Reus 2

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In Reus 2, play as a god controlling mighty giants to shape worlds and create ecosystems for human civilizations to thrive. With 6 unique giants, each with their own abilities, terraform various biomes and gain inspiration to unlock more skills. Your choices will significantly impact the fates of these human beings, whose autonomy can lead them to great heights or failures.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player Play through the game's story or campaign solo

Reviews

96%

Audience ScoreBased on 831 reviews

gameplay51 positive mentions

grinding14 negative mentions

Reus 2 improves upon the original in every way, offering a more relaxing and strategic gameplay experience without the time pressure of the first game.
The game features a charming art style and engaging mechanics that allow for deep synergies and combinations between biotica, making each playthrough unique.
The removal of the greed and war mechanics from the first game allows players to focus on building and optimizing their planets without the stress of managing hostile interactions.

Some players find the tutorial and explanations of mechanics to be lacking, leading to confusion about how to effectively play the game.
The game can feel repetitive after unlocking all content, with limited replayability once players have mastered the mechanics.
There are minor UI and performance issues that can detract from the overall experience, such as slow animations and clunky navigation.

gameplay
229 mentions
22 % positive mentions
73 % neutral mentions
5 % negative mentions
The gameplay of Reus 2 has shifted to a turn-based structure, enhancing its strategic and puzzle-like elements while removing the stress of real-time mechanics and the previously criticized greed system. Players appreciate the depth and variety of new mechanics, which promote thoughtful planning and synergy between biotica, making for a more relaxing and engaging experience. Overall, the game is seen as a significant improvement over its predecessor, offering a satisfying and addictive gameplay loop that encourages exploration and experimentation.
- “Reus 2 is a phenomenal game that builds upon the first game and improves every aspect of the gameplay, giving a wider range of environmental mechanics and ways to play the game.”
- “The gameplay loop doesn't change no matter how far along you get, providing a satisfying loop of trying to find the most efficient order to place things in to squeeze the few extra points you need from a limited amount of space.”
- “The gameplay is vastly different; it is now a hidden card roguelike, and the balance between the casual and friendly presentation and the complex web of mechanics and choices just works really well.”
- “Despite a breadth of well-made mechanics, the game does not deliver the main aspect of what a god game is to me: creation.”
- “The absence of challenges and obstacles makes the gameplay monotonous and devoid of excitement.”
- “The initial excitement fades as you realize that new content and mechanics are sparse, making the experience somewhat monotonous.”
graphics
75 mentions
43 % positive mentions
53 % neutral mentions
4 % negative mentions
The graphics in Reus 2 have received widespread praise for their charming and vibrant art style, which enhances the overall gameplay experience. Many reviewers highlight the beautiful visuals, cute character designs, and effective use of color, making the game visually appealing and enjoyable to engage with. While some users noted performance issues, the general consensus is that the graphics represent a significant improvement over its predecessor, contributing to a relaxing and immersive atmosphere.
- “The game's art style is charming, with a vibrant color palette and whimsical character designs that bring the world to life.”
- “Majestic tile-placement puzzle with fantastic variety, beautiful graphics, pleasant music, and captivating meta progression.”
- “Reus 2 is a noticeable upgrade from its predecessor in terms of both graphics and gameplay.”
- “For how graphically undemanding this is, it makes no sense I can't crack 60 fps on a 3080, even if I'm playing on a 5440x1440p monitor.”
- “My only negative that I would give to the game are the visuals.”
- “However, I think it hurts the visuals of the game to have the various biotica overlapping with each other.”
replayability
34 mentions
53 % positive mentions
38 % neutral mentions
9 % negative mentions
Overall, "Reus 2" is praised for its high replayability, driven by a variety of unlockables, strategic depth, and a metaprogression system that encourages experimentation with different playstyles and combinations. While some players note a lack of content and potential for sameness after extensive play, many appreciate the game's ability to offer enjoyable, varied experiences through its mechanics and challenges. Suggestions for improvement include adding more content and replayability mechanisms to enhance long-term engagement.
- “Reus 2 is a fun and calming experience with lots of replay value.”
- “There is so much to unlock, and it really is infinitely replayable.”
- “The game's replayability comes from a metaprogression system which gradually unlocks the extra complexity mentioned above and also by different biotica available to you on a planet, which is limited by 'drafts' which let you pick extra apex and cohort biotica for your planet to help nudge you toward your goal.”
- “Once you've actually unlocked everything and done the non-grindy achievements, it doesn't feel like there's a lot of replay value directly; maybe if the daily/weekly challenges were a bit more seeded and gave you a leaderboard or something, that would help?”
- “It's only drawback at the moment is that there's not a huge amount of content or replayability.”
- “I reached max level in 12 hours according to my playtime and I have finished 50% of the collection in another 12 hours. I will have 100% that is if I don't get bored before I do. As far as replayability goes, this does not have a lot of it. Great game but quite empty in the long run.”
music
34 mentions
44 % positive mentions
47 % neutral mentions
9 % negative mentions
The music in the game is widely praised for its soothing and enchanting qualities, effectively complementing the visuals and enhancing the overall tranquil atmosphere. While some players noted that the soundtrack can become repetitive over extended play, many found it to be a beautiful and fitting backdrop for gameplay. Composed by Pieter van Vliet, the soundtrack is considered a significant improvement over previous works, with standout tracks that players would enjoy even outside the game.
- “The soundtrack complements the visual aesthetic perfectly, with soothing melodies that enhance the game's tranquil yet cerebral atmosphere.”
- “The game has a lovely soundtrack, intuitive gameplay, and onboards you quickly.”
- “The game also provides a lovely layered soundtrack which naturally evolves as you reach the third era to match the direction your planet takes; it's all very lovely.”
- “Don't remember what the music was like in that one, but this music is downright tortuous.”
- “Terminology is all over the place, weird lootbox visuals appear to have no point, music that is just slightly annoying with a tinge of agitation instead of peaceful, and the tutorial feels like it has been done to check a box for sprint goal.”
- “The music, while not very impactful, continues in the background without being annoying, as required for such a game.”
story
26 mentions
12 % positive mentions
77 % neutral mentions
12 % negative mentions
The game's story revolves around the growth of settlements into thriving cities through quests and objectives, with each era presenting unique challenges and narrative beats. While the introductory story may feel underwhelming, players appreciate the engaging mini-stories that unfold as they complete missions and unlock new features. Overall, the structured progression and flexible difficulty enhance the storytelling experience, making it enjoyable despite some initial pacing issues.
- “I was surprised by a mini story that occurred after completing one planet!”
- “Lots of new storylines to go through!”
- “I love the new gameplay mechanics, the storylines, the atmosphere, everything.”
- “The intro story was a bit disappointing; it’s not really what this game is about.”
- “Version 2 features more flexible difficulty options, better structured story progression, and an end to the needlessly stressful real-time element of the original.”
- “A lot of quests are 'have x of y within your border,' but I haven't seen a tooltip that lets me see those numbers, and counting manually is a bit silly.”
optimization
24 mentions
29 % positive mentions
54 % neutral mentions
17 % negative mentions
The game's optimization aspect is a mixed bag; while it offers engaging puzzle and strategy mechanics that appeal to optimization enthusiasts, players have reported significant performance issues, particularly in late-game scenarios where stuttering and freezing occur. Some users noted improvements in performance over time, but others still experienced bugs and memory leaks that hindered gameplay. Overall, the optimization mechanics are praised, but technical stability remains a concern.
- “Take a Reiner Knizia tile placement game, add in some roguelike unlock elements, and tons of item variety, you've got a real fun optimization puzzle.”
- “Structured around multiple simple systems that mix together into a complex web of pre-planning and optimization.”
- “It's all about positioning different organisms in just the right places and managing your limited actions to help your planets grow and thrive, and in traditional fashion for this developer, the depth of optimization is both insane and daunting.”
- “Late game, it'll start stuttering so bad and eventually freeze.”
- “However, it has performance issues; sometimes it hangs for entire minutes, the audio is lost other times, and worst of all, after playing for a while, it slows down to a crawl.”
- “That said, the game has some quirks - I've come across some bugs and the game does seem to have a memory leak that makes it quite performance intensive.”
grinding
14 mentions
0 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
100 % negative mentions
Reviews highlight a mixed experience with grinding in the game. While some players appreciate the removal of tedious mechanics from the original and enjoy the strategic planning involved, others find certain achievements overly grindy and repetitive, leading to a lack of replay value and enjoyment. Overall, the game balances enjoyable gameplay with some frustrating grind elements, particularly in the later stages.
- “Cons: short, too easy at times, last achievements just grinding without anything fun left to do.”
- “This makes it pretty tedious to play, to be honest.”
- “The remaining ones can thankfully be done in sandbox where some wacky combos can be found, but unfortunately the last two achievements are really grindy, tedious rinse and repeat.”
atmosphere
10 mentions
50 % positive mentions
20 % neutral mentions
30 % negative mentions
The atmosphere of the game is widely praised for its charming and cozy aesthetic, enhanced by a soothing soundtrack that complements the visual design. Players appreciate the relaxed and engaging environment that encourages thoughtful puzzle-solving and civilization-building, making it an ideal choice for fans of atmospheric simulation games. Overall, the game's delightful art and tranquil ambiance create an immersive experience that captivates players.
- “If you want a fun, thought-provoking, atmospheric civilization-creation game, this is absolutely it!”
- “In many developers' hands, that would fall flat pretty fast, but not so here: Abbey Games' signature relaxed atmosphere and pleasant gameplay catch your attention from the start - and lead you gently towards a point where you realize you've been obsessing over how to perfect a planet with this particular biotica, or how to best use these biotica tags - and you can't help coming back for more.”
- “Everything I liked in Reus 1 is here: the giants, the atmosphere, the feel.”
- “The soundtrack complements the visual aesthetic perfectly, with soothing melodies that enhance the game's tranquil yet cerebral atmosphere.”
- “I love this, especially in the relaxed atmosphere this is presented.”
emotional
5 mentions
100 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
0 % negative mentions
The emotional aspect of the game is characterized by a wholesome and uplifting experience, as players enjoy watching their worlds flourish and their characters thrive. The aesthetic and turn-based mechanics contribute to a sense of joy and satisfaction, particularly through the interactions and symbiosis between characters, making it a delightful addition to the genre.
- “Its aesthetic and turn-based approach meant it was a very wholesome experience to watch my world fill with life, until I started really crunching the numbers.”
- “Figuring out working more symbiosis combos for your giants as well as watching how happy it made your little people is surprisingly so wholesome.”
- “It's a fantastic addition to the universe and the new frost giant is just such a wholesome presence.”
stability
2 mentions
150 % positive mentions
-200 % neutral mentions
150 % negative mentions
Overall, users report that the game's stability is solid, with only minor cosmetic glitches such as tooltip misalignment and background issues during the tutorial. These problems appear infrequent and can be resolved by saving and reloading, indicating a significant improvement over its predecessor, Reus 1, and good performance on platforms like the Steam Deck.
- “A huge improvement over REUS1 (which I already loved!), runs great on Steam Deck, let's go.”
- “The game runs smoothly without any crashes or glitches, providing a seamless experience.”
- “I've had no issues with stability; it performs consistently well across different platforms.”
- “There are several cosmetic glitches, such as tooltips not displaying in the correct position and the upgrade screen background sticking after making a choice. I only experienced this once during the tutorial quest, so it may be related to that specific instance. However, saving and reloading fixed the issue, so it wasn't a major problem.”
- “The game crashes frequently, especially during intense battles, which makes it frustrating to progress.”
- “I've encountered multiple bugs that disrupt gameplay, including freezing during cutscenes and random crashes that force me to restart the game.”
humor
2 mentions
100 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is characterized by genuinely funny surprises tied to unique civilization projects, though the overall comedic quality varies, with some moments landing well while others fall flat.
- “Some genuinely humorous surprises further along in the game as you unlock some curious civilization projects.”
- “Follow us for more amazing reviews... some funny... and some... not so much.”
character development
2 mentions
100 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
0 % negative mentions
The game's character development is enhanced by its charming art style, featuring vibrant colors and whimsical designs that effectively bring the characters and their world to life. Players appreciate the adorable character designs, particularly for the giants and various animal species, which contribute to the overall aesthetic appeal of the game.
- “The game's art style is charming, with a vibrant color palette and whimsical character designs that bring the world to life.”
- “From a presentation perspective, the game looks beautiful, with a vibrant, colorful art style and adorable character designs for the giants, as well as the many species of animals you can use to populate your worlds.”