Rogue Legacy 2 review: Death is temporary, joy is everlasting

After spending a year in early access, Rogue Legacy 2 has finally arrived. Remarkably, the title survived its decade-old run in purgatory. Upon hearing about its full release, I was a bit skeptical given its profile as a sequel.

At times, the sequel fails to replicate its predecessor's success. Given that the game also belongs to the rogue-like Metroidvania style, my initial expectations were murky at best. However, those doubts were short-lived.

Rogue Legacy 2 tries to capture the best of a genre that has been revitalized in recent years. Despite all the complex and expansive titles released recently, the charms of a great platformer stand the test of time. Suffice to say, Rogue Legacy 2 delivers on that promise and more.

However, it's better to be late than never, and the recent release succeeds in more areas than one might reckon. In several ways, it outshines games like Hollow Knight and what they brought to the genre in particular.

Rogue Legacy 2 is a sequel that a lot of developers should admire

Given the gap between the first game and its sequel, it's no surprise that the latter boasts several improvements and upgrades. However, none of the additions and changes feel excessive as they perfectly fit the overall setting.

That being said, core gameplay and backdrops are paramount in such games. For the impatient, Rogue Legacy does justice on both grounds.

Story

I relished the game's choice in not putting too much emphasis on the story. While there's a storyline that can be followed quite easily, I chose to concentrate more on killing as many enemies as possible.

Players are tasked with eliminating evil beings called Estuaries. The game arrives with the premise to kill, get killed and become better - at killing. Notably, players can opt to shoot straight for the bosses, as opposed to grinding their way out.

However, the job is easier said than done, just like any true rogue-like title. Combined with the gameplay features, Rogue Legacy 2 makes every run feel unique and challenging at the same time.

Gameplay

Rogue Legacy 2 stays true to the genre of Metroidvania rogue-like titles and in fact, it builds and enhances the model adopted by its peers. Aside from dispatching normal enemies, players will be embroiled in epic boss fights.

On their journey, they will die often, which might become somewhat of a rewarding fixture. It took me some time to acclimate to the mechanics, but the subsequent runs felt more progressive and rewarding.

Every time I perished in the game, my character was replaced by an heir who came with three options. The heir will carry some of its predecessor's traits, which is a completely random process. All the available features in the game make every run feel worth it.

Killing bosses is the most rewarding aspect, but there are other nuances such as unlocking new map areas and improving the characters that preserve and accentuate a player's experience.

I loved the second game due to the changes implemented in the trait system. Traits are important in this game as they effectively determine a player's character. Unlike the first game, the new trait system makes the overall experience more rewarding and provides incentives to take on a greater challenge.

Players can also enjoy the different classes incorporated into the game. Each class has its own unique weapons, playstyles, and more. Owing to this mechanic, players will feel the consequences and rewards of choosing a class that represents their style.

My favorite is the Berserker, which is limited compared to the other classes. However, I genuinely love combining the aerial attacks that send it into a spinning frenzy. This flashy move can become a nightmare for even the toughest opponents.

The most important difference is the skill tree, and there could quite easily be an entire section about them. At first, the feature looks quite simple but quickly gains nuance as the number of player runs increases.

The skills and decisions players make with them are perhaps the most prominent compared to any other feature in the game.

A note of caution - the skill tree can become overwhelming for many players, especially if they're new to this genre. While Rogue Legacy 2 has few areas for criticism, the skill tree needs work.

For example, the ability to reset the skill tree progression could be immensely helpful to those who may have made mistakes while leveling up.

Without a reset option, players are stuck with their decisions. This won't be a problem if they've pictured a desired path. However, one can always go wrong as investing points on too many options can destroy their save.

World and map design

This is where Rogue Legacy 2 feels vastly superior to its predecessor. The hand-drawn graphics perfectly suit the 2.5D settings and bring the best out of the game. There are a lot more biomes, with each one representing a bespoke idea. This, along with maps, helps in sustaining each experience as unique.

Enemies are also generated procedurally, which reduces the feeling of linearity. Surviving these maps and their difficulties is an often bigger challenge than the enemies themselves.

Exploring the maps feels fun, especially with the new heirlooms that are to be found. These heirlooms act as permanent stat boosts and can help players embark on even more challenging runs.

End-game

There are tons of aspects to enjoy in Rogue Legacy, apart from dying at the hands of bosses. The game goes beyond its usual run as there is a Burden system feature. These are modifiers that players can access once the game is complete.

With the use of these modifiers, players can change how enemies and biomes play out in a save. This system will allow them to invest and rather overhaul their subsequent runs.

In summation, this ensures that players' interests will be retained beyond the main campaign of Rogue Legacy 2. Meant to offer extensive replayability, the above features along with the non-linear gameplay help the game deliver on its promise.

In conclusion

There has been a lot of great work that developers Cellar Door Games have done in Rogue Legacy 2. The first game wasn't only limited in scope but to its usage of hardware as well. With that being said, the sequel is a massive improvement in terms of quality and performance. There were no frame skips or related issues on my Xbox Series S throughout the entire gameplay.

New changes like the Traits and Burden systems allow the game to play out differently. A greater number of biomes combined with hand-drawn graphics culminate in an amazing and rewarding product. There are very few negatives here, as Rogue Legacy 2 provides the perfect experience for fans of rogue-like Metroidvania games.

The graphics and music also dovetail perfectly, especially with the different biomes. Once someone looks beyond the animations, there are some serious strategic decisions to be made. All of this, along with extensive endgame content, means that Rogue Legacy 2 will indubitably go down as one of the best in the genre.

However, I would expect some changes to the skill tree. Despite being intricate and impactful, it often felt overwhelming, especially during the initial stages of my gameplay. A simple reset option, for starters, would be wonderful. The skill tree remains a slight shortcoming in an otherwise perfect game.