Don’t Shit Your Pants studio Cellar Door Games has announced an April 28 launch date for Rogue Legacy 2, a sequel to its breakout 2013 platformer roguelite. Rogue Legacy 2 has been in Early Access since August 2020, and over that time it has grown a total of 15 playable classes, and an approach to progress that shies away from rinse-and-repeat permadeath gameplay.
As far as the latter is concerned, Rogue Legacy 2 has “heirlooms” that grant the player permanent abilities and upgrades, which is an expansion on the base-building element in the original that provided a sense of overall progress, even upon death. The game’s trait system is back as well, taking the form of various nerfs and buffs you’ll enjoy or suffer with each run. These are part of the series’ genealogical approach to its heroes: each time you die, your character’s child succeeds you, with some of their inherited strengths and weaknesses. You’ll also get to spend some of the money they earned kitting out the family estate.
But the first thing that stands out about Rogue Legacy 2 is how pretty it looks. The original had a decent art style as far as pixel art platformers are concerned, but Rogue Legacy 2 has a 2.5D approach that resembles old ’90s cartoons. It’s a real looker, and the variety of biomes (lava areas, snow areas, castle areas) is a real step up from the relatively samey original.
“We can’t put into words all the emotions we’re feeling now that we’ve gotten this far, and we know it’s just the beginning,” a Cellar Door spokesperson wrote on Steam, implying that the game will continue to expand after launch. In a press release, the studio wrote that “our goal for Rogue Legacy 2 was always to make ‘Rogue Legacy 3’ because we didn’t want to settle for just more.”
To celebrate, the original Rogue Legacy is free on the Epic Games Store until April 14. It’s worth a play: despite the roguelite genre being a tad overcrowded these days, it holds up well.
Shaun Prescott is the Australian editor of PC Gamer. With over ten years experience covering the games industry, his work has appeared on GamesRadar+, TechRadar, The Guardian, PLAY Magazine, the Sydney Morning Herald, and more. Specific interests include indie games, obscure Metroidvanias, speedrunning, experimental games and FPSs. He thinks Lulu by Metallica and Lou Reed is an all-time classic that will receive its due critical reappraisal one day.
Gif: Paramount While it was teased in December, the first full trailer for the upcoming Halo TV series was just released and it looks, if nothing else, very expensive. The two-minute trailer jumps us around a bit, but one thing is clear: this isn’t the Halo story most have come to know over the last …
What makes a good shooter? Immediate answers might include punchy phrases/words like “gun feel” or “kit customization.” Even so, it’s hard to define the gratification that comes with securing that coveted victory in ranked multiplayer or surviving a seemingly never-ending onslaught in single-player horde mode. A good shooter tends to contain a smorgasbord of enticing …
Punishing: Gray Raven is an action-RPG with a post-apocalyptic sci-fi story, high-speed combat, an atmospheric soundtrack, and a whole lot of style. When you need a break from battle, you’re able to decorate your dorm, interact with other characters, and truly enjoy the peace you have fostered. If you love this epic gacha game, but …
Horizon Forbidden West adheres to the “if it ain’t broke” ethos of game design.Image: Guerrilla Games The embargo for Horizon Forbidden West has lifted, which means reviews have dropped before the game launches on February 18. Our review praised the game for its many improvements, including overhauling the rather uninventive climbing puzzles. And the wider …
A few weeks ago we learned that Final Fantasy VII: The First Soldier, Square Enix’s FF7-prequel slash battle royale game, was set to land on the Play Store in November. Now, pre-registration for the game has gone live, and we’ve got a concrete-ish release date for it too. The Play Store page for the game …
PlayStation has released the top 20 PlayStation 5 downloads and PlayStation 4 downloads of 2021, and as you might expect, sports games took home the platinum trophy. On the PS5, NBA 2K22 was the number one most-downloaded PS5 game in the U.S. and Canada in 2021 while in Europe, unsurprisingly, FIFA 22 took the top …
Rogue Legacy 2 Exits Early Access Later This Month
Don’t Shit Your Pants studio Cellar Door Games has announced an April 28 launch date for Rogue Legacy 2, a sequel to its breakout 2013 platformer roguelite. Rogue Legacy 2 has been in Early Access since August 2020, and over that time it has grown a total of 15 playable classes, and an approach to progress that shies away from rinse-and-repeat permadeath gameplay.
As far as the latter is concerned, Rogue Legacy 2 has “heirlooms” that grant the player permanent abilities and upgrades, which is an expansion on the base-building element in the original that provided a sense of overall progress, even upon death. The game’s trait system is back as well, taking the form of various nerfs and buffs you’ll enjoy or suffer with each run. These are part of the series’ genealogical approach to its heroes: each time you die, your character’s child succeeds you, with some of their inherited strengths and weaknesses. You’ll also get to spend some of the money they earned kitting out the family estate.
But the first thing that stands out about Rogue Legacy 2 is how pretty it looks. The original had a decent art style as far as pixel art platformers are concerned, but Rogue Legacy 2 has a 2.5D approach that resembles old ’90s cartoons. It’s a real looker, and the variety of biomes (lava areas, snow areas, castle areas) is a real step up from the relatively samey original.
“We can’t put into words all the emotions we’re feeling now that we’ve gotten this far, and we know it’s just the beginning,” a Cellar Door spokesperson wrote on Steam, implying that the game will continue to expand after launch. In a press release, the studio wrote that “our goal for Rogue Legacy 2 was always to make ‘Rogue Legacy 3’ because we didn’t want to settle for just more.”
To celebrate, the original Rogue Legacy is free on the Epic Games Store until April 14. It’s worth a play: despite the roguelite genre being a tad overcrowded these days, it holds up well.
Shaun Prescott is the Australian editor of PC Gamer. With over ten years experience covering the games industry, his work has appeared on GamesRadar+, TechRadar, The Guardian, PLAY Magazine, the Sydney Morning Herald, and more. Specific interests include indie games, obscure Metroidvanias, speedrunning, experimental games and FPSs. He thinks Lulu by Metallica and Lou Reed is an all-time classic that will receive its due critical reappraisal one day.
Related Posts
First Proper Trailer For Halo’s TV Series Drops
Gif: Paramount While it was teased in December, the first full trailer for the upcoming Halo TV series was just released and it looks, if nothing else, very expensive. The two-minute trailer jumps us around a bit, but one thing is clear: this isn’t the Halo story most have come to know over the last …
Top 10 Shooters To Play Right Now
What makes a good shooter? Immediate answers might include punchy phrases/words like “gun feel” or “kit customization.” Even so, it’s hard to define the gratification that comes with securing that coveted victory in ranked multiplayer or surviving a seemingly never-ending onslaught in single-player horde mode. A good shooter tends to contain a smorgasbord of enticing …
Punishing Gray Raven Tier List – Every Punishing Gray Raven Character Ranked
Punishing: Gray Raven is an action-RPG with a post-apocalyptic sci-fi story, high-speed combat, an atmospheric soundtrack, and a whole lot of style. When you need a break from battle, you’re able to decorate your dorm, interact with other characters, and truly enjoy the peace you have fostered. If you love this epic gacha game, but …
Horizon Forbidden West Reviews Say It’s Really Good (And Really Familiar)
Horizon Forbidden West adheres to the “if it ain’t broke” ethos of game design.Image: Guerrilla Games The embargo for Horizon Forbidden West has lifted, which means reviews have dropped before the game launches on February 18. Our review praised the game for its many improvements, including overhauling the rather uninventive climbing puzzles. And the wider …
Pre-Registration Now Live For Final Fantasy VII: The First Soldier
A few weeks ago we learned that Final Fantasy VII: The First Soldier, Square Enix’s FF7-prequel slash battle royale game, was set to land on the Play Store in November. Now, pre-registration for the game has gone live, and we’ve got a concrete-ish release date for it too. The Play Store page for the game …
PlayStation Releases Top Downloads Of 2021 And Sports Games Lead The Pack
PlayStation has released the top 20 PlayStation 5 downloads and PlayStation 4 downloads of 2021, and as you might expect, sports games took home the platinum trophy. On the PS5, NBA 2K22 was the number one most-downloaded PS5 game in the U.S. and Canada in 2021 while in Europe, unsurprisingly, FIFA 22 took the top …