Historically, I haven’t really liked roguelikes. The thought of building up a loadout or levelling, and then having to do it all over again on each run always sounded exhausting. This is a view that has been challenged in the past year or so. Hades was a blast, and I absolutely adored Monster Train. Recently, Game Pass added Monster Train 2, and I just had to give it a go.
If you never played the original Monster Train, it is a deck builder that sees you defending three floors of a train to guard the pyre at the top. Lose the pyre, and your run is over. Winning levels, completing events, and hitting up the shop allow you to add more cards to your repertoire. Monster Train 2 follows this basic recipe, but it improves on it in every regard.
So many clans and play styles to choose from
To begin with, there are five new clans to try, each with its own cards and champions. The first you unlock is the Banished, and it happens to be my favourite. It is also the one I have won three runs with, two of which I have absolutely no idea how. That’s true skill, or dumb luck, I haven’t decided. You can also choose a second clan to gain access to cards from their decks, which opens up so many different play styles.
An example. I paired the Luna Coven and the Stygian for a spell-heavy run. Not usually my forte, I like melee. But it works perfectly. The Luna Coven champion increases the power of Spell cards if you keep using them, and both clans have them by the truckload. I was wiping out waves of enemies and crippling bosses without breaking a sweat.
I also paired the Lazarus League and the Underlegion to spawn mushrooms and then buff them with infusions. Did it work? Did it hell. I was absolutely stomped, but it was quite a fun thing to try. That is what Monster Train has in spades. It is so incredibly engaging to come up with these ideas and try them out, because maybe your next one will break the game.
Monster Train 2 adds so many new mechanics to play with in combat
One of the biggest changes to the actual gameplay loop is the implementation of the Deployment Phase. Before the battle begins, you draw a ton of cards and have more Ember to summon units. It is an excellent addition that allows you to set up the board without immediately being overwhelmed.
New card types have been added with Equipment and Room Mods. These augment your units, for example, the Meat Shield, giving more health and healing every turn, or giving the floor you are on a special effect. I love the Bloodsoaked Arena since it powers up your units each time you slay an opponent.
Astonishingly, that’s still not all. Now you can pick between 13 Pyre Hearts, each with different stats and a special ability. You can pick the Heart of the Pact for less health and attack, but you can draw more cards. Or take the Wyngh’s Spirit to heal your front-line units once per battle. All of these tweaks have added so much more tactical depth to Monster Train 2 that you can’t simply stop after one run. You want to keep trying all these new ideas you have. Thankfully, there is even a restart battle button, just in case that game-winning move comes up a bit flat.
There is a fun hub with quirky characters
The first Monster Train didn’t really have much of a hub, and this is something the sequel rectifies. After each run, you pop back here to check your unlocks and plan your next move. However, there is another function. As you level up each clan, you are able to view cutscenes that lay out the story of this mismatched bunch.
See, Monster Train 2 flips the script a bit compared to the original. Instead of fighting to save hell, you are initially in control of an angel faction named the Banished, led by Fel. At the head of an army made up of both Angels and Demons, you are taking the fight to heaven to free it from the grips of an enemy named the Titans. As you might expect, there is a lot of tension in the camp.
It is pretty interesting watching how each storyline plays out. With the Banished, you are watching Fel lead the unified troops against the titans and her brother, the big bad of each run, Seraph. With the Luna Coven, however, you learn about the Serene and their magic, and watch as their warrior leader attempts to mingle with other clans.
There are also some humorous stories thrown in there. You see a quartet of bird musicians deciding they will throw a concert to liven things up. Or a dragonfolk bemoaning their lack of flight and fire breath, thinking they would be a “cool” trick. Given that Monster Train didn’t really go deep with the story, this is an unexpected, yet incredibly welcome, surprise.
As I said, I really enjoyed the original, but I am absolutely blown away by how much Monster Train 2 adds. It is an entirely different experience, for all the right reasons. It makes its forbearer feel more like a proof of concept instead of a game. And let me tell you, it nails absolutely every category. It is so good that it makes the first Monster Train look rubbish by comparison, and that is no small feat.
