Remnant 2 Review
Remnant 2 Review (Single Player)
With a swath of refinements, iterations and new features across the board, both large and small, Remnant 2 uses the platform created by 2019’s cult-like hit Remnant: From The Ashes to springboard the sequel to new heights. This is all done without deviating from the extremely satisfying combat system, gameplay loop and innovative, yet dark and twisted dynamically generated worlds that should welcome both fans of the original and newcomers to the series, which I can attest to, as I barely scratched the surface of the original due to bad timing.
The biggest change to Remnant 2 is the introduction of Archetypes or classes, that allow you to play the game as you want from the beginning. The new class system has perks, traits and when combined with your rings, amulets and relics, it requires much more precision to build the perfect class, as opposed to just using the meta armor set.
The Handler, which seems tailor made for single player includes a dog sidekick, that can not only attack enemies, but can also revive you once per life. They also draw just enough enemy aggro that the game doesn’t feel unfair when playing single player and this can buy you just enough time to land critical shots or heal yourself from the brink of death
The sequel to From The Ashes also looks stunning with levels that scratch every fantasy and sci fi itch you might have. The biomes range from Geiger inspired to forests, crypts, abandoned asylums, and even awe inspiring labyrinths that have an inception level of scale to them. This all feels incredible to be featured in the same game. It wouldnt be stunning if they didn’t perform well, but Remnant 2 ran flawlessly at 60 FPS on PS5 in balanced mode, which is impressive during hectic battles.
Remnant 2 is not open world, but with the maze like levels that beg to be explored and actually reward you frequently for venturing off the beaten path, it feels anything but linear. The map system has echoes of Metroid prime and when combined with the unlimited stamina outside of combat, exploring every dark nook and crevice is a pleasure.
Gripes
The world of Remnant 2 is full of mystery, intrigue and originality. Unfortunately, the story is a bit of a slow starter as it takes around 5 hours before it begins to simmer. Although, there are enough side stories in each biome to keep you interested. The weapons in this world feel handcrafted and on the same plane as something like Destiny, sadly you almost never feel the need to use them as levelling up your starting gun is usually more effective and cost efficient.
Whenever you defeat a boss, they will drop something that you can use to craft a new weapon, you will constantly be finding new rings, amulets, relics and relic fragments to equip on your character to make meaningful changes, but one thing that was lacking was armor. From the beginning of the game to the end of the first play, I used the same armor set. It would have been nice to slowly upgrade you stats or just aesthetically look different.
Closing
Many games promise endless replay factor, but few can actually back this claim up. With the addition of a class system loaded with customization, improvements on the dynamically generated dungeons that are different each time, story lines that are woven throughout each world, and the refinement of the mechanics from the original, Remnant 2 feels like a master class in sequel making.