Legend of Grimrock 2

87%
Game Brain Score Based on 3,749 reviews
  • gameplay
  • story
  • graphics
Legend of Grimrock 2 Game Cover
The Legend of Grimrock 2 is an RPG that's as much Myst as D&D, and benefits from the strengths of both.
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"Legend of Grimrock 2" is a first-person party-based dungeon crawler game set in a fantasy world. The player must navigate through treacherous environments, solve puzzles, and engage in tactical combat with monsters to progress. With a focus on exploration and discovery, the game offers a rich and immersive experience for fans of the genre.

  • Mac OS
  • PC
  • Steam Deck
  • Windows
  • Linux
Genres & TagsPlay Modes

Reviews

87%
Audience ScoreBased on 3,749 reviews
gameplay179 positive mentions
grinding68 negative mentions
  • Legend of Grimrock 2 improves on the original in almost every way, offering a larger world, more varied environments, and a greater variety of puzzles and enemies.
  • The game features a satisfying blend of exploration, puzzle-solving, and real-time combat, making it engaging and rewarding for players.
  • The character customization and skill system allow for diverse party builds, enhancing replayability and player choice.
  • Some puzzles can be overly cryptic or require items that players may have discarded earlier, leading to frustration and potential dead ends.
  • The combat can feel tedious at times, especially when facing multiple enemies, and the lack of a quick access system for potions and items can hinder gameplay.
  • The story is minimal and primarily conveyed through notes, which may not appeal to players looking for a deeper narrative experience.
  • gameplay585 mentions

    The gameplay of "Legend of Grimrock 2" is a refined blend of old-school dungeon crawling and modern mechanics, featuring grid-based movement, intricate puzzles, and a variety of combat strategies. Players appreciate the game's non-linear exploration, enhanced AI, and the introduction of new mechanics like injuries and alchemy, which add depth and challenge. While some find the controls and certain mechanics clunky, the overall experience is engaging, offering hours of immersive gameplay filled with secrets and tactical challenges.

    • “The game perfectly blends old-school mechanics with a modern touch, making every dungeon a thrilling challenge filled with puzzles and tough enemies.”
    • “The gameplay is fun and intuitive, the character progression is rewarding and the world is engaging and mysterious so you want to explore it and find all its secrets.”
    • “Grimrock II is the kind of sequel you always want to see - bigger scale, improved mechanics, deeper challenge - while still keeping all the things you loved about the first.”
    • “The gameplay is clunky, tortured and obtuse along n-s-e-w lines with auto mouse centering.”
    • “My skills don't matter, my weapons barely matter, my armor doesn't matter, my defense doesn't matter, and I have to play the game in a way that feels unnatural and exploitative of the game's mechanics to be successful because of the control scheme the game provided me and how the damage scales up jarringly.”
    • “Legend of grimrock 2 can take 50 hours or more to beat, and has some clunky mechanics that not everyone will be able to adjust to, so it's certainly not for everyone.”
  • story512 mentions

    The story in "Legend of Grimrock II" is generally considered minimal and often vague, primarily conveyed through notes and environmental storytelling rather than through character interactions or quests. While some players appreciate the atmospheric lore and the mystery surrounding the island, many feel that the narrative lacks depth and cohesion compared to its predecessor. Overall, the game prioritizes exploration and puzzle-solving over a rich narrative experience, making it more appealing to those who enjoy gameplay mechanics rather than story-driven content.

    • “The lore and story are rich and immersive, adding depth to your adventure.”
    • “The graphics, the music, the building story, all a work of art.”
    • “The story in Legend of Grimrock II is a lot more straightforward and you will quickly discover what your main objective is and where you need to go in order to complete the game; it’s a welcome addition to the series and all throughout the game it expands on the lore and universe that this world exists in.”
    • “There isn't much in terms of story here nor interactions with characters.”
    • “The story is really whatever: magic happens and you end up on some crazy mage's island.”
    • “The lack of an immersive and progressive story simply left me bored.”
  • graphics476 mentions

    The graphics of the game have received widespread acclaim, with many reviewers praising their beauty and detail, especially in comparison to older dungeon crawlers. The visuals effectively create an immersive atmosphere, enhancing the overall gameplay experience, while also being accessible for players with less powerful hardware. Overall, the graphics are considered a significant improvement over the previous installment, contributing to the game's nostalgic yet modern appeal.

    • “The graphics are absolutely beautiful to look at and I really like the atmosphere of the game.”
    • “The graphics are amazing for a game of this genre, the ambiance of each level is unique and Log2 has the greatest looking monsters I have ever seen in a dungeon crawl.”
    • “The visuals and art direction of this game mold an extremely impressive aesthetic appeal, taking advantage of current generation technology and bringing new life into the classic tile-based RPG genre.”
    • “It was trying too hard, with more visuals, settings etc and it lost its charm.”
    • “If your key driver in an RPG game such as Skyrim is in its graphics, then you will be sorely let down by the presentation of Log2.”
    • “Shitty animations, bad graphics, no information, not even free move, you have to follow a fucking train track.”
  • atmosphere163 mentions

    The atmosphere of the game is widely praised for its immersive and haunting qualities, enhanced by stunning graphics, a captivating soundtrack, and intricate level design that evokes a sense of mystery and danger. Players appreciate the claustrophobic feeling and the constant tension while exploring beautifully crafted environments filled with challenging puzzles and magical creatures. Overall, the atmosphere is considered one of the game's strongest aspects, contributing significantly to the overall experience.

    • “Visually, the game is top notch for the genre, and the haunting soundtrack adds to the atmosphere.”
    • “The graphics are amazing, the sound effects and music are extremely atmospheric, the enemies as well as level design and hidden scrolls that tell the story really sell the whole idea that you are trapped on a mysterious island filled with mysterious and magical creatures that will not hesitate to attack you.”
    • “Best atmosphere you could ask for in gaming, beautifully made settings and models, with an outstanding soundtrack that drags you in and keeps you held throughout your journey.”
    • “Legend of Grimrock 2 could have been my favorite game of all time if it was like that, but unfortunately, I really don't like the atmosphere in this one.”
    • “The atmosphere of this game is just off.”
    • “But even if the outsides look good, they break the oppressive and claustrophobic atmosphere of being lost in a big dungeon.”
  • music153 mentions

    The music in the game has received widespread acclaim for its atmospheric and immersive qualities, enhancing the overall experience with haunting soundtracks that complement the visuals and gameplay. While many players praise the soundtrack as outstanding and fitting for the game's themes, some note that it can become repetitive and lacks variety in certain areas, particularly outside of boss fights. Overall, the sound design, including ambient sounds and music, significantly contributes to the game's rich atmosphere and engaging storytelling.

    • “The graphics, the music, the building story, all a work of art.”
    • “Best atmosphere you could ask for in gaming, beautifully made settings and models, with an outstanding OST that drags you in and keeps you held throughout your journey.”
    • “The music is astounding and boss fights are intense.”
    • “The music is decent, but it gets repetitive and there are way too few sound effects.”
    • “One last flaw is the music; it only appears during boss fights, but it is so generic.”
    • “I get wanting to have a boss theme, but to be honest, I feel the game would have been better served just removing the boss labels and just sticking with the atmosphere rather than adding a generic soundtrack.”
  • replayability102 mentions

    Grimrock 2 offers high replayability due to its extensive user-generated content, including custom dungeons and mods, which significantly enhance the gameplay experience. Players appreciate the variety in character customization and party setups, allowing for different playstyles and exploration strategies. However, some reviewers noted a lack of randomization and the absence of certain modes from the first game, which could limit replay value for some players.

    • “Endlessly replayable with a huge library of high-quality custom maps and mods.”
    • “An amazing title with an immersive world, loads of great fan-made campaigns on the Steam Workshop, and hours of replayability.”
    • “With great replayability from the base campaign alone, the dungeon editor and workshop support should give you plenty of extra mileage from this game.”
    • “No new game++/Toorum mode like on Grimrock 1, so there's no replay value.”
    • “Also, in my opinion, the main story itself provides limited replayability since it's just not nearly as satisfying anymore if you already know where all the secrets are.”
    • “This makes for zero replayability in a game which is only okay as an RPG to begin with.”
  • grinding68 mentions

    Overall, players find the grinding aspect of the game to be excessively tedious, with many citing issues like cumbersome inventory management, repetitive puzzles, and the need for detailed note-taking. While some appreciate the improvements over the previous installment, the increased reliance on hidden switches and backtracking detracts from the enjoyment, leading to a sense of monotony and frustration. The game is described as a grind-heavy experience that often feels more like a chore than an adventure.

    • “However, while this game does make some good improvements, this game is unfortunately significantly more tedious than the first game, and I just didn't have fun playing through it.”
    • “Too much of a grind - walk around a corner, find puzzle - explore - meet baddies, die, f9, die, f9 die, f9 live, solve puzzle (maybe) and repeat...no feeling of story or adventure - just grinding it out.”
    • “Sadly, the game is bogged down by unnecessary tedious tasks and clunky combat/skills.”
  • optimization24 mentions

    Overall, the game's optimization is a mixed bag; while many players report smooth performance and minimal bugs, there are notable issues in specific areas, particularly related to CPU performance and frame drops during saving. Some users also mention that modding can negatively impact performance, and the need for careful build optimization is emphasized to avoid being out-scaled by enemies. Despite these challenges, the game shows potential for improvement with future updates.

    • “A semi-action RPG in the vein of the old Dungeon Master games, Legend of Grimrock 2 improves quite a bit on the original's already strong performance.”
    • “[*] Very smooth optimization and the game only requires 1 gigabyte.”
    • “Excellent first person dungeon crawler with the caveat that you'd better be prepared to math out an optimized build or eventually get out-scaled by the enemies and render the game basically unwinnable.”
    • “Sadly, this game doesn't get modded very often, and some of the more extravagant mods tend to kill performance even on over-specced systems, which is unfortunate.”
    • “- Optimization is not good, and while taking rendering settings to low helps, it doesn't fix it entirely.”
  • humor21 mentions

    The humor in the game is described as a mix of subtle and cheeky, often breaking the fourth wall with real-world references and self-referential jokes. Players find amusement in the quirky character choices, such as forming parties of historical figures, and the game's challenging puzzles that can lead to humorous moments of frustration. Overall, while humor is present, it is interspersed with serious gameplay elements, creating a unique blend that appeals to those who appreciate both wit and challenge.

    • “I usually make a party of historical figures and philosophers and it makes the game hilarious.”
    • “The developers broke character one too many times, with cheeky real world humor and real world clues.”
    • “Legend of Grimrock 2 just has much more content than the predecessor in almost all areas while it still provides the same experience and more, including some subtle humor.”
  • emotional20 mentions

    Players express a deep emotional connection to the game, feeling a mix of joy and heartbreak upon completing it, particularly due to the anticipation of potential sequels. The introduction of a limb injury system adds frustration, detracting from the overall experience, but the challenging puzzles evoke a sense of accomplishment. Overall, the game successfully balances emotional highs and lows, enhancing player engagement.

    • “I would say the utterly heartbreaking feeling I felt upon completing every inch of the game and realizing I would have to wait for the possibility of more sequels in the future...”
    • “The puzzles are difficult, but not too brain-bending - they don't quite reach the portal sweet spot, but they come close and solving them made me feel like a champion.”
    • “A good puzzle game for sure, and for a while I wondered what it was that made me feel this way, and it was a facepalm moment when it struck me.”
  • character development16 mentions

    Character development in the game is generally viewed as basic and goal-oriented, focusing primarily on stat increases and skill point assignments rather than rich storytelling or deep character arcs. While some players appreciate the refined skill point system and versatility in character options, others find the lack of elaborate narrative and character growth disappointing. Overall, the character development is functional but may not satisfy those seeking a more immersive or complex experience.

    • “Character development is simple and goal-oriented without the unnecessary nerd stuff! The open air and lush environment intertwined with lengthy dungeon crawling is certainly welcome, especially for claustrophobic types. The game does not end quickly if you care about all the secrets and details.”
    • “They have reworked the character development, which now makes it much more versatile.”
    • “+ Much refined character development and skill point system.”
    • “No real character development apart from increasing stats/traits.”
    • “On the other hand, character development is pretty basic; you'll be around level 15 by game's end and you merely assign 1 skill point each level.”
    • “Character development is simple and goal-oriented without the unnecessary nerd stuff.”
  • stability12 mentions

    Overall, players report that the game runs smoothly with minimal crashes or glitches, highlighting its solid performance as a standout in an industry often plagued by bugs. However, some users have noted issues with the dungeon creator, which is described as buggy and difficult to use, particularly for those lacking coding skills. Despite these concerns, the game is generally regarded as well-crafted and stable.

    • “It's a pretty cool game, very well done, bug free, and it lasts for about 30 hours, which is awesome.”
    • “- the dungeon creator (big reason I wanted this) is a pain to use unless you're good at coding and is buggy as hell.”
    • “Oh please fix these glitches soon, I want to play this game for hours, without getting kicked out to my desktop by error reports and the game freezing.”
    • “In an industry riddled with companies releasing buggy unfinished games, milking their customers with shallow DLC and indie developers making nostalgia pandering shlock, Legend of Grimrock 2 stands as a shining example of the game done right.”
  • monetization2 mentions

    The monetization strategy of the game has received criticism, with users feeling misled by promotional materials that do not accurately represent the in-game experience.

Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

Critic Reviews

83% average critic score

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Play time

29hMedian play time
49hAverage play time
20-40hSpent by most gamers
*Based on 32 analyzed playthroughs

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