The gates of Hell (and Heaven, and the Abyss!) have swung open once more – MONSTER TRAIN 2 IS HERE, and on Game Pass!
Monster Train 2, the highly anticipated sequel to the critically acclaimed roguelike deckbuilder from Shiny Shoe and Big Fan Games, has chugged onto Xbox Series X|S (and Game Pass), PlayStation 5, Nintendo Switch, and PC (Steam). And yes, it’s ready to consume your every waking hour.
We’ve been on board with this one since the initial announcement a few months back screamed “Hell Yeah! Monster Train 2 is coming!“, and the time to fight the Titans has finally arrived.
Note that for Xbox players, this is a current-gen only release and will not be available on Xbox One.
The Titans Have Seized Heaven – An Unholy Alliance Forms
In Monster Train 2, powerful beings known as Titans have overthrown Heaven itself. In a desperate, makeshift alliance, former angels and demons must now learn to work together against this common, overwhelming foe.
You are tasked with commanding these newly forged clans aboard powerful trains, embarking on perilous journeys through Hell, the besieged Heaven, and the mysterious Abyss to defeat the Titans before they destroy everything. Chaos awaits beyond every gate.
All New Ways to Ride the Rails: New Clans, Cards & Challenges
Monster Train 2 builds upon the beloved formula of the original with a wealth of new content and refined mechanics designed to offer even deeper strategic possibilities across its three vertical battlefields:
- Powerful New Clans & Enemies: You’re in command! Choose from a selection of five brand new clans, each boasting its own unique strengths, units, and gameplay mechanics, allowing you to forge strategies that perfectly fit your playstyle. Prepare to face dangerous new enemies and the all-new, ultra-challenging Titans.
- New Card Types: Reach your deck’s full potential with innovative Room Cards, which add impressive passive boosts and strategic advantages to your train cars. Additionally, new Equipment Cards can be applied directly to your units, granting them a variety of powerful bonuses to aid you in the heat of battle.
- Beyond the Battle: Hubs, Challenges, and Truly Endless Runs
The experience in Monster Train 2 extends far beyond individual runs, offering persistent progression and ever-evolving challenges:
- The Covenant Outpost: This bustling hub serves as your base between runs. Here, you’ll access the game’s core features, experience character interactions that move the compelling story forward, and prepare for your next descent.
- Pyre Hearts: Unlock and equip different Pyre Hearts, each bringing unique functionality to your train and gameplay. These not only provide another layer of run customisation before departure but also play a key role in advancing the overarching narrative.
- Dimensional Challenges: Ready for a twist? This mode offers handcrafted challenges with new Mutators, providing unique scenarios and offering exclusive cosmetic rewards upon completion.
- Train Customisation: Unlock new parts for your train and personalize its appearance to reflect your unique style.
- Improved Logbook: Beyond tracking completion goals, the Logbook now includes detailed enemy information, collection objectives, and more ways to compare your achievements against your friends.
- Daily Challenges: Face a fresh, hugely modified run every single day, featuring brand new mutators alongside some returning old favorites. Compete on global and friend leaderboards with a skill-focused scoring system.
- Celestial Alcoves: The rapid expansion of the Rail has attracted many new visitors to Hell. Encounter a wide variety of random events with exciting gameplay implications and maybe even a few surprises from outside the Monster Train universe!
- Endless Mode: One of the most requested features is here! Travel the Rails with ever-increasing difficulty to truly test your deck-building skills and see just how long your strategies can hold against impossible odds. You can even compare your impressive stats against your friends!
Building on a “More-ish” Masterpiece
The original Monster Train was a phenomenal hit, and we were completely hooked. In our 4.5/5 review from 2020, we called it “more-ish to the extreme,” stating:
“It says a lot about a game when writing its review makes us want to close the laptop, boot up the Xbox and return to play it. So it is with Monster Train on Xbox, which chucks out a lot of Slay the Spire’s baggage to create a ride that’s more breakneck and exhilarating… Monster Train may be the only game you need to play these holidays.“
With this sequel, Shiny Shoe and Big Fan Games are aiming to recapture that magic and then some.
Key Features Ready to Depart
Monster Train 2 expands on its predecessor with five brand new playable clans, each with unique units and strategies to master across three vertical battlefields. New Room and Equipment cards add further depth to deck-building.
Beyond the core roguelike runs, players can engage with Daily Challenges, the highly requested Endless Mode, handcrafted Dimensional Challenges, and unlock lore and abilities through the Covenant Outpost hub and Pyre Heart system, all while customising their train’s appearance.
The Train to Hell (and Heaven, and the Abyss)
Monster Train 2 is shaping up to be an incredible sequel, packed with new content, refined mechanics, and that same addictive deck-building gameplay that made the original a must-play.
It’s available right now on Xbox Series X|S (on Game Pass at launch), PlayStation 5, Nintendo Switch, and PC (Steam) for around £20.99. The Titans await – it’s time to build your deck and save all of creation!
Stay tuned for our review.
Monster Train 2 Description
Powerful beings known as Titans have seized control of Heaven. A makeshift alliance is formed between former angels and demons, who must learn to work together against their common foe. Now, you must command these clans aboard newly forged trains, and embark on your journey through Hell, Heaven, and the Abyss, to defeat the Titans before they destroy this world. Chaos awaits beyond the gates!
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