Release Date: July 17, 2025 (North America)
Developers:  EXtend
Publishers: PQube
Platforms: PC (Steam), Nintendo Switch
ESRB Rating: M (Mature)

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SYNOPSIS

Will it change, or will it end?
Everyone wants answers.

Who is to blame, and what went wrong?
And what is to be punished?
In order to keep the shape of this world, things are divided into black and white.
Those who look between the black and white will only continue to suffer.
Everyone should know it in their hearts.
Things are two in one.
White and black. Front and back. Light and shadow.
Good news, bad news.

And, if it will change or if it will end.

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ART AND MUSIC

Director/Producer:	minetaka
Artist:	Kohaku Sumeragi
BG Artist:	Cre-p Co., Ltd.Backgrounds, Takahashi Kouya
Scenario Writer:	minetaka
OST:	“bestie” (an in-game character that sang & composed the OP song.)
Music Production	Noriyuki Kamikura, Anemone Mournian

Voice Acting

Yui Kondo as “Teuta” – Spinel (Virche: Epic Lycoris), Kuon Stroheim (XBlaze Series), Mio Ichinose (Saku Saku: Love Blooms with the Cherry Blossoms), Corneria (Atelier Series), Biwa Hayahide (Uma Musume), Tao Mongarten (Atelier Ryza), Minayle (Monster Hunter Rise)

KENN as “Limbo“ – Yukimaro (9RIP), Shelby Snail (Cupid Parasite), Nori Tainaka (Sympathy Kiss), Futo Asahina (Brothers Conflict), Minakawa Asahi (Gakuen Club), Totomaru Minowa (Kenka Banchou Otome), Kei (Ken ga Kimi)

Yoshimasa Hosoya as “Shu“– Scien (Virche Evermore), Julian (Black Wolves Saga), Loki (Kamigami no Asobi), Hidaka Subaru (Robotics;Notes), Yukimura Sanada (IkeSen), Reflet (FE Engage), Doppo Kunikida (Bungou Stray Dogs), Iwasaki Tousuke (Meiji Tokyo Renka), Fukushima Mitsutada (Touken Ranbu)

Hiroyuki Yoshino as “Helvetica“ – Heishi Otomaru (Norn9), Heisuke (Hakuoki), Auger (Black Wolves Saga), Ningen Mukotsu (Touken Ranbu), Franky Franklin (SpyxFamily), Debito (Arcana Famiglia), Mikage Kojiro (TMGS4)

Jun Fukuyama as “Mozu“ – Mizuchi (Hana Awase), Tomomori (Birushana), Vyn Richter (Tears of Themis), Mozu (BUSTFELLOWS), Goro Fujita (Meiji Tokyo Renka), Liberta (Arcana Famiglia), Rin (Togainu no Chi), Aido (Vampire Knight), Tokiwa Etsuya (Dairoku), Goke Kanemitsu (Touken Ranbu)

Shirai Yusuke as”Scarecrow“ – Luciole (Genso Manege), Eltcreed Valentine (Steam Prison), Watson (London Detective Mysteria), Amemura Ramuda (Hypnosis Mic), Garu (NU:Carnival), Ars (Period Cube), Usui Masumi (A3!), Miki Hiraizumi (Fashioning Little Miss Lonesome), Tsuzumi (Ken ga Kimi), John (Mistonia no Kibou)

Tetsuya Kakihara as “Carmen“ – Tifalet (Battlefield Waltz), Sena (9RIP), Keith Claes (Hamefura Pirates), Victor Frankenstein (Code Realize), Momotaro Onzai (B-PROJECT), Shin (Amnesia), Kiro (MLQC), Isora (7’Scarlet), Clyde King (Iris School of Wizardry), Ish (Even if Tempest), Uguisumaru (Touken Ranbu)

Shintaro Asanuma as “Guero” – Samatoki Aohitsugi (Hypnosis Mic), Nakigitsune (Touken Ranbu), Shulk (Xenoblade Chronicles), Gilbert (IkePri), Homura, Quin Silver (Spade no Kuni no Alice), Leo Tsukinaga (Ensemble Stars), Nishio Nishiki (Toky Ghoul), Itaru Chigasaki (A3!), Nagamasa Azai (Hana Oboro), Crow (Yu Gi Oh Dual Links)

Shouya Chiba as “Juno” – Fudo Akane (B-PROJECT), Ayumu (Paradigm Paradox), Hugo Spencer (even IF TEMPEST), Hairi Takahara (Summer Pockets), Shinobu Osaka (Crank In), Pollon (ANONYMOUS;CODE), Makio Tanihara (Horimiya), Hacchou Nenbutsu (Touken Ranbu), Takaoka Pollon (ANONYMOUS;CODE), Ren Shiranami (Tokyo Debunker)

Mai Nishikawa as “Luka” – Young Dimitri (Fire Emblem Three Houses), Tetsuya (Aikatsu Stars!), Colm (Bayonetta Origins), Michika (Heavenly Delusion), Ai (Ride Your Wave), Mina Udagawa (Between the Sky and Sea)

Mie Sonozaki as “Valerie” – Tamamo (Dairoku), Jayna Storm (The Legend of Heroes: Trails of Cold Steel), Jeanne (Bayonetta3), Sindy Miyauchi (To Heart), Constantine (Reverse 1999), Ilsa (Granblue Fantasy), Shirona (Pokemon Masters), Nana Shimura (MHA), Carmilla (Castlevania), Sora Shiunin (Yu Gi Oh Dual Links), Nozomi (Shin Megami Tensei IV), Yugito Nii (Naruto)

Kazuhiro Yoshimura as “Kyle Miller” and “Pepe” – Oleander (The Red Bell’s Lament), Alest (Radiant Tale), Minegeshi (Collar x Malice), Ten (Cafe Enchante), Maki (Side Kicks!), Souji Kamishiro (Suika Niritsu)

Shohei Komatsu as “Yang” – Haruhi Ichikawa(Break My Case), Naruomi (Nie no Machi), Milan (Angelique Luminarise), Gaming (Genshin Impact), Ukai (Haunted Obachestra), Henry (Dragon Quest Rivals), Hizen Tadahiro (Touken Ranbu)

Toshinari Fukamachi as “the Watcher” – Johann Steiner (Piofiore 1926), Mayu (Slow Damage), Navid (Bustafellows 1), Tsukiji Tobimaru (Mahoutsukai no Yoru), Kaketsuki Erlucia ((Haunted Obachestra)

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CAST AND CHARACTERS

All five main LI routes are accessible right from the start. At the beginning of the prologue, you’ll be prompted to choose the cat’s name, and that choice determines whose route you’ll play. If you remember from the first game, each guy gives the cat a different name, so whichever one you pick determines which route you’ll follow. The Epilogue automatically unlocks after finishing all of the guys’ “Good Endings.”

The routes don’t spoil each other, so route order doesn’t matter too much in this game. However, if you’re looking for a soft recommended route order, my pick would be: Limbo → Shu = Helvetica = Mozu → Scarecrow → Epilogue. I played in the order, Limbo → Shu → Helvetica → Mozu → Scarecrow → Epilogue (technically, this is pretty similar to the order I played in the first game, and I very much enjoyed it this way). I think out of all the stories in this sequel, Limbo’s route is the least “weighty” in terms of topics, hence why I recommend starting with him. Shu, Helvetica, and Mozu tackle some pretty sensitive themes, so I suggest placing them in the middle. Scarecrow’s route features some surprise characters, which in my opinion, are a nice touch if you save his route for last.

But ultimately, these are just merely suggestions and you’re free to play in whatever route you feel like playing, so don’t stress too much about the order!

Walkthroughs:

• Limbo
• Shu
• Helvetica
• Mozu
• Scarecrow
• Epilogue

Note: The CGs shown below are promotional images for BUSTAFELLOWS Season 2 provided by PQube and eXtend. All spoiler-related content in this review will be hidden behind a spoiler drop-down, that you can choose to view at your own discretion.

⬇️ Click to view Content Warnings

Murder, gun violence, violence, arson, death, genocide, human trafficking, child abuse, women abuse, emotional abuse, narcissistic abuse, abuse, drugs, substance abuse, blood, self-harm, mental health disorders, depression, bullying, social media bullying, mention of SA and rape, suicide, suicide attempt, alcohol, intoxication.

LIMBO

I might be crazy for saying this, but looking back at my draft review from 2021 (yes, I still hang on to these for safekeeping lol), it seemed like Limbo was actually my second least favorite LI in the first game. And it wasn’t even anything against his character, because honestly, I adore all the LIs in BUSTAFELLOWS. But this season, I feel like Limbo has shot up to become my # 1. Crazy.😳 There’s just something about the way he carries himself. And even as the so-called “crooked lawyer” that he is, he has this undeniable charm that’s honestly hard not to fall for. This season, it felt like he was the perfect boyfriend to Teuta. There’s something so comforting about watching the two of them get intimate or snuggle up together. Their relationship, in my opinion, felt really level-headed and mature. Like, they trust each other, don’t get jealous, don’t have petty squabbles, and they actually make time to communicate despite their busy professions. They’re just genuinely supportive of one another, and honestly, it felt like such a healthy relationship.

I loved this route, but I wouldn’t say it stood out among some of the really amazing routes this season. Nonetheless, it was still a great run and enjoyable overall. It highlights Limbo’s character & further reinforces his motivations as a lawyer in New Seig, a brother to Valerie, and a lover to Teuta. Given its the first route I played, I was very pleased with it, both in terms of story and romance. I also think Limbo’s route continues smoothly from the prologue, so I feel like it was the right call playing him first.

SHU

Playing this route reminded me just how much I actually love this stoic, pragmatically apathetic, soft-sweet boomer baddie. Wow! totally forgot how amazing Shu is! This route really solidifies why he’s so well-loved in the series. The story pacing here was also pretty good, and while I could say that for most of the routes in Bustafellows 2 (which is already saying a lot), I think Shu’s was one of the best, imo.

On the romance side of things, I really love how different he is from Teuta in terms of personality, which to me made their dynamic really endearing. I love how Teuta fawns over Shu and gets clingy (which was so cute of her, btw), while Shu is usually reserved, apathetic and rarely shows his tender side. Though when he does show his softer side, it makes all of Teuta’s effort feel well-earned? If that makes sense. Like, there’s something really rewarding about witnessing that emotional breakthrough from someone as closed-off as Shu, y’know! It’s part of what made their relationship feel so refreshing to me.

HELVETICA

OH MY GOODNESS….THIS ROUTE….WHAT THE HECK????? WHY IS IT….SO GOOD??? 🤯🤯🤯
I did not expect this?? Helvetica was probably my least favorite LI in the first game (and again, this isn’t anything against his character per se, I was just more drawn to the other LIs at the time). But holy guacamole! His route and character in Season 2 had me in a chokehold! Are you kidding me?!

I have never yelped and gasped so much while playing a route, (well, I probably have in the past, but I honestly can’t remember the last time… lol it’s been a while!😂) But wow… this route is literally my # 1 fav. in Season 2. It’s also, hands down, one of the best narratively paced routes I’ve ever played in a while, (yes, I know that’s saying a lot coming from me, but I really mean it though.)🥹 I remember actually complaining about how the sensitive topics brought up in Helvetica’s route in the first game felt brushed over or short-lived. But this season really expanded on those themes, and my god, was it soooo good. The narrative flow was taut and deliberate… So much more nuanced, so much more impactful. Every moment hit hard.😭 And while, yes, I do have some personal gripes with this route, that’s secondary to how much I enjoyed the ride, hook, line, and sinker!

MOZU

First of all, I just want to say that regardless of what I say next, I truthfully & earnestly loved Mozu as an LI. That said… my god. This was so uncomfortable to sit through. It was kind of disappointing, since Mozu was one of the characters I was looking forward to playing in Season 2. Unfortunately, this route didn’t put him in an exceptionally good light like it did with the others, and that’s such a shame.

Technically speaking though, the angst in this route was pretty high up. It freaked me out in a good way with how uncannily real it was. It hit too close for comfort, that I flat-out got goosebumps, & my anxiety was through the roof 😅(lol). The lingering sense of unease and uncomfortableness was actually kind of genius (writing-wise), but yeah… It’s probably something I wouldn’t want to play again. I’d say Mozu’s route was narratively executed really well… But man, it made me like a character I previously adored in the first game a little less. And that kind of stings.

SCARECROW

I played Scarecrow’s route last, thinking I’d save the best (boi) for last, as he was my fav. LI in the first game… and my oh my, he definitely did not disappoint! No sir!

There’s a reason why Scarecrow’s color assignment in the game is green, and it’s cause it perfectly reflects him as a consistently true green-flag love interest. Sure, he might’ve had some shortcomings in the first game, but at his core, he was one of the most caring and dependable characters in BUSTAFELLOWS. Even when it wasn’t his route, he constantly showed genuine concern for Teuta and offered his support in many ways, not only to her but to everyone who needed him.🥺 Playing this route in Season 2, certainly reminded me how good of an LI he is.

This route was also surprisingly enjoyable story-wise and tackled a heavy yet highly relevant topic in today’s modern internet world. In addition, we got a few surprise character appearances from Side Kicks! (another title from the same Universe as Bustafellows), which honestly gave this route an extra plus for me! Overall, Crow’s route was super! I have no complaints!

TEUTA (Main Heroine)

I’m very aware that this is perhaps more of a personal bias and not an issue with the story’s technical aspects or narrative quality, but rather a clash of perspectives. What didn’t sit well with me was the sense of privilege that influenced some of Teuta’s views. Sometimes she acts surprisingly uninformed, which is ??? considering she’s a journalist. She does grow and learns a lot throughout the story, but there were certain moments where her stance on crime and immigration felt a little….off? or a bit too naive and out of touch with reality. One scene, in particular, stuck with me: when Guero challenges her perspective, pointing out how her view differs from those of immigrants, like the people in Basoalto, who are treated as less than full citizens in the country. This was honestly so eye-opening because all of this is TRUE! Having grown up with a certain level of privilege, Teuta understandably struggles to fully grasp the lived experiences of those from more marginalized backgrounds. And in all honesty, as someone who grew up on the opposite end of the spectrum from Teuta, and sees the world through a very different lens, I found it really hard to agree with some of her stance.

Nonetheless, I don’t think this makes her a bad character… it’s quite the opposite actually. The fact that the game is willing to show that disconnect, and that it evoked such strong reactions in me, is a testament to how well this sequel was written.

Another thing that really ticked me off was how colossally gullible and naive Teuta is. Even after all the danger and trouble she went through in the first game, you’d think she would’ve learned from those experiences. But nope! She still can’t read red flags in people, as we clearly see in Mozu’s route, and she continues to act recklessly, putting herself and her loved ones at risk in both Helvetica’s route and the epilogues. I swear, I loooove how much of a sweetheart she is, but Teuta, my dear, would it kill you to be a little more cautious or vigilant???😭😭😭 It was frustrating to sit through seeing her make the same mistakes across several routes. And yet, I can’t be too mad about it, because those very mistakes are what drive the plot forward and make the story more interesting, if that makes sense. So while I found myself annoyed at times, I was still genuinely very entertained.😅

All that being said, I think playing Season 2 made me realize why Teuta was never really a favorite heroine of mine in the first game. I know, and ‘am very much aware that I’m probably in the minority here, and that’s fine. I do think she’s great in a lot of other areas, and I fully understand why she’s wholeheartedly loved as a heroine in the series. Tbh I like her as the protagonist in the game even, but she’s just simply not someone I could personally connect with, tis all!

EPILOGUE

Season 2’s epilogue was such an improvement over the first game’s finale (Full Circle, Auld Lang Syne). This time, the pacing was great, and there were no more cryptic scenes to leave you confused. Everything was laid out clearly from start to end, and all the characters, including the side characters, received proper closure (or at least, I think they did). No blindsiding cliffhangers this time either! While the epilogue might not be as emotionally provoking as the individual routes, it still wrapped things up on a very satisfying note, and I’m really happy about that.

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SYSTEM AND LOCALIZATION

The user interface for Season 2 was similar to the first game, where they used Crow’s AI, Anima, as its main theme. I also loved that the Archive collection is back in this sequel. The entries were just as fun to go through as before. It even included videos this time, which was a fun addition to the usual still entries!

Another feature I personally loved and mind you, this actually took me a while to get used to in the first game (cackles).😅 But Bustafellows Season 2 kept the background “ambient chatter” during scenes where multiple characters talk at the same time. Say, during conversations between a few characters spotlighted during a scene, you can hear other characters chatting and going about their business in the background. I’m really happy they continued to use this feature in this sequel!

Localization

The localization tone remained consistent with the first game, and I loved how much nuance was added here that fit perfectly with the setting of New Seig (or rather, an imaginary New York-like East Coast state in America). A few punchlines landed well with humor, and I also appreciate the effort put into translating many medical terms in Mozu’s route, which actually made it quite understandable to me (as someone who’s a bit of a pea-brain when it comes to medical jargon, lol) 😂 …Same goes for Limbo’s route, with all its legal terminology.

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TRAILER

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OVERALL THOUGHTS

I think it took me around 40–50 hours to finish and complete the game, give or take. Most of that time, I was on auto-play in docked mode on my Switch, so if you’re a faster reader, you could possibly finish the game in less time than I did. Every route was a decent length and featured two endings: Good and Bad. Each LI also has their own prologue and epilogue.

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While it may seem like I’ve been grouching about certain aspects of the stories/routes above, I’ll be honest, this is by far one of, if not the, strongest otome title I’ve played this year. I fully admit that the first game didn’t exactly wow me that much. Like, I definitely understood the appeal, but I wasn’t too too impressed with it as a whole. This sequel though… I cannot, for the life of me, be any more satisfied with it. BUSTAFELLOWS Season 2 is exactly everything I wished the first game had been, and more!

I might’ve already brought this up above, so forgive me if I’m repeating myself like a broken record. But I remember how my initial criticism of the first game was that the writers never fully committed to exploring the darker, more sensitive themes they broached in Season 1. Those topics felt briefly touched on, short-lived, then brushed aside. But hooo boy, this season, THEY REALLY WENT OFF!

I am still taken aback. Many times, there were moments where I had to pause and remind myself that this was fiction, because some of the themes were hard, home-hitting for me. I really appreciated how some of the sensitive subjects were fully delved into this time, rather than being treated as the usual throwaway plot devices for shock value. I thought they were handled with a surprising degree of realism, while also thoughtfully weaving each character’s development into those scenarios with a sense of empathy. I believe the devs understood what was lacking in their first game and listened to what the players wanted: a richer, more fully developed, fully constituted, and fully realized human stories that didn’t hesitate to go all out.

All The Routes Go Hard

Each of the routes’ narrative quality to my surprise, was intensely good. When I first started with Limbo’s route, I thought it was really enjoyable (albeit one of the weakest here). Then I played Shu’s and thought it was ALSO super good. And then Helvetica’s route happened, and goodness me, I couldn’t put the game down. Then Mozu and Scarecrow followed suit and… its just… insane how the routes keep upping each other.🤯

Not Just Your Average One-dimensional Supporting Casts

If I’m going to be completely biased though, I have to say GUERO was the best addition to this sequel!! He was, hands down, the most grounded character here! Screw everyone else!😜

Kidding aside! ALL of the newly added supporting cast, like the latter, Juno, the Watcher, Ally & Sid, and even Wolfe ended up being characters I got fully invested in. And many of the amazing side characters I loved from the first game, like Carmen, Val, Alex, Pepe, Luka, and the rest, still get plenty of well-deserved screen time in this sequel. If there’s one complaint I can squeeze in on the topic, it’s that Adam was completely absent this time around. Aside from his voiced letters in the Archive section, that’s sadly all we get of him here. 🥲

Also, what happened to Bestie? He sang the OP of this game and was brought up once in the story, but then completely poofed outa thin air. I even forgot about him entirely and only remembered when I was reading through the game’s ARCHIVES for completion purposes.😂 Is his character just one of those red herring roles used as a ruse, or is it a hint that a Season 3 is a possibility?👀

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💖LI RANKING: Limbo > Scarecrow = Helvetica = Shu > > > > > > > > Mozu

📝ROUTE RANKING: Helvetica > > > Shu = Scarecrow > > Limbo > > > Mozu

For the routes and LIs, I was pretty surprised by how much my ranking changed from the first game to this sequel. This time, I was especially charmed by Limbo for ineffable reasons I couldn’t put into words (cackles). 🤭 Was it his confidence that oozes sexiness? Was it the fact that, despite being a rich-rich individual from a highly prestigious family, he carried himself with humility and remained unbiased in his judgments? Was it his smart stance on the gray areas of the cases he takes on? Beats me!

Helvetica came as a surprise too, given he was my least favorite in the first game. He really was SOMETHING SO BEAUTIFUL here. I am now a big fan of this LI. This man, also deserves so, so much!🤧 Like damn, best route of this season!

Crow and Shu were absolute darlings, and I loved them just as much here as I did in the first game. Mozu… I was absolutely heartbroken to place him last because I was quite fond of him in the first game. But his route this season, to me, really sold him short.

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For the romance, I thought this sequel packed some really good sugary scenes. But since this is a sequel and not a fandisk, the stories here won’t drown you in an abundance of lovey-dovey moments between the LI and MC. There isn’t a lot of spice either (most of it cuts away before ‘you-know-what’ happens, and that’s a shame lol).😭 All the kiss CGs were absolutely gorgeous though!

My last critique is that if there’s anything the game could have benefited from, it’s actually having a recap of the first game. Since the first game was localized back in 2021, it was quite a hefty challenge to remember what went down in the first season. I either had to jog my nonexistent otome-game memory bank (aka my worn out brain) or check my draft review from four years ago.(cackles)😂

Do I recommend this game? YES.
Like, absolutely! Is that even a question? This sequel has undeniably far exceeded my expectations. It wasn’t just a strong entry in the BUSTAFELLOWS series; it also stands out as one of the best titles released in the year of our lord and savior, 2025’s otome roster. If you loved BUSTAFELLOWS, you definitely don’t want to miss out on this one. And if you were lukewarm toward the first installment, well, Season 2 might just change your mind the way it changed mine. This is an easy recommendation from yours truly! Definitely don’t pass this one up!

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