There have been many challengers to Slay the Spire's throne, and my favorite among them has just made a return. Monster Train 2 is the successor to a beloved roguelike that earned itself an 'overwhelmingly positive' lifetime Steam rating from players. Putting aside the more divergent deckbuilders such as Balatro, the first Monster Train remains my most-loved entry in the genre. It's not definitively better than Slay the Spire, but I like it more; its pacing, style, and more targeted counterplay completely won my heart. Now, it's back, and the sequel is off to a phenomenal start, already outpacing its predecessor on Steam despite a simultaneous PC Game launch.
Emboldened by their successful defense, your forces of Hell take their fight on the offensive towards Heaven, only to find that powerful Titans have emerged to take control of the region. Faced with this common enemy, the angels and demons forces for the Monster Train 2 are the same – each stage sees you playing cards to lay out units across three floors of your carriage, ultimately defending the Pyre Heart that sits at the top.
For the sequel, there are five brand-new clans to choose from, expanding the strategy at your disposal. As before, you'll choose a combination of two factions to go into battle, picking one of two champions from your primary roster (each of whom has branching upgrades that dramatically change their effects). Additionally, you can change your Pyre Heart to customize your build further.
On top of the main progression, Monster Train 2 also offers an endless mode that allows you to see how long you can survive against ever more dangerous opponents. There are also Dimensional Challenges, which feature handcrafted tests including specific mutators, with cosmetics available for their completion, and a Daily Challenge mode with a leaderboard to see how you stack up against your friends and other players.
So far, the response to Monster Train 2 has been exceptional. Its Metacritic rating sits at an 89 average, while Steam reviews place it in the 'overwhelmingly positive' tier with 95% of respondents recommending it. It's already managed to sur the first game's lifetime player count peak, reaching a high of 17,914 active s on Saturday May 24 (compared to the original's record of 14,073). An even more impressive feat when you consider it's available for free to subscribers of Microsoft's PC Game service.
Monster Train 2 is out now, priced at $24.99 / £20.99. You can also play it as part of the PC Game library if you're an active subscriber. Find it on Steam here if you're ready to take on the Titans.
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