‘Rogue Legacy 2’ – A Beautiful Enchancment on an Already-Nice Roguelite

With new lessons, traits, and different additions, Rogue Legacy 2 improves on every thing the unique did effectively whereas slipping in another nice components.

Rogue Legacy was all about succession. Nicely, that and mastering a steadiness of a lumpy bloodlines in opposition to odds worsened by some procedural technology and eased by some persisting unlocks. Rogue Legacy 2 takes that award-winning roguelite formulation and builds on it by… effectively, including a bunch extra of every thing.

The primary Rogue Legacy was simply certainly one of my favorite video games of 2013. That stated, I don’t truly actually keep in mind an excessive amount of about 2013, however I do keep in mind feeding a number of time into the sport, restarting time and again to attempt to discover a approach to optimise my manner via the assorted unlock timber. You see, in Rogue Legacy, your character inevitably dies. and after they do you’ll be able to spend their earnings on ‘constructing’ unlocks, unlocking recipes and diverse different issues. The ‘constructing’ unlocks are primarily a structured tech tree which might see you massively rising your carry weight, your beginning well being, how a lot cash you keep between runs, and likewise issues like unlocking new lessons, which every have their very own playstyle and tie into the following technology of heroes that you simply choose from. Rogue Legacy 2 nonetheless has all of this, and, very similar to Rogue Legacy earlier than it, you’ll die loads.

After all, loss of life is the place this sequence comes alive. You get to decide on between three heirs (in Rogue Legacy 2 you’ll be able to choose from extra after gaining a sure unlock) who have already got some character traits. These traits embody their class, their class weapon, and their class capability, in addition to a semi-random spell. They’ll even have relics (new to the sequence) and have character traits. These traits can vary from Diva (the place you’re in a vivid highlight, enemies are in a smaller one, and roses litter the display screen once you clear the room of enemies) to Endomorph (the place you don’t get nudged when enemies hit you), and range from optimistic to damaging to only plain peculiar. The damaging ones typically provide you with a gold bonus, which is massively useful as a result of gold is what powers your upgrades as soon as your run has completed.

Now, you is perhaps questioning how a lot can persisting unlocks truly assist you in a 2D platforming roguelite. That’s a good factor to surprise. Issues like Histrionic, the place all numbers are massively exaggerated, gained’t change issues up an excessive amount of for you, however some traits, particularly mixed with relics and sure lessons, can create actual powerhouse heroes. Excessive Jumpers can bounce very excessive (no. manner.) and in the event you mix that with the lancer class, who can jet across the degree nearly indefinitely in the event you’re intelligent. There’s additionally the gunner whose weapon will droop you even when it’s empty, and the delicate trait which rewards 200% gold however you die in a single hit. You’ll have a brief run, however you’ll be able to raid sufficient chests to attain a number of upgrades after your run. There’s additionally a relic on the market that allows you to simply fly. It’s in all probability not one to make use of in sequence with excessive bounce, however it means that you would be able to get into areas that you simply’re merely not meant to have the ability to get to but. And in the event you’re cautious then you’ll be able to reap the rewards.

In the event you performed the primary sport then Rogue Legacy 2 will really feel extremely acquainted. Whereas some lessons have modified and there are new traits, a number of the underlying mechanics — which weren’t damaged in any manner — are nonetheless in there. In the event you’ve not performed the primary sport, effectively, you in all probability don’t have to. Rogue Legacy 2 is among the uncommon circumstances the place the sequel solely crushes the primary underfoot.

I don’t know if there’s a lot else to say. It does suck a bit once you draw a string of dangerous characters, and a few of the bosses are exhausting as nails, however it’s a sport all about persistence. However in the event you can’t fairly stick with it, as a pleasing shock, there’s a complete bunch of accessibility and customisation choices in there which let you refine the sport to your liking. I do know I’ve slid that in as a footnote, and nearly as a counterpoint, however it’s truly actually spectacular and necessary that issues like this make their manner into video games in order that extra individuals can take pleasure in and expertise them.



Rogue Legacy 2 is accessible now on the Microsoft Retailer, Epic Video games Retailer, and Steam.