given the current political climate in the US, these themes may hit a bit too close to home—particularly the discussions around immigration and police violence—so be mindful of that going in. Of course, this realism is a part of BUSTAFELLOWS‘s charm, allowing for more mature storylines and themes to be explored.
However, it does come at the expense of tonal balance in some of the routes. Because the game deals with so many heavy themes and conflicts, the romantic issues can appear insignificant in comparison. This is a problem that isn’t necessarily exclusive to BUSTAFELLOWS, but rather an issue inherent to most otome games. It’s hard to hold a lack of communication between partners on the same level as oh, I don’t know… fighting the end of the world. So, it can be frustrating seeing petty relationship issues drag on for the whole route when there are quite literally bigger problems at hand.
Balancing Romance and Drama is a Bit of a Mixed Bag
The writers do their best to balance the harsh realities of life in New Sieg, the personal character conflicts, and romantic drama, within the story. But, in some cases the themes don’t always mesh well together—which is a carryover from the first game. In some routes the romantic conflicts take a backseat to the plot, only to be quickly wrapped up in the end with little fanfare. While in others a completely bonkers plot point is introduced to stir up drama between Teuta and her lover, only for the resulting change to not feel wholly organic.
The story attempts to deliver on the gritty realism of the plot, but that often clashes with the romantic fantasy of an otome romance. Don’t get me wrong there are plenty of sweet genuine moments between Teuta and the boys—lots of dates, hand holding, sweet passionate kisses… and a few fade to black scenes too. I love the chemistry between each couple and couldn’t help but giggle in delight at all the cute (and steamy) scenes.
But, (and I admit this is a weird critique) in hindsight, the romantic moments almost seem out of place within the context of the story the writers want to tell. Controversial opinion, but hear me out: The romance isn’t always the focus of BUSTAFELLOWS. I know that sounds weird, because what even is the point of an otome if not romance. But, while playing Season 2 I couldn’t help but feel like in some of the routes, the romance was getting in the way of the character’s personal growth. To the point where in some routes, I found myself considering whether it would be better if the couple… broke up. Which is a wild thought to have while playing an otome game. But, it kind of felt like the characters needed time to grow on their own first and THEN, revisit the relationship after both parties were in a more secure place.
The Characters Continue to be the BEST Part of BUSTAFELLOWS Season 2
I know I am not alone when I say this, but the characters have always been the best part of the BUSTAFELLOWS experience. I adore all of these characters (yes, even Helvetica) and their wholesome found family has always been at the heart of what makes this series one of my favorites. All of the boys are back and better than ever as we delve deeper into their lives and get to know them more intimately. Everyone has such distinct personalities which could easily lead to a fight for dominance when everyone is on screen together, but everyone seamlessly just fit together. There is this natural chemistry and playfulness to the banter between the main cast that goes beyond just friends, these guys are family. Hands down, my favorite moments in BUSTAFELLOWS Season 2 were the scenes where everyone is at the hideout just hanging out—teasing each other, updating each other about their days, or just watching a show together.
When you have a cast like this you make damn sure you show them off and I love that the other love interests have prominent roles in the routes even when you aren’t romancing them. There were several points in each route where either Teuta or her chosen love interest would consult the other guys about their relationship woes and it never felt weird or forced. These characters are family, they value and love each other and that comes through in ever single interaction. That also includes the extended cast too, who are (for the most part) all back in the sequel. This game felt like a sweet reunion with old friends! Even characters like Helvetica, who I didn’t like in the first game, I found myself seeing them in a new light in the sequel.
In addition to the returning cast there are three main new characters introduced in BUSTAFELLOWS Season 2 and y’all we were robbed! These otome games need to stop introducing hot side characters that I CAN’T DATE!! WHYYYYYYYY? 😭😭😭
WHY CAN’T I DATE THE SIDE CHARACTERS?!
Did I create a section just to fangirl over the hot side characters? YES, yes I did! Seriously, there are three new characters introduced in BUSTAFELLOWS Season 2 and I am SICK over the fact that none of them is dateable. Bruh, stop giving these men sprites! If I can’t date them I don’t wanna see them—this is just plain cruel! 😧
There’s Juno, a cute idol/internet influencer who Teuta befriends while covering him for her online column. Cotton candy bae, is super sweet and chill and never oversteps. Instead of trying to steal Teuta away from the main guys, Juno ACTIVELY encourages Teuta to work on things with her boyfriend when they hit a rough patch (and in some cases goes to bat for the LIs). And the whole time, here I am secretly hoping he would STEAL ME AWAY!! I want to be snatched!
Then there’s the Watcher, a mysterious fellow journalist with an eye for a good scoop, and someone who always seems to know secrets he shouldn’t. Man is set up as a rival to Teuta who pops up from time to time to stir stuff up and cause chaos. Y’all know I love messy men and bro had my whole attention, even if he looks like he needs a little extra vitamin D in his life…
But the biggest tragedy of all is Guero, the super, mega fox hot boss of the Neruda family, one of the most dangerous gangs in New Sieg. The man strolled in and my jaw about hit the floor. THIS ADONIS is everything, mature, sexy, passionate, did I mention sexy? Guero definitely earned his nickname, “Good Man”, because that’s a GOOD man… He has a strong sense of justice and isn’t above getting his hands dirty. But, unfortunately… he’s HAPPILY MARRIED! 😭😭😭
Teuta is The BEST Otome Heroine—Girl Is the HBIC!
I could not talk about BUSTAFELLOWS without talking about my girl Teuta, sis is a goddess! I loved Teuta in the first game, but she really shines in the sequel. She may be just 21 years old, but she is confident and self aware in ways I wish I was at her age. Because of her age I was afraid that she would get steamrolled by the much older, more experienced LIs, but just like in the first game she isn’t afraid to stand her ground. She is always clear about her needs and wants and she does her best to be understanding of her partner’s needs in return. (Even when they don’t deserve the grace she gives them.)
Despite some gripes about how the romance is handled in BUSTAFELLOWS Season 2, I really feel like Teuta has great chemistry with each of the love interests. Teuta fulfills a different role in each relationship that brings out the best in her partner. Whether they need someone to confide in, someone to help them lighten up, or someone to take charge—Teuta is ready to fill that need. I genuinely loved watching the relationships grow and change in Season 2.
Of course, Teuta has her own struggles outside of her attachment to the love interests in the sequel. She is still reeling after the events of the true ending, especially with the fall out that occurred in her personal relationships. On top of that new career demands are forcing her to shift how she approaches her writing as she struggles to come up with story ideas. Sis is going through it in Season 2, but through it all she never gives up and pushes through. Part of what makes Teuta such a compelling character is that her personal struggles are relatable; we’ve all at one time or another had to juggle work, a social life, and romance. So, it’s easy to see ourselves in Teuta and empathize with her journey.
Gameplay and Features
Does PQube’s Localization Hold Up or Fall Flat?
Localization can make or break your enjoyment of a game, especially otome games where the gameplay relies heavily on the text. I’ve played a few PQube releases in the past and I have never had an issue with their localization, aside from the script issues in Him, the Smile & bloom, which they were transparent about from the start. So, I went into BUSTAFELLOWS Season 2 not expecting anything crazy and the localization was pretty good overall.
I played the Steam version of the game (yes, it is Steam Deck compatible) and I didn’t notice anything too wonky. There were a few typos and instances of the wrong word being used (“us” instead of “is”), but nothing big enough to raise a fuss about. The dialogue is more modern and causal, with a lot of phrases that I use when talking with my own friends or family. One very minor annoyance is with some of the names the characters are referred to by other characters. Like, Limbo calls his sister “neesan” but the text uses her name, “Valerie”, instead of something like “Sis”. It’s not wrong, just personally throws me off. There is also the fact that everyone says “Crow” but the text say “Scarecrow”, again not wrong, just something I noticed… Overall, the localization is really well done!
Extras and Features to Expect in BUSTAFELLOWS Season 2
Many of the same features from the first game are here in the sequel. Timed choices, Memorabilia, Archives, and Extra stories are back again. Memorabilia and the Archives are mostly geared towards the collectors and completionists out there, so your mileage may vary. I did like that some of the Archive items are voiced or have sound effects to further add to the immersion. The extra stories are fun and expand on the story and characters in fun bite sized scenarios. Timed choices have been reduced from 30 seconds to 7 seconds, which adds a bit more urgency to some of the in-game choices.
But, what I am most happy to report is that you can now save during the choice scenes! Yes, no more carefully timing your saves, you can now save whenever you want! The background immersion dialogue is back and it is once again not subtitled, but you can see what is being said from the text log. While I like that the game includes background conversations from a worldbuilding standpoint, it can be a bit distracting when it overlaps with main character dialogue.
Is BUSTAFELLOWS Season 2 Worth Playing?
YES! BUSTAFELLOWS Season 2 is a fun second act to one of my favorite otome games! If you have been itching to get back to New Sieg, Season 2 will have you falling in love with these characters all over again. There are just the right amount of callbacks to the first game, that existing fans will enjoy, but don’t worry there are plenty of new additions to make this feel like a fresh experience!
Most fandiscs and sequels fall flat because there just isn’t enough content to warrant continuing the story. But, with BUSTAFELLOWS Season 2 it’s clear that there are more secrets to explore in New Sieg!
Thanks to the PQube Team for providing a Steam copy of BUSTAFELLOWS Season 2 for this review!
