Idle games live and die by one simple thing – that satisfying climb. Bigger numbers, faster gains, smarter builds. DPS IDLE 2 has now landed on Xbox Series X|S and Xbox One as a completely free-to-play experience, looking to deliver more grind, but perhaps more importantly, to improve on what came before.
Available in two versions (both free to download), this sequel from Desert Water Games and YDKR layers in more systems, more strategy, and – hopefully – a smoother progression loop.
At A Glance
- Game: DPS IDLE 2
- Developer: YDKR
- Publisher: Desert Water Games
- Platforms: Xbox Series X|S (Optimised), Xbox One
- Price: Free (two versions available)
- Game Type: Idle / Card-Based Strategy
A New Deck On The Table
DPS IDLE 2 takes the familiar idle formula and gives it a twist, this time built around cards, decks, and archetypes. Instead of simply watching numbers tick upwards, you’ll be opening chests, collecting cards, and building synergised decks across themes like Earth, Ice, Sun and more.
Each chest feeds into that loop of progression, offering new tools to refine your build. Cards can be upgraded, combined, and tailored to your preferred playstyle, adding a layer of decision-making that wasn’t quite as pronounced before.
It’s still very much an idle game at heart – monsters fall, money rolls in, and upgrades follow – but there’s a bit more thought required in how you get there.
More Systems, More Moving Parts
Beyond the cards, DPS IDLE 2 expands things. Guilds play a major role, offering long-term bonuses that grow stronger over time, while heroes can be recruited and slotted into your setup to further enhance your output.
Then there are the extras – alchemy, forging, mining, quests. It’s a surprisingly busy experience for something that, on the surface, is about letting the game play itself. Whether that added complexity improves the experience or simply muddies it will likely depend on how much you enjoy tinkering with systems behind the scenes.
Learning From The Past?
It’s impossible to talk about DPS IDLE 2 without acknowledging the original. Our 2023 review of DPS IDLE didn’t pull any punches, highlighting serious progression issues and systems that simply didn’t function as intended, at least not at launch. As we put it at the time, “DPS Idle has big problems… its progression is broken.”
That makes this sequel something of a second chance.
Free To Play, Easy To Try
One thing in DPS IDLE 2’s favour is its price point – or lack of one. With both versions completely free (Xbox Series X|S Optimised, and then one for Xbox One), there’s very little barrier to jumping in and seeing how it plays for yourself.
DPS IDLE 2 feels like a more ambitious take on the original, adding cards, systems, and structure to what was previously a much simpler (and flawed) experience. There’s potential here, especially for players who enjoy watching builds evolve over time.
But given the history, it’s one to approach with cautious curiosity rather than blind optimism. Still, at a grand total of £0.00, sometimes it’s worth letting the numbers tick up… just to see where they go.
Our review of DPS IDLE 2 is on the way.
