The second season of Stranger Things clocks in at 9 episodes long. It is set in the 1980s and follows four boys: Mike, Dustin, Lucas and Will. In the first season, Will disappeared and we learnt of a strange world called the Upside Down. It is a replica of the real world but more decayed and where monsters lurk. Much about it is left in the dark so one would hope that the second season would shed more light into this.
The other main character is Eleven who was a strange girl. Eleven seemed connected to Upside Down, with supernatural powers and being part of an experiment. She meets Mike and they become friends, with Eleven helping in rescuing Will. Season 2 begins with a tense chase scene and a revelation that feels like it will set the tone for the rest of the season. Then the first episode begins proper and introduces a few new characters, but you are not sure whether they will be important or not. The most significant new character is Max, who is portrayed as a potential love interest early on.
The large cast of characters return, including Chief Hopper from the police force, and Mike's older sister, Nancy. Characters still feel the effects from the events of the first season. The other world Upside Down is still haunting Will, and scientists are still experimenting with it, while Hopper is instantly wary when odd things are happening in the small town and Nancy still feels guilty about her friend, Barb. This is kind of spoiler-ish, but expected nonetheless, being that Eleven marks a return. Her powers seem to have amplified and we're shown that she is experimenting and stretching her powers.
Will lapses into what they call are flashbacks, but it looks like it is really transporting Will back to the other world without warning. He seems to disappear and people can't find him until for some unknown reason, he reappears (most likely just as he is about to get hurt). A big part of the season is the huge shadowy monster that Will sees whenever he sees the Upside Down. Its design inspires horror and fear, being undefined yet still has enough shape to imagine what it can do. Will's connection with it makes up the biggest plot point in the season and serves as the most tantalizing aspect. The second season does a great job of keeping you interested in its events.
Despite the positives, some of the actions of the characters can be frustrating. The characters either act selfish or spoiled, especially when it is so obvious that what they are doing will cause them harm in the long run. Conversely, a few of the annoying characters from the first season redeems themselves and are much more likable here. The visual effects used for the world of Upside Down, the monsters and various other things are really well done. The music itself lend to some chilling and thrilling scenes. At times, the episodes do tend to stray into predictable territory but it manages not cross the line too far. There are tinges of horror within the show but it never gets too intense.
As the season goes towards its finale, the various plot threads start to converge and it leads to a satisfying ending where all the characters join together and defeat the monsters from the Upside Down. The final scenes were great and no matter what you thought of the romances before, their resolutions are satisfying. Overall, the second season of Stranger Things is pretty fantastic. It has better pacing and a better plot compared to the first season. More importantly, it starts to answer some (but not all) of the questions that were raised in the first season but were left hanging.
-------------------------------------------
For other game reviews, have a look at this page.