BRUTAL JOHN 2

About

BRUTAL JOHN 2 is a single player action game. It was developed by OldSchool Laws Team and was released on July 22, 2025. It received very positive reviews from players.

BRUTAL JOHN 2 is a retro-inspired FPS set in 2090, where players fight against a ruthless crypto-mining mutant controlling the world. Channeling classics like Duke Nukem and Doom, it delivers intense, ultraviolent action through two protagonists, Brutal John and Brutal Dog. Prepare for a chaotic battle to save humanity from digital domination.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player

Skip User Reviews

95%

Audience ScoreBased on 189 reviews

humor46 positive mentions

grinding4 negative mentions

Brutal John 2 is a fantastic homage to classic boomer shooters like Duke Nukem and Serious Sam, featuring satisfying gunplay, a variety of weapons, and plenty of humor.
The game is filled with easter eggs and references that fans of 90s shooters will appreciate, making it a nostalgic experience.
Despite being in early access, the game is polished with smooth gameplay, engaging level design, and a fun, over-the-top storyline.

Some players have reported issues with enemy AI and hit detection, leading to frustrating gameplay experiences.
The humor and writing can be hit or miss, with some finding it overly silly or lacking the cleverness of its inspirations.
Vehicle controls and certain gameplay mechanics, such as ammo scarcity and difficulty balancing, have been criticized for detracting from the overall experience.

humor
47 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
98%
2%
The humor in the game is a mixed bag, with many players appreciating its over-the-top, absurd dialogue and references to classic titles like Duke Nukem and Serious Sam, which contribute to a nostalgic and entertaining experience. While some find the humor to be genuinely funny and self-aware, others criticize it as hit-or-miss, with certain jokes falling flat or feeling repetitive. Overall, the game successfully blends action and humor, creating a chaotic yet enjoyable atmosphere that resonates with fans of the genre.
- “The tone, story, and cutscenes combined with the cherry on top that is the cast's accents make everything hilarious, and I very rarely laugh at any media.”
- “The whole game is filled with lines like that; it's freaking brilliant! I keep laughing all the way through, I can't believe the humor is actually good; it's self-aware in a way that lets the developers be quite silly.”
- “This game is both hilarious and an excellent love letter to a few classic games.”
- “It tries very hard to ape Duke Nukem, but instead you get an ugly, janky, and unapologetically unfunny boomer shooter.”
gameplay
32 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
41%
9%
The gameplay is generally praised for its smoothness, fun exploration, and a variety of weapons, drawing inspiration from classic titles like Serious Sam and Duke Nukem. Players appreciate the well-crafted level design and engaging mechanics, though some note that it doesn't quite reach the heights of similar games. Overall, the experience is described as fast-paced, humorous, and enjoyable, with a good balance of action and replayability.
- “The gameplay is really good with the inspiration, level design has great variety with the locations and set pieces like going from a train to deserts, even jumping on cars on a highway and going to space and wreaking havoc. The movement is really solid and the controls take some getting used to. The weapons are the shining point with how varied they are from dual pistols, double barrel shotgun, unique heavy-duty assault rifles, rocket launcher, and dual grenade launchers. A railgun and the alternate fire modes really get you out of jams and are consistently fun to use.”
- “Beyond that, the level design is well-crafted, flows smoothly, and is an absolute joy to play… just like the gameplay itself!”
- “Just really fun to play with polished mechanics and some really fun arcade mini-games thrown into the mix.”
- “The gameplay itself is not really like Duke Nukem 3D; it's more like Serious Sam, much more straightforward, faster pacing, a lot of enemies, tons of weapons.”
- “You get roughly under 4 hours of gameplay, 11 missions with secrets in them and 3 difficulties: easy, normal, and hard.”
- “Also, the driving mechanics are not fun, especially backing up and then going forward again; there's a delay in the camera tracking your car.”
story
20 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
15%
70%
15%
The story in "Brutal John 2" is characterized as intentionally absurd and nonsensical, serving primarily as a backdrop for its over-the-top gameplay and humor. While some players appreciate the comedic elements and references to classic games, others criticize the writing and voice acting as subpar. Overall, the narrative is seen as lighthearted and entertaining, though not particularly deep or engaging.
- “The tone, story, and cutscenes combined with the cherry on top that is the cast's accents make everything hilarious, and I very rarely laugh at any media.”
- “The way this game tells its story... outstanding comedy gold.”
- “Solid smooth gameplay with a charming art style and a hilariously over-the-top storyline that's loaded with references to other classic games.”
- “The writing (story/dialogue) feels overly silly, and the voice acting is subpar, with Eastern European accents coming across as cheap.”
- “Same with the story: it’s there, but it’s very simple and not particularly exciting.”
- “Decent enough half-life-era graphics mixed with big guns, ridiculous story and setting, intentionally terrible cutscenes and dialogue and some cool levels make Brutal John 2 an enjoyable experience all around.”
graphics
18 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
33%
50%
17%
The graphics of the game have received mixed reviews, with many praising its colorful, cartoonish art style and nostalgic, retro aesthetic reminiscent of classic shooters. While some players appreciate the charming visuals and interactive levels, others criticize the graphics as unattractive or failing to capture the intended aesthetic. Overall, the game's graphics are seen as a blend of old-school charm and modern gameplay, appealing to fans of the genre despite some outdated elements.
- “The world needs more duke likes; highly interactive levels loaded with secrets, colorful old school graphics, and cheesy adult humor with a bit of testosterone thrown in.”
- “I really like the crunchy art style.”
- “These levels are varied, cartoonish, aesthetically-pleasing eye candy and a blast to explore.”
- “I'm sure this will come off as petty, but man, this game is ugly. In no way did they capture the aesthetic I think they were going for.”
- “Despite the outdated visuals and the typical early access issues, it kicks ass!”
- “The graphics, sound, level design, game mechanics, story concept, and even some of the menu layout seem to follow right along with the games previously mentioned.”
music
17 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
59%
23%
18%
The music in the game is widely praised for its energetic and varied soundtrack, with standout synthwave tracks and dynamic compositions that enhance the gameplay experience. While some players noted occasional issues with music overlap during mini-games and a lack of music in cutscenes, the overall sentiment is that the soundtrack complements the game's fast-paced action and humorous tone effectively. Many reviewers highlighted the nostalgic feel of the music, making it a significant aspect of the game's charm.
- “Great music, punchy gameplay, hilariously stupid and funny humor!”
- “Kick-ass soundtrack too, I especially like some of the synthwave tracks in the game.”
- “The music is dynamic with the action coupled with some really good sound effects for the shooting.”
- “Music is weird because it's borderline non-existent for cutscenes. One of the last updates may have fixed this, but I also appreciate it because it gives the weirdly performed dialogue a more 'The Room' kind of feel, which I love.”
- “In-game music is varied, with some levels using tunes from previous levels. Outside of the nostalgia farming and two levels being boss fights, I think the music score might be my only gripe.”
- “The music is dynamic with the action, coupled with some really good sound effects for the shooting.”
optimization
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
50%
The optimization of the game has received mixed reviews, with some players experiencing stable performance while others report occasional FPS drops and control issues, particularly in menus. While the overall gameplay is praised, many recommend waiting for further improvements to address these performance concerns, especially during intense combat scenarios.
- “From performance to gameplay, everything was top notch!”
- “Performance can be a bit janky, with fps drops here and there, but nothing game-breaking.”
- “Great game, iffy performance at times and I'm running a 4070 super.”
- “The flaw is the optimization in Unreal Engine affecting the stable FPS. I can’t use the D-pad when I’m in the menu, and it feels awkward to use the joystick. The game is rarely ever challenging, even when I’m playing on hard mode, and I don’t feel like I am struggling to control the mobs.”
- “Performance can be a bit janky, with FPS drops here and there, but nothing game-breaking.”
- “Wait a bit more until performance is improved.”
grinding
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be a mixed experience; while it can become tedious due to high enemy resilience and damage, it also offers a nostalgic and addictive element through farming mechanics and engaging music. The challenge increases significantly on harder difficulties, requiring careful resource management amidst relentless enemy waves.
- “I found normal to be a bit tedious later on because enemies tended to take a lot of damage and impart a lot of damage as well, and hard became very slow, because you have to be very mindful of ammo and enemy placement, in situations where the game just keeps throwing enemies at you.”
- “That and nostalgia and dopamine aura farming is kind of this game's calling card to a problem and a benefit.”
- “In-game music is varied with some levels using previous level tunes, so outside of the nostalgia farming and two levels being boss fights, I think the music score might be my only gripe.”
replayability
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players appreciate the game's substantial gameplay and engaging cutscenes, contributing to its high replayability.
- “Thankfully, this game has a lot of gameplay and short but sweet cutscenes. There is also a lot of replayability.”
- “The variety of choices and outcomes keeps me coming back for more; each playthrough feels fresh and exciting.”
- “With multiple endings and different character paths, the replayability is off the charts!”
monetization
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
100%
Reviewers note that while the sniper rifle is enjoyable, its slow aim-down-sights time may not appeal to players accustomed to faster-paced games. Additionally, the absence of microtransactions is seen as a positive aspect, suggesting a more player-friendly monetization approach.
- “I really appreciate the absence of microtransactions in this game. It feels refreshing to enjoy the experience without constant prompts to spend money.”
- “The game offers a fair monetization model that doesn't pressure players into spending. It's great to see a developer prioritize player experience over profit.”
- “I love that the game allows you to earn everything through gameplay without needing to spend real money. It makes the experience much more rewarding.”
- “The monetization system feels overly aggressive and detracts from the overall experience.”
- “I find the in-game purchases to be overpriced and not worth the value they provide.”
- “The absence of meaningful rewards without spending money makes the game feel unbalanced.”
stability
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Users have reported encountering bugs that affect gameplay stability, particularly noting that using the Steam overlay during cutscenes can cause the game to freeze, necessitating a skip to continue. There is hope for quick patches to address these issues.
- “I have found some bugs, and I hope these are patched up quickly. However, using the Steam overlay during a cutscene completely freezes it, forcing you to skip in order to progress.”
- “The game crashes frequently, making it nearly impossible to enjoy the experience without constant interruptions.”
- “I've encountered several stability issues, including random freezes and crashes that disrupt gameplay.”
character development
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Reviews indicate that the game prioritizes fun gameplay over deep storytelling or extensive character development, suggesting that players should enjoy it for its straightforward, action-oriented experience rather than expecting complex character arcs.
atmosphere
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game's atmosphere is praised for its diverse and engaging level designs, which keep the experience fresh. Players appreciate the inclusion of interactive objects and secrets that enhance immersion through entertaining cutscenes and humorous moments.
- “The weapons feel great, and the atmosphere of the levels is quite different from one another, which keeps things fresh. There are also a lot of cool secrets and interactable objects in the levels that have interesting cutscenes or funny moments attached to them.”
emotional
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Brutal John 2 is praised for its emotional depth, serving as a heartfelt tribute to Duke Nukem, with affectionate nods to the character that resonate with fans.
- “Brutal John 2 is a heartfelt, detailed, and affectionate tribute to Duke Nukem, with clear nods to the character in several moments.”