Now things are getting more interesting. Most characters still don't have names (though the Goblin Slayer does pick up...if not a name, at least a few more monikers: "Beard Cutter," and "Orcbolg"), but they feel more like people this time around. Interestingly, at the same time, each one also seems to embody a particular approach to roleplaying.
Goblin Slayer is a man wholly consumed by a need for vengeance, yet at the same time, he's cool and calculating (and at times, rather ingenious) in his approach to his slaughter of goblins. He represents the sort of player who's in it for the combat and little else.
The Priestess is grateful to the Goblin Slayer for saving her life, and is trying her damnedest to return the favor. She's a balancing force in his life, and one of the only things that reminds him of his basic humanity, but you can tell her efforts are draining her. She represents the sort of player who enjoys the experience of roleplaying, but just kinda goes along with the party, without really engaging herself too much in the story.
The Elf ranger is an idealist. She dislikes fighting, but will do it (and do it well), because it comes with the territory of adventuring. She's more fragile than her centuries of life would lead you to believe, but while some events might rattle her, the allure of the journey keeps her going forward. She represents the sort of player who's in it for the discovery--finding out what's hidden in that old crypt, or what lands await across the sea. And if she ends up saving the world in the process, all the better.
The Dwarf mage is a raucous sort, quick with a joke, but able to be counted on in a pinch. Of course, he and the Elf are at odds most of the time, but underneath it all, he realizes they're strong allies, so his teasing never digs too deeply. He represents the kind of player who's in it for the fun. The sort that likes to stir things up most of the time, but will still stand by the rest of the party when the going gets tough.
Finally, there's the Lizardman shaman, who's stoic, respectful to a fault, and deeply committed to the quest at hand. He's the unlikeliest member of the party, but he has his reasons for being there. He represents the ROLEplayer vs. the ROLLplayer: someone who's in it first and foremost for the lore, and the immersion in another world. That is, the sort who tries to speak in the manner his character would, who's always invested in the plot, and likes to take things seriously.
All in all, Goblin Slayer is proving to be an interesting study of roleplayers in a meta-narrative sense, as well as being a rather enjoyable fantasy yarn. There's the shape of a larger quest forming in the background (if the rest of the party can steer Goblin Slayer away from his favorite prey long enough to focus on the looming threat of a demon lord), there's some really creative use of characters' abilities on display, and the action, while dark and gruesome, is pretty gripping. Now that it's found its footing, Goblin Slayer reads like a solidly put together D&D adventure, and it definitely has its hooks firmly in my at this point. The much maligned nudity only exists for three pages in this entire volume, and the on-page rape scenes seem a thing of the past, showing a level of restraint from the author (the scenes in the first volume served their purpose, and he understands there's more to the story and world-building than that). It's solid dark fantasy.
But now that the ad hoc quest Goblin Slayer got recruited into in this volume is over, we'll see if he stays with this party or not. I hope he does, because they're likable characters with plenty of room for further growth. Plus, that way, the story has more to it than just "find the next goblin nest and destroy it."
If you were on the fence about Goblin Slayer because of all the controversy surrounding it, I highly recommend giving it a try. Plenty of other series out there have more fanservice than this, and while it can be really gory, I've seen more excessive things in that category, too. So long as you know what you're getting into, there's a lot to like here.