Rogue Legacy 2 is a platform video game developed and published by Cellar Door Games. It is the sequel to 2013's Rogue Legacy, and the game was released for Windows via early access in August 2020. The full version was released in April 2022, for Windows, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S, followed by a Nintendo Switch port in November. The game was released for PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 5 in June 2023.

Rogue Legacy 2
Developer(s)Cellar Door Games
Publisher(s)Cellar Door Games
Producer(s)Rachel Sim
Designer(s)Teddy Lee
Programmer(s)Kenny Lee
Artist(s)Matt Hammill
Writer(s)Teddy Lee
Composer(s)
  • Gordon McGladdery
  • Judson Cowan
EngineUnity[3]
Platform(s)
Release
  • Windows, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S
  • April 28, 2022
  • Nintendo Switch
  • November 9, 2022[1]
  • PS4, PS5
  • June 20, 2023[2]
Genre(s)Platform, roguelike, metroidvania
Mode(s)Single-player

Gameplay

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Rogue Legacy 2 is a platform game with roguelike and Metroidvania elements. In the game, the player assumes control of a knight, who must explore procedurally generated dungeons to collect its treasures and defeat enemies. While the knight is equipped with swords and shields and mages can cast magic, the game introduces several additional gameplay classes. These new classes include the Ranger who can summon platforms and use a bow and arrow, and the Barbarian who uses an axe. As a roguelike, players will have to start from the beginning when their player avatar is killed in the game.[4] However, the gold they have collected in each run can be spent on permanent upgrades such as new weapons, gear and runes. When the player starts a run again, they will have to pick a random character with different genetic traits, which may either enhance or hinder the player's combat efficiency.[5] While exploring a dungeon, they will also collect Heirlooms, which are permanent ability upgrades that are hidden in special rooms.[6]

Development

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Cellar Door Games announced Rogue Legacy 2 in April 2020.[7] While the studio planned to release the game via early access in July, it was later shifted to August 18 the same year.[8] The initial early access release contained one and a half dungeons, four gameplay classes, and one enemy boss. The studio planned to release large updates every two months, and expected the game to stay in early access for around a year.[9] The game's development lasted for about four years. The game left early access and was fully released on April 28, 2022, for Windows, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.[10]

Reception

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Rogue Legacy 2 received "universal acclaim" for Xbox Series X/S and PlayStation 5 according to review aggregator Metacritic;[12][13] the Windows and Nintendo Switch versions received "generally favorable" reviews.[11][14]

Mitchell Saltzman of IGN awarded the game a 9 out of 10, stating that the game is "a transformative sequel that essentially rebuilds the extraordinarily influential 2013 original into a modern roguelite that stands nearly shoulder to shoulder with the best of the genre".[21]

PC Gamer gave the game an 88 out of 100, calling it "a cheerful and challenging dungeon crawler where death is a good thing" and "a spectacular follow-up that revitalises the series with fresh ideas while expanding on what made the original so immensely enjoyable in the first place".[27]

Jordan Devore of Destructoid compared Rogue Legacy 2 favorably against other roguelites in an 9.5 out of 10 review:

Other popular roguelites [...] can still have dicey moments of despair. But I never felt like any of my lost progress was in vain. As expensive as perma-upgrades eventually get, you're always earning in Rogue Legacy 2, and the game isn't afraid to hand out stepping stones to let you focus on your next milestone. There's always hope.

— Jordan Devore, Destructoid

John Carson of Game Informer awarded the game a score of 9 out of 10, noting that "[t]here's a lot to clean up with the core progression systems to make the ramp from beginning to end escalate more evenly, but I've enjoyed most of my hours struggling through countless generations of my goofy little bloodline".[28]

In a positive review, Ryan Gilliam of Polygon remarked that "Rogue Legacy 2 refuses to ever let me be bored, and that's more than enough to set it apart from the heap of roguelites that have followed in the original game's wake".[29]

References

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  1. ^ Hughes, Alana (November 9, 2022). "Rogue Legacy 2 Gets Surprise Launch On Switch Today". Nintendo Life. Archived from the original on November 9, 2022. Retrieved November 9, 2022.
  2. ^ Romano, Sal (June 14, 2023). "Rogue Legacy 2 coming to PS5, PS4 on June 20". Gematsu. Retrieved June 15, 2023.
  3. ^ Saver, Michael (December 27, 2022). "Made with Unity: 2022 in review". Unity Technologies. Retrieved July 31, 2023.
  4. ^ Denzer, TJ (August 24, 2020). "Rogue Legacy 2 hands-on preview: The family cemetery runneth over". Shacknews. Archived from the original on May 2, 2022. Retrieved April 29, 2022.
  5. ^ Devore, Jordan (August 18, 2020). "Early Access Review: Rogue Legacy 2". Destructoid. Archived from the original on January 16, 2022. Retrieved January 1, 2022.
  6. ^ Ramos, Jeff (August 18, 2020). "Rogue Legacy 2 beginner's guide and tips". Polygon. Archived from the original on January 16, 2022. Retrieved January 16, 2022.
  7. ^ Prescott, Shaun (April 3, 2020). "Rogue Legacy 2 announced". PC Gamer. Future plc. Archived from the original on December 20, 2020. Retrieved January 16, 2021.
  8. ^ Wales, Matt (July 17, 2020). "Rogue Legacy 2's PC early access launch has been pushed back to August". Eurogamer. Archived from the original on January 16, 2022. Retrieved January 16, 2022.
  9. ^ Clayton, Natelie (August 18, 2020). "Rogue Legacy 2 has begun its quest through early access". Rock Paper Shotgun. Archived from the original on January 16, 2022. Retrieved January 16, 2022.
  10. ^ Kennedy, Victoria (April 7, 2022). "Rogue Legacy 2 release date announced for PC and Xbox". Eurogamer. Archived from the original on April 7, 2022. Retrieved April 8, 2022.
  11. ^ a b "Rogue Legacy 2 for PC Reviews". Metacritic. Archived from the original on April 29, 2022. Retrieved April 29, 2022.
  12. ^ a b "Rogue Legacy 2 for Xbox Series X Reviews". Metacritic. Archived from the original on December 30, 2022. Retrieved May 10, 2022.
  13. ^ a b "Rogue Legacy 2 for PlayStation 5 Reviews". Metacritic. Retrieved July 12, 2023.
  14. ^ a b "Rogue Legacy 2 for Nintendo Switch Reviews". Metacritic. Retrieved July 12, 2023.
  15. ^ Devore, Jordan (April 28, 2022). "Review: Rogue Legacy 2". Destructoid. Archived from the original on April 28, 2022. Retrieved April 29, 2022.
  16. ^ Carson, John (May 11, 2022). "Rogue Legacy 2 Review". Game Informer. GameStop Corp. Archived from the original on June 10, 2022. Retrieved June 8, 2022.
  17. ^ Wakeling, Richard (April 28, 2022). "Rogue Legacy 2 Review - Grand Lineage". GameSpot. Archived from the original on April 28, 2022. Retrieved April 29, 2022.
  18. ^ Penzhorn, Sascha (May 1, 2022). "Rogue Legacy 2 im Test: Eines der besten Spiele seines Genres" [Rogue Legacy 2 Review: One of the Best Games of its Genre]. GameStar (in German). Webedia. Archived from the original on May 1, 2022. Retrieved May 4, 2022.
  19. ^ Cunningham, James (May 1, 2022). "Review: Rogue Legacy 2". Hardcore Gamer. Archived from the original on May 4, 2022. Retrieved May 4, 2022.
  20. ^ Alonso, Álvaro (April 28, 2022). "Rogue Legacy 2 se va a convertir en tu nueva obsesión roguelite (análisis)" [Rogue Legacy 2 is going to become your new roguelite obsession (review)]. HobbyConsolas (in Spanish). Axel Springer SE. Archived from the original on April 28, 2022. Retrieved April 29, 2022.
  21. ^ a b Saltzman, Mitchell (April 28, 2022). "Rogue Legacy 2 Review". IGN. Archived from the original on April 28, 2022. Retrieved April 29, 2022.
  22. ^ Coyle, Anne-Marie (May 4, 2022). "Rogue Legacy 2 review". PC Gamer. Future plc. Archived from the original on May 9, 2022. Retrieved May 10, 2022.
  23. ^ Denzer, TJ (April 28, 2022). "Rogue Legacy 2 review: A rich bloodline forged in the fires of failure". Shacknews. Archived from the original on April 28, 2022. Retrieved April 29, 2022.
  24. ^ O'Reilly, PJ (May 3, 2022). "Review: Rogue Legacy 2 - An Xbox Console Exclusive You Don't Want To Miss". Pure Xbox. Archived from the original on May 10, 2022. Retrieved May 10, 2022.
  25. ^ Mariel Zema, Alexis (May 5, 2022). "Rogue Legacy 2: Le meilleur jeu d'action roguelike de l'année est déjà là!". Jeuxvideo.com. Archived from the original on June 18, 2022. Retrieved June 18, 2022.
  26. ^ McCrae, Scott (November 14, 2022). "Review: Rogue Legacy 2 - A Roguelike Legend Returns In Fine Form". Nintendo Life. Archived from the original on December 13, 2022. Retrieved December 13, 2022.
  27. ^ Coyle, Anne-Marie (May 4, 2022). "Rogue Legacy 2 review". PC Gamer. Retrieved July 1, 2023.
  28. ^ Carson, John (May 11, 2022). "Rogue Legacy 2 Review - Generations Of Greatness". Game Informer. Archived from the original on May 11, 2022. Retrieved July 1, 2023.
  29. ^ Gilliam, Ryan (May 5, 2022). "Rogue Legacy 2 harnesses chaos to become an endlessly replayable roguelite". Polygon. Retrieved July 1, 2023.
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