Astute readers could have surmised that Rogue Legacy 2 is the follow-up to Rogue Legacy, a 2013 roguelite platformer. The main surprise in the game’s generative generation and permadeath mechanic was that every new character assumed the estate of their predecessor, making them the heirs of the preceding generation. Practically speaking, this meant using the cash you earned on each run to purchase enhancements that would increase your chances on subsequent trips. You’re less frustrated when you fail since, barring the worst runs, you’ll have enough gold for at least one improvement, making you want to try again.
You recruit the Architect, a cunning old codger, to help you with your exploration. He may make adjustments to the castle’s architecture in between runs, allowing you to build on your successful exploration rather than having to cope with a completely rearranged terrain. Even if you have to spend a significant amount of money for this privilege, it’s still a useful tool, particularly when you’re about to kill a monster and don’t want to have to look for the bugger every time.
Following the conventional path of a sequel, Rogue Legacy 2 offers you even more of what made the previous game so fantastic. There are now fifteen classes, as opposed to nine, and they provide considerably more diversity. The same holds true for equipment, spells, and attributes. What’s more fascinating is that it incorporates significant traversal enhancements a la metroidvania. Nothing really novel or exceptional occurs here, and I’m sure I’m not ruining anyone’s enjoyment when I say that there is a double leap at one point, but the increased maneuverability allows for some amazing aerial acrobatics. To really fly through the levels, you may combine the previously stated double jump with dashes, the ability to spin kick off of foes and projectiles, and a ton of other techniques. In several circumstances, quite literally.
This whole bouncin’ and pouncin’ works in concert with a lot of the class skills and artifacts you’ll come across. For instance, each time the bard spin kicks off an item, they receive a stacking damage bonus that resets when they make contact with the ground. Combine it with the clownanthropy trait, which depletes some of your health in return for the ability to spin kick from most surfaces, and an artifact that substitutes a far more destructive spin kick, for example, and you have a furious tornado of destruction.
If it seems like there is too much to manage, that’s exactly what it is. The sequence in which you unlock the different classes is, generally speaking, dictated by the upgrade route you follow through your manor—a beautiful visual depiction of your skill tree—but the latter classes are far more difficult to master than the early ones. With a correspondingly higher ceiling, this higher skill floor allows for quick platform layout traversal and dancing through thick enemy and missile groups. But in my situation, these are undoubtedly more chance than competence. I really like the barbarians with their large health pools and thick axes.
For this reason, I’m enjoying Rogue Legacy 2 so much that I end up playing it several times before realizing that I should be working. I check the game periodically to verify a detail for the review. Because of this, I’m able to have fun even when I’m working quickly to meet my deadline. It’s obvious that Cellar Door Games wants as many people to play their game as they can. In addition to the gradual enhancement provided by the upgrading system, they have also added a set of “house rules” that let you choose the level of difficulty. The majority of foes that aren’t actively assaulting you can have their health or damage output changed, you can even become able to fly. These options aren’t limited to those of us who occasionally require more assistance. It is possible to expose the settings you are using and make enemies even more powerful, making it ideal for committed gamers to showcase their well-earned skill on live.
It’s obvious that Cellar Door Games wants as many people to play their game as they can.
There is so much more to explore in Rogue Legacy 2 than just the main fighting and platforming, so it’s a great addition. The narrative is extremely complex, with many hints and clues pointing towards more in-depth mythology. It is gradually revealed through journal entries and other sources. I believe the children are referring to this as 2.5D, yet the images effectively utilize 3D objects on a 2D plane without drawing attention to their separation. Most significantly, at least in my opinion, the amazing animation successfully transfers to the new dimension, especially the running animation that always makes me grin while holding a weapon in the air. The group of people that stay at your home provide some wonderful moments as their connections steadily grow amongst them. The writing is alternatively heartwarming and truly humorous.
Unfortunately, it’s not quite right. The main problem with Rogue Legacy 2 is that it depends too much on its upgrading system. It’s a difficult game, and if you’re having trouble moving forward, the little fixes won’t give you the advantage you need. It turns into a grind as you repeatedly aim at the same spot until you think you’ve gained enough strength to pass through the problematic section. Without using any house rules, it took me little over seven hours to defeat the first monster and a few more to enable the feature that allows you to teleport right to a new location at the beginning of a run. I confess that there were several occasions when I felt a bit bored and irritated. The creator claims that players of all skill levels should be able to finish the game thanks to the upgrade system, but that claim is undoubtedly optimistic. Without the house rules, I assume that many players would give up on the game before they had a chance to explore even a small portion of its features.
Fortunately, that isn’t the case since Rogue Legacy 2 is a really beautiful game, and I like that Cellar Door gave us extra tools to make it more user-friendly. It’s a great illustration of allowing gamers to customize their experience to their preferences, whether it adding more difficulty or offering assistance.