Rift Wizard 2

92%
Game Brain Score Based on 303 reviews
  • gameplay
  • graphics
  • music
Rift Wizard 2 Game Cover
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Rift Wizard 2 is a challenging roguelike wizard simulator where you build unique spell repertoires and gather magical artifacts in each run. With procedurally generated levels, you'll encounter different challenges every time, requiring strategic planning to navigate through and reach your build's end goal. The game's unique portal system lets you choose the levels you visit, giving you agency over the challenges you face.

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Reviews

92%
Audience ScoreBased on 303 reviews
graphics5 positive mentions
grinding6 negative mentions
  • Rift Wizard 2 offers a significantly improved experience over its predecessor, with new mechanics like equipment and spell upgrades that enhance gameplay variety and strategy.
  • The game is highly addictive, with a vast array of spells and synergies that encourage experimentation and creative builds, making each run feel unique.
  • The balance changes, such as full health and spell recharge after each level, make the game more accessible and enjoyable, allowing players to use powerful spells more frequently.
  • The game can feel overwhelmingly complex, with a steep learning curve and a significant amount of reading required to understand enemy abilities and spell interactions.
  • Some players find the difficulty to be punishing, with instances of being hard-countered by enemies that have immunities to the player's chosen damage types.
  • Despite improvements, some reviewers feel that the game still suffers from balance issues and that certain mechanics, like the reliance on summons, can detract from the overall experience.
  • gameplay26 mentions

    The gameplay of Rift Wizard 2 features a mix of familiar mechanics from its predecessor and new elements, such as varied equipment, spells, and unique enemy types that require strategic planning and mastery. While the game offers depth and build variety, it can be punishing due to hard counters and a lack of clear information about mechanics, leading to a trial-and-error approach. Overall, it presents a challenging experience that rewards players who enjoy intricate mechanics and strategic decision-making, though some players may find the early difficulty and clarity issues frustrating.

    • “This game is genuinely mind-blowing in terms of the depth of its mechanics.”
    • “The gameplay loop of freely being able to build your wizard's spell sets and passives, and choosing which portal to progress through is the perfect mix of strategy and character builds, mixed with the healthy kind of RNG in levels and items.”
    • “Mechanically simple game with a lot of variety and build options that keeps me restarting.”
    • “And unfortunately, if you don't, you've got a very good chance to simply be hard-countered entirely by one or more enemy types, which can even include the common types - as they too can come with 100% immunities in multiple damage types or showstopping mechanical annoyances.”
    • “So many of the basic mechanics and spells are ported over with no tweaks.”
    • “If you are a devout fan of the first game, RW2 definitely sports a suite of minor improvements, but like its predecessor, the game expects you to display mastery or die, and I personally prefer games that give the player space to learn the mechanics at a more natural rate.”
  • graphics12 mentions

    The graphics of the game are praised for their charming retro art style, which is both simple and immersive, enhancing the overall gameplay experience. Users appreciate the clean and intuitive visuals, alongside clever design elements that contribute to the game's unique flavor. While some find the graphics raw, they are considered effective and enjoyable, complementing the engaging soundtrack and gameplay mechanics.

    • “Very crunchy and cleverly designed roguelike, cute graphics and sound, and about a million spells to choose from.”
    • “The visuals are clean and intuitive, and the level generation adds a unique flavor to the levels you will beat on your way to the boss.”
    • “I also really enjoy the retro art style, music, and sound effects in this game.”
    • “Graphics are raw but charming; it actually feels kind of immersive for some reason with the old school style.”
    • “I adore games with simple graphics when done right, and the sprite work is done well enough that I can usually tell what I'm looking at first glance. The effects and sounds, though simple, give the feeling of such impact.”
    • “It's a slick bit of design, and while there's a lot of similarities in art style and UI between the two games, once you get some time with both, they really seem to be very different systems.”
  • music12 mentions

    The music in the game has received a mixed reception, with many praising the nostalgic and impressive soundtrack that enhances the overall experience. While some players find the music fantastic and well-integrated with the art style, others feel there isn't enough variety or find certain tracks annoying. Overall, the soundtrack is noted for its quality and improvement, contributing positively to the game's atmosphere.

    • “The soundtrack in this game absolutely rocks in a very nostalgia-inducing way.”
    • “Fantastic soundtrack and spells elaborate and diverse enough to take some true diligent wizarding studies to unlock its secrets and master.”
    • “I also really enjoy the retro art style, music, and sound effects in this game.”
    • “My only critique is the music/sound design.”
    • “The music is quite annoying.”
    • “The soundtrack has improved, but the animation quality hasn't changed.”
  • replayability7 mentions

    Overall, the game is praised for its high replayability, with players enjoying the variety in builds, enemies, and spells that encourage experimentation and mastery. While some note that certain aspects may lead to repetitive gameplay, the depth and complexity of the game provide ample opportunities for new strategies and experiences, making it unexpectedly addictive. In contrast, previous iterations had limited replay value, highlighting the significant improvements in this version.

    • “Puzzley, deep, hugely replayable, lots of room for theory crafting and mastery.”
    • “Unexpectedly addicting and impressively replayable.”
    • “A spectacular evolution from Rift Wizard 1; better replayability in every aspect, from enemy variety to maps to equipment to spells.”
    • “The complexity doesn't even really add replayability, because you'll be leaning on the same few low-level spells 90% of the time.”
    • “What a glow up from RW1, which has almost no replay value when you've seen all the spell combos.”
  • grinding6 mentions

    Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be tedious, especially in the late game where tracking numerous enemy abilities and managing long turns can slow down gameplay significantly. While some appreciate the removal of tedious resource management, the overwhelming number of enemies and their complex interactions can make battles feel drawn out and less engaging. Overall, the experience can become frustrating due to the excessive micro-management required.

    • “In the later floors, you also need to track enemy abilities and ranges; this level of micro is simply not fun and it becomes incredibly slow and tedious.”
    • “My only issue is that in later levels, things tend to slow down and get a little grindy, with dozens of enemies having animated attacks, making each turn stretch into a couple of seconds. When you have enemies that spawn more enemies, even the biggest area spell feels like it's not quite enough.”
    • “All the information you need is actually available; it's just way too tedious.”
  • monetization2 mentions

    The monetization strategy of the game raises concerns about potential cash grab tactics, yet it also offers a glimmer of hope amidst the prevalent microtransaction practices seen in live service games.

    • “In the time of live service games, microtransactions, and other harmful practices, you show the world that there is still hope.”
    • “The monetization model is fair and transparent, allowing players to enjoy the game without feeling pressured to spend.”
    • “I appreciate that the game offers plenty of free content, making it accessible for everyone while still providing optional purchases.”
    • “I'm not saying it's a cash grab... but I'm not saying it's *not* a cash grab, either.”
    • “In the time of live service games, microtransactions and other harmful practices, you show the world that there is still hope.”
  • humor2 mentions

    Users generally find the humor in the game to be enjoyable and entertaining, suggesting that it effectively elicits laughter and amusement.

    • “The humor in this game is absolutely hilarious!”
    • “I think the jokes and gags throughout the game are genuinely funny.”
    • “The witty dialogue and comedic situations had me laughing out loud.”
  • optimization1 mentions

    Rw 2 emphasizes build optimization, requiring players to balance the pursuit of maximum raw power with maintaining a minimum level of efficiency.

    • “Rw 2 is more of a build optimization game where you primarily focus on acquiring the most raw power while still needing to meet a minimum threshold of efficiency.”
    • “RW2 is more of a build optimization game where you primarily focus on acquiring the most raw power while still needing to meet a minimum threshold of efficiency.”
    • “The optimization mechanics feel overly complicated and detract from the overall gameplay experience.”
    • “I found the optimization process tedious and frustrating, making it hard to enjoy the game.”
  • story1 mentions

    The story emphasizes the importance of utilizing summon spells, suggesting that they play a crucial role in the game's narrative and gameplay experience.

    • “The moral of the story is to get summon spells.”
  • emotional1 mentions

    Reviewers express deep appreciation for indie developers, highlighting their passion and innovation as vital to preserving the emotional essence of gaming. This gratitude underscores the connection between heartfelt storytelling and the gaming experience.

    • “I just want to finish this review with a heartfelt thank you to all indie developers for continuing to innovate, explore new ideas, and work on passion projects. Ultimately, they are keeping the essence of gaming alive.”
Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

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Play time

9hMedian play time
11hAverage play time
4-27hSpent by most gamers
*Based on 4 analyzed playthroughs

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