The still-in-early-access sequel has 'surpassed 'Rogue Legacy' in terms of raw content', and it's a lot of fun
Did you know there is a Rogue Legacy 2? And that it's in Early Access on PC right now?
I know a lot of us would rather wait for games like this to be finished, but even with that caveat, I feel like there isn't enough hype around this sequel. such a popular game. It looks and plays fantastic.
For starters, the biggest criticism I had for Rogue Legacy 2 was the lack of content to keep the roguelike machine turning. The Far Shores update was a huge boon, and the latest update, Arcane Hallows, pushes the sequel beyond the original Rogue Legacy "in terms of raw (non-NG+) content".
In terms of raw numbers, there are four biomes (the last is the tricky Stygian study), nine classes (including the newly added Gunslinger and Assassin), and over 650 potential room layouts to discover. I headed for the Gunslinger, which can fire a stream of shots into the air, allowing you to engage enemies from a safe distance, but they regularly need to reload and timing is crucial.
Other Arcane Hallows Update Highlights:
- The Architect can lock down your random world - for a price.
- Fairy Hall Treasure Chest challenges will not automatically start the second you enter them. You will be able to pull a lever to activate the challenge once you know the rules and are ready.
- Relics have been revised to have more reasonable compromises and now cost "Resolve". Long story short, they won't feel entirely out of reach due to their previous 'drastic costs for max health'.
- There are "experimental" Curio Shoppes to find on your runs that allow you to "swap your weapon, spell, and even talent" while gaining bonus stats like an extra boost.
Notably, Cellar Door Games also worked to improve performance – I immediately noticed a difference when I came back; it's still smooth – and load times should be faster too.
And after? "In almost every aspect, we've met or exceeded what was found in the original, and there's at least two more content fixes planned! We've got more biomes, more bosses, and more in the works, and we hope you'll stick around to see what's in store for us in the future. "
I'll admit it's a slight annoyance having to repurchase skills and perks with every major update (although it's satisfying to watch the castle rebuild with every unlock). That said, you'll be able to enter each update with most of your gold refunded, so you don't have to change anything.
I imagine most of you will still be waiting to play Rogue Legacy 2 for now, but if you ever feel the urge to storm the castle again, the game is already in an awesome place and there is a lot of fun to be had.
