With new lessons, traits, and different additions, Rogue Legacy 2 improves on every thing the unique did properly whereas slipping in another nice components.
Rogue Legacy was all about succession. Effectively, that and mastering a steadiness of a lumpy bloodlines in opposition to odds worsened by some procedural era and eased by some persisting unlocks. Rogue Legacy 2 takes that award-winning roguelite components and builds on it by… properly, including a bunch extra of every thing.
The primary Rogue Legacy was simply considered 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 quite a lot of time into the sport, restarting time and again to attempt to discover a strategy to optimise my approach by the varied unlock bushes. You see, in Rogue Legacy, your character inevitably dies. and once they do you possibly can spend their earnings on ‘constructing’ unlocks, unlocking recipes and diverse different issues. The ‘constructing’ unlocks are basically a structured tech tree which might see you massively growing 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 subsequent era 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 quite a bit.
In fact, demise is the place this collection comes alive. You get to decide on between three heirs (in Rogue Legacy 2 you possibly can choose from extra after gaining a sure unlock) who have already got some character traits. These traits embrace their class, their class weapon, and their class means, in addition to a semi-random spell. They’ll even have relics (new to the collection) and have persona traits. These traits can vary from Diva (the place you’re in a shiny highlight, enemies are in a smaller one, and roses litter the display screen while you clear the room of enemies) to Endomorph (the place you don’t get nudged when enemies hit you), and differ from constructive to damaging to only plain peculiar. The damaging ones usually provide you with a gold bonus, which is massively helpful as a result of gold is what powers your upgrades as soon as your run has completed.
Now, you may be questioning how a lot can persisting unlocks truly assist you in a 2D platforming roguelite. That’s a good factor to marvel. Issues like Histrionic, the place all numbers are massively exaggerated, received’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 leap very excessive (no. approach.) and if you happen to mix that with the lancer class, who can jet across the degree nearly indefinitely if you happen to’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 possibly can raid sufficient chests to attain a number of upgrades after your run. There’s additionally a relic on the market that permits you to simply fly. It’s in all probability not one to make use of in sequence with excessive leap, nevertheless it means you could get into areas that you simply’re merely not meant to have the ability to get to but. And if you happen to’re cautious then you possibly can reap the rewards.
In case you performed the primary recreation then Rogue Legacy 2 will really feel extremely acquainted. Whereas some lessons have modified and there are new traits, quite a lot of the underlying mechanics — which weren’t damaged in any approach — are nonetheless in there. In case you’ve not performed the primary recreation, properly, you in all probability don’t have to. Rogue Legacy 2 is among the uncommon instances the place the sequel completely crushes the primary underfoot.
I don’t know if there’s a lot else to say. It does suck a bit while you draw a string of unhealthy characters, and a number of the bosses are exhausting as nails, however it’s a recreation all about persistence. However if you happen to can’t fairly stick with it, as a pleasing shock, there’s a entire 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, nevertheless it’s truly actually spectacular and vital that issues like this make their approach 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.
