“No two runs are the same” is an often spoken line in relation to Roguelikes, and it may never have been more true than with Monster Train 2. With five new clans, new card types and a secondary mode of dimensional challenges, every run is different, but the fight never becomes less satisfactory. Despite some intermediate sequences that have a lot to be desired, Shiny Shoe has so far manufactured one of my favorite roguelics of the year and improved the previous title in every respect.
In Monster Train 2, you lead different armies of hell in a war against the titans, an old, powerful faction that threatens the existence of your world. In order to face such an impressive threat, you have control over several clans, unique societies of magical creatures, each with your own play styles. The angels banished clan concentrates on the brave fan and grants additional armor and damage, while the draconian pyre -clan gold Horte and Pyregel adds, a debuff that causes enemies to stimulate more damage. Each clan also has two champions, powerful units from which they build their runs from which they can choose. When a run begins, select a primary clan and a secondary clan, and with five to unlock (plus a load of secret), the sheer number of combinations is amazing.
The fight takes place on board the titleocomotive, which has four steps of train cars – three so that their units can fight, and a fourth place to keep the stake, the elixir of the train. If it takes too much damage, it explodes and your run ends. Therefore, it is in their interest to eliminate the enemies as soon as possible. The end result is part of the top bubble, part of Roguelike and part tower defense, while drawing cards to place units on every floor and defend the train from waves from attackers.
Most cards throw out spells, cause damage, healing, status conditions and more, but Monster Train 2 demonstrates two new types of cards: equipment and room cards. Equipment is played on a friendly unit to give you better statistics and skills while the rooms add a modifier to a whole car, e.g. B. the increase in magic potency or the granting of money when units die. The game also adds toilbable pyres that have active or passive skills to make their runs even more interesting. Each function brings something new and exciting to the table and enters the gameplay so seamlessly that I have often forgotten that they were absent from the last game.
Each run uses one of two clans, each with two champions and associated start tickets. Although I did not play every permutation, every combination with which I have started so far was surprisingly exciting, since every cleverly designed clan unique synergies with another. It is not a randomness to have great numbers – every run that I played felt as funny as the one who is in front of him, and it is an impressive performance.
Monster Train 2 also contains a collection of 21 dimensional challenges, which you limit to a preset combination of clans and add funny mutators to change the game. For example, “weapons make the warrior” all cards -upgrade slots on 1, but places device cards twice as powerful and costs less. “Twofer” doubles all the money deserved, statusffects that have been added, and make it a copy of it every time you add a card. In contrast to the standard, ultimately adjustable base game, it is a collection of carefully curated rules and modifiers. I appreciate that these challenges adapt their strategies and the difficulty of the game, except that it is simply more difficult. Many roguelics include activable settings or difficulty grades that limit their skills, but sometimes I want to be challenged in different ways, and Monster Train 2 understands this.
My main problem with the game is in its history, which fortunately is rare and slightly ignored. After completing runs, they are greeted by cutscenes between the different champions of the clans, while trying to find out what to do next in their fight against the titans. It feels half -heartedly with reused combat models that are facing simple backgrounds and turn left or right to display the character you speak to. The dialogue is largely disguised as a conversation, and most characters are reduced to the most fundamental properties of their clans – dragons are greedy and like gold, while the Lazarus League is obsessed with science and experiments. The gameplay of Monster Train 2 is inspired and professionally manufactured, but its cutscenes are clichéd and unforgettable.
Nevertheless, I did not come to Monster Train 2 to achieve a committed story. I came to start with scrap for tense, strategic struggle, hours of upgrading and optimizing spells and units and this uniquely Roguelike Power fantasy and luring the way up. The empire of Indie Roguelikes is competitive and overcrowded, but despite years of hard competition, Monster Train 2 has emphasized his series as one of the leader of the pack. In other words, many games are good; Only a few are as good as hell.
