I recently got a chance to play around an hour of Moonlighter 2: The Endless Vault on the PlayStation 5 Pro, thanks to a review copy provided by 11 bit Studios.
You can find my gameplay video below:
You can find my first impressions on Moonlighter 2 below:
Pros:
- Fast-paced combat.
- Creative relic inventory system.
- Haggling when selling relics.
Cons:
- Slightly long load times.
Overall:
Moonlighter 2: The Endless Vault is an action role-playing game with roguelike elements. Although the game is a direct sequel, there is a short recap at the beginning in case you haven’t played the first game or forgot about its story.
In the new location, you job is to explore different dungeons and collect relics. You then need to sell the relics to make money, which is used for permanent upgrades in addition to story progression.
From the combat standpoint, Moonlighter 2 is fast and fluid. You have normal attacks to go along with a special attack, long range gun, and dodge rolls. Dodging is quite generous as you stay invincible for quite a bit of time, and there is no cooldown after using it. So, while you will be fighting a lot, the battles usually end quickly.
You only have limited space in your backpack for relics. Not to mention that relics have special abilities and curses that could affect others. This means that you have to strategically place your relics to maximize thier selling potential.
The dungeons in Moonlighter 2 can be quite long, especially at the beginning when you don’t have many permanent upgrades. The good news is that you can hold down a button at any time to return back to town with your relics. If you died before returning, then your value of your relics will be halved.
When selling your hard-earned relics, you are able to set a price. Customers will let you know when your price is too low, too high, or just about right. Haggling the selling price makes running a shop more involved and immersive experience.
The general gameplay loop is to find relics in dungeons, sell the relics in your shop, and then use the money you earn for permanent shop/individual upgrades. While the game does appear to be grindy, the loop is paced well as you will be getting new upgrades frequently to make subsequent dungeon runs easier.
The only real negative is that the load times can be a little bit too long, especially when entering and leaving your shop.
Aside from that minor issue, Moonlighter 2: The Endless Vault is an extremely fun rougelike action-RPG. If you are a fan of the first game, or the genre as a whole, then make sure you don’t miss out on Moonlighter 2.