Monster Train 2 Review

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Indie game trends have seen a significant surge with deckbuilders like Slay the Spire and Monster Train leading the way. With Monster Train 2 set to be released, we’re eager to explore how this sequel builds upon the foundation it has already established.

Initially, Monster Train proved to be an enormous success, demonstrating that even games within the same narrow genre like deckbuilders can exhibit significant variations in their gameplay.

There’s a special touch to playing cards that makes them ideal for demonstrating diverse actions, all while maintaining an easily comprehensible experience once the fundamentals are grasped.

Let’s delve into how cards portray the afterlife; let’s take a look at that, shall we?)

It’s Never Been More Satisfying To Play Conductor

Similar to the first one, Monster Train 2 can be described as a game that combines deck building and tower defense aspects. In each playthrough, your goal is to fortify the main train character against a wave of angelic enemies who keep on attacking it.

Instead of focusing on a single main character, the total Hit Points (HP) of your journey is linked to the health of the engine named “Pyre” within the train. During the opening round, you’ll be tasked with deploying units across the train’s three levels. Subsequently, enemies will attempt to infiltrate from the bottom floor, starting a series of attacks on the train.

Monster Train 2 puts a focus on consistency in its combat…

In Monster Train 2, the battles are structured in a sequence where opponents attack first, thereby emphasizing a defensive strategy. This is achieved by boosting your own combatants, weakening your adversaries, or gradually wearing them down using spells and traps.

Regardless of its turn-based nature, the combat remains swiftly paced. Superb audio effects and quick-moving animations ensure the frenzy is easily understood, and it’s obvious when a strategy is truly taking shape. The sensation of keeping a mob at bay on the train’s lower level always feels triumphant.

In Monster Train 2, instead of relying on grand, spectacular battles like other roguelike games, it emphasizes maintaining consistency during combat. Any foes who survive your counterattack will ascend to a higher level, gradually moving towards your Pyre. The Pyre can handle a few remaining enemies, but healing requires resources that could otherwise be used to enhance your deck. This means you need to strike a balance between healing and upgrading your deck for future encounters.

In every gameplay session, the flexibility of each run is crucial, especially in a roguelike genre, and it begins with your decision on which faction to join. The game provides five distinct factions, each bringing its own set of special cards and mechanics.

Each clan – the Banished with their emphasis on acquiring armor through battle and tactical movement between levels, and the Luna Coven favoring healing abilities and enhancing damage through accumulated spell potency – exhibits unique gameplay styles. Intriguingly, these distinct approaches often complement each other in unexpected ways.

At the start of every game, you pick a main faction (clan), and designate a key hero from this faction as your central unit for building your deck. Additionally, you select a secondary faction, whose cards and artifacts become part of the overall pool of choices during the gameplay.

Each run consists of nine consecutive battles, interspersed with distinct tracks where the train travels. Each track presents unique incentives, unexpected occurrences, opportunities to upgrade cards, and even passive artifacts that can significantly change the impact of your cards throughout the remainder of the run.

In every game I played with the same factions, I was motivated to construct my deck uniquely each time, discovering fresh combinations and exceptional cards that thrived in various situations. It’s rewarding to consistently uncover new resources and determine the best ways to utilize them. My main complaint is that once you’ve unlocked all a clan’s cards, there isn’t much left in terms of progression.

The game attempts to reward you—when you successfully complete a run using a card from your deck, that card receives a glossy frame, and the number of times you’ve cleared cards from each clan is recorded. However, this type of task-oriented incentive doesn’t particularly appeal to me. Yet, I must admit, it was satisfying to observe the growth in my cleared cards count after successful runs.

From the outset, Monster Train 2 embraces its identity as a roguelike game, providing a continuous mix-up and customization in nearly every facet. At the conclusion of successful journeys, your primary faction’s progress isn’t the only thing that’s recorded, but also the one backing it, motivating strategic players to test out all potential combinations.

Every Card Has A Story

In a somewhat unexpected turn for a roguelike game, Monster Train 2 begins by continuing the storyline of the first Monster Train. Following the successful rebellion of Hell’s armies against Heaven, mighty Titans have seized control over the Pearly Gates. This unforeseen event has led to an unusual alliance between angels and demons, with the shared goal of expelling these Titans from Heaven.

In increasing numbers, roguelike games are developing captivating stories that justify their recurring gameplay, ranging from time loops to eternal life. Notably, Monster Train 2 seeks to emphasize a cohesive narrative, even as it maintains its loop-based game mechanics.

Instead of repeatedly revolving around a significant occurrence that propels characters forward, it concentrates on the distinct characters symbolized by your cards. How do the Banished, a group of fallen angels yearning for redemption, confront the Pyreborne, a dragon horde fixated on gold solely for its possession?

In this game, every tiny card has its own unique story depicted in mini-scenes within the Sanctuary while not in use, showcasing how your units engage during breaks. This adds personality to each component of your deck, even strengthening the alliance among diverse factions that are emphasized throughout the overarching narrative.

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In this game, every card, no matter how small, has a mini-story played out in the Sanctuary between uses, illustrating how units interact during downtime. This gives each part of your deck a distinct character and highlights the cooperation among different factions that is central to the larger storyline.

Heaven Has Never Looked, Or Sounded, Better

In the world of Shiny Shoe, the creators of Monster Trains, have significantly enhanced their visual aesthetic since the launch of the first game. While the art in the original Monster Train was already captivating, the skillful application of color and the intriguing diversity among both allies and adversaries make Monster Train 2 a visual spectacle worth admiring.

Shiny Shoe’s depiction of a heaven tainted by bizarre eldritch beings offers a departure from the usual radiant and luminous appearance associated with angelic adversaries. The armies of Hell overseen by the player are remarkably distinct, too. I find myself particularly captivated by the Under Legion – an entire fleet comprised of mushroom troops who specialize in conjuring armies of stackable mushroom warriors, affectionately known as Funguys.

How about this instead: Let’s also discuss the game’s music. The soundtrack in Monster Train 2 is simply amazing, drawing inspiration from metal, and each fight seems to have its unique rhythm that makes it hard not to tap along or nod your head.

The game boasts an additional feature I admire and wish more games would adopt – when a new battle theme kicks in, the song title appears at the top-left corner of your screen. Haven’t you ever come across a tune in a game that left an impression on you, leading you to search for it within the game’s soundtrack with varying degrees of success?

The upbeat tunes from Monster Train 2 really make me happy, and it’s wonderful to see a small team be so proud of their creation. This dedication is also evident in the fact that each card artist’s name is displayed when adding new cards to your deck – it’s the attention to detail that truly shines.

Closing Thoughts:

No matter your preferred approach, Monster Train 2 offers an array of tricks and strategies that ensure each battle feels unique as you battle through the hordes of Heaven. Although I had fun with the first version, Monster Train 2 surpasses it in every aspect imaginable. I’m eagerly anticipating what the Shiny Shoe team will introduce next, as they continue to develop the game. They’ve certainly caught my attention as a promising indie team worth watching closely.

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2025-05-21 17:21