STORY
Chapter 2 is a direct continuation from chapter 1 and you can even take your save game along for the ride. That said, the second chapter is written so it can be enjoyed standing alone from chapter 1. Many of the meta-jokes and 4th wall breaking humor is gone - sadly, in my opinion - and Lykanz now focuses on telling a silly story rather than telling a story in a silly way. At the end of chapter 1, Mike moves from the city to spend time with the country gal he loves, Linda Mae Broderick.
Much of what's out now is actually Linda Mae petting, fucking or being around Mike. Update 1.01.05 actually teases the return of chapter 1 characters as most of the second chapter has been Mike starting a new story, or rather continuing one that was abandoned for a long time.You meet a host of new people in the area where Linda Mae lives and actually go see the manor that was gifted to you in the first quarter of chapter 1. Turns out there are some 'hiccups' along the way that need fixing before you can settle into the inn.
Many of the newly introduced characters - Mário, 53X807 a.k.a Gyna, Alan Jackson, Cletus - serve a comedic purpose as well as forward the story along. Linda Mae and Mike don't seem as strong a cast without the other women present, but the new characters help inject humor into the chapter. You'll learn a lot about Linda Mae in this chapter, just like how many people wished for during the development of chapter 1. Plus there's sight on new antagonists, as new problems arise and stories from chapter 1 keep continuing.
Overall, Chapter 2 is a less enjoyable story for me so far, but it's still a fun story to enjoy. Lykanz's writing is more story-focused and it works for the story he wants to tell. It's important to note that humor is the strongest drawing point of The Inn.
PRESENTATION
The game looks identical to Chapter 1, aside from visual and interface upgrades. Anime aesthetic, over the top scenes (although far less than earlier) and doll-like appearances to characters. Developer Lykanz isn't afraid to try new things in the sexual scenes and they do spice up things considerably. It's too early into the story to tell what that would mean for Mike, but things can get fun. New characters look good, with Jeb and Alex definitely taking second place to Gyna.
Lykanz did bump up the animations considerably, inside and outside of sexual scenes. He's even went as far as adding AI background music to make sure the ambiance fits the scene. It's just an overall better version of the product, in terms of looks and presentation.
GAMEPLAY
The same formula applies from chapter 1. This is a sandbox game played like a VN with choices that influence your outcomes. While we haven't seen many choices in chapter 2 thus far, you can imagine the same kind of stat-managing that the first chapter brought to the game.
OVERALL
As someone who loved the silliness at the start of The Inn, some of the charm is lost in chapter 2. It's not necessarily a worse game, it just makes me laugh a lot less. The graphics looks great, arguably even more detailed and Lykanz uses all kinds of effects to up the production value of the game. The result is the same, although I am hoping the developer will pick up the craziness in future updates. This game could easily become an 8 or higher.
Rating: 7.5 / 10
Developer: Lykanz
