Risk of Rain 2

95%
Game Brain Score Based on 137,235 reviews
  • gameplay
  • music
  • replayability
Risk of Rain 2 Game Cover
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"Risk of Rain 2" is a 3D roguelike shooter where players fight to survive on an alien planet. With over a dozenhandcrafted locales, challenging monsters, and enormous bosses, each run is filled with new items and abilities to discover. Unlock eleven playable survivors, each with unique combat styles, and use Artifacts to modify gameplay for increased challenge. Your power, and that of your foes, increases over the course of a game, ensuring a constantly evolving experience.

  • Nintendo Switch
  • PC
  • Phone
  • Play​station 4
  • Play​station 5
  • Steam Deck
  • Windows
  • Xbox One
  • Xbox Series X|S
  • Cloud
  • Epic Games
  • NVIDIA GeForce NOW
  • Play​Station
  • Tablet
  • Xbox
Genres & TagsPlay Modes

Reviews

95%
Audience ScoreBased on 137,235 reviews
gameplay3,483 positive mentions
grinding542 negative mentions
  • gameplay7,176 mentions

    The gameplay of "Risk of Rain 2" is widely praised for its fast-paced, engaging mechanics that blend roguelike elements with third-person shooter dynamics. Players appreciate the diverse character abilities, item synergies, and the unique time-based difficulty scaling that keeps each run fresh and challenging. However, some reviews note that the gameplay can become repetitive over time, especially after extended play sessions, and recent updates have introduced bugs and balance issues that detract from the overall experience. Despite these criticisms, the game remains a favorite for its addictive gameplay loop, stunning visuals, and exceptional soundtrack.

    • “The gameplay is fast-paced and satisfying, with each run feeling different due to the randomization of items, enemies, and stages.”
    • “The gameplay loop is incredibly satisfying and the sheer amount of content in this game is absurd.”
    • “The gameplay is smooth, the graphics are delightful, and the mechanics are continuously engaging.”
    • “The gameplay loop is extremely repetitive, and the difficulty increase just makes it more of the same.”
    • “The gameplay can start out very tame then rapidly ramp up to absolutely insane.”
    • “The gameplay loop is pretty repetitive due to the underwhelming amount of items and interactions between them (for a roguelike if you even want to call it that).”
  • music6,271 mentions

    The music in "Risk of Rain 2" has been universally praised, with many reviewers calling it one of the best soundtracks in gaming history. Composed by Chris Christodoulou, the soundtrack is described as electric, immersive, and perfectly fitting for the game's atmosphere, enhancing the overall experience of gameplay. Players often find themselves listening to the soundtrack outside of the game, highlighting its quality and appeal beyond just the gaming context.

    • “The soundtrack is arguably better than the game itself, and transforms the in-game atmosphere completely!”
    • “Chris Christodoulou has poured his soul into the soundtrack, and it shows.”
    • “The music is electric, and the gameplay is a satisfying level of stress vs reward.”
    • “The only thing better than the gameplay is the soundtrack.”
    • “The music is electric, the combat and progression system is challenging yet (mostly) fair, and the cast of characters to play as are so unique.”
    • “The soundtrack is one of if not the best soundtracks I've ever heard, each track setting an excellent atmosphere that seems to fit no matter the situation.”
  • replayability3,225 mentions

    The replayability of "Risk of Rain 2" is frequently described as exceptional, with many users noting its near-infinite replay value due to the variety of characters, items, and procedural generation of levels. Players appreciate the game's ability to offer unique experiences in each run, enhanced by a robust modding community that further extends its longevity. While some mention a potential for repetitiveness after extensive play, the overall consensus is that the game remains engaging and fun, especially in multiplayer settings.

    • “My favorite thing about this game though, is the replayability.”
    • “The variety of characters, each with unique skill sets, makes the game highly replayable.”
    • “Its unique blend of character abilities, items, and progression creates endless replayability.”
    • “The current state of this game is so bad, Cyberpunk at launch was more playable.”
    • “What used to be an absolutely amazing game with endless replayability has been ruined by Gearbox.”
    • “The game still has some issues with replayability, especially in the first hours of gameplay when you have few survivors, abilities, and items; therefore, all the runs look the same.”
  • graphics3,029 mentions

    The graphics of "Risk of Rain 2" have received mixed feedback from players. Many appreciate the game's vibrant, cel-shaded art style and its ability to run smoothly on lower-end hardware, while others find the graphics simplistic or lacking compared to modern standards. Overall, the visuals are often described as charming and fitting for the game's chaotic gameplay, though some players have noted performance issues during intense action sequences.

    • “The dev team toed the line between minimalist performance and gorgeous, communicative graphics to make an incredibly stylized style that never sacrifices readability or performance.”
    • “The graphics are stunning, featuring beautifully rendered environments and enemies that come to life on the screen.”
    • “The graphics look awesome, I enjoy the slightly polygon-esque look, adds some charm, the characters are amazing, fun and unique playstyles for everyone, the enemies are all so unique and fun too!”
    • “The graphics are bland, the combat is soooo repetitive, and the enemies are brainless.”
    • “Graphics are low-tier, game has no plot, and the gameplay is very repetitive.”
    • “The graphics may not look like much but the art style really grows on you.”
  • story1,283 mentions

    The story in "Risk of Rain 2" is often described as minimal and fragmented, primarily conveyed through environmental storytelling and collectible log entries rather than a traditional narrative. While some players appreciate the depth of lore hidden within item descriptions and the game's atmosphere, many feel that the lack of a clear, cohesive storyline detracts from the overall experience. Overall, the game is more focused on gameplay mechanics and replayability, with the story serving as an optional layer for those willing to explore it.

    • “On a personal level, one of the biggest draws of the game was the worldbuilding, where lore is spread out over environmental storytelling and sparse details over many logbook entries.”
    • “The lore is surprisingly vast with collectible log books and some environmental storytelling on levels.”
    • “The story is beautiful, captivating, and mysterious; the characters have personality and depth, and the environments themselves speak a greater wisdom of worlds unknown.”
    • “The story is as flat as it gets.”
    • “If you want plot or progression, this is not the game for you.”
    • “The story feels very low-effort and the final boss fight is unbalanced, but I enjoy the other 95% of the game.”
  • humor923 mentions

    The humor in the game is widely praised, with players highlighting its chaotic and absurd moments that lead to laughter, especially during multiplayer sessions. Many reviews mention the hilarity of unexpected deaths, ridiculous item combinations, and the game's quirky character designs, which contribute to a lighthearted and entertaining experience. Overall, the game's blend of humor and gameplay mechanics creates a fun atmosphere that is best enjoyed with friends.

    • “The fact you can have such a good run and still die in 1 hit is funny as hell.”
    • “From accidentally activating game-changing items at the worst possible moment to narrowly escaping death with a well-timed ability, the game's unpredictable nature often leads to hilarious moments that you'll be reminiscing about long after the session ends.”
    • “The gameplay is fluid and when you get the right combination of items it all becomes hilarious.”
    • “The game is not in a playable state; so many bugs it's not funny.”
    • “A little less epic when the particularly unfunny people at Gearbox absorbed all of my fun.”
    • “It doesn't rain jokes; they are not funny.”
  • grinding637 mentions

    The grinding aspect of "Risk of Rain 2" has received mixed feedback from players. While many enjoy the grind for achievements and character unlocks, finding the teleporter and farming items can become tedious and repetitive, especially in solo play. Overall, the game is described as fun and rewarding for those who appreciate grinding, but it can also feel excessively grindy and frustrating at times, particularly when runs end abruptly due to unforeseen challenges.

    • “Not grindy, not slow or irritating, just fun.”
    • “Even if not grinding, the action, boss fights and item builds will have you and your homies mowing down troves of monsters and bosses well into the early morning.”
    • “You aren't grinding for money or experience; you're grinding for achievements, which unlock new items, classes, and attacks.”
    • “Nothing like spending 2 hours grinding to lose everything and die to the literal king of nothing.”
    • “The gameplay loop didn't really hook me, running around an open area looking for objectives and leveling gets pretty tedious after a few runthroughs.”
    • “The game is exceptionally repetitive and grindy, and explains very little.”
  • stability612 mentions

    The stability of the game has been heavily criticized, with numerous players reporting it as a "buggy mess" following recent updates and DLC releases. Many have experienced game-breaking glitches, crashes, and performance issues, particularly related to the unification of codebases between PC and console versions. While some patches have addressed certain bugs, the overall sentiment remains that the game is currently unplayable for many, leading to a significant decline in its previously polished reputation.

    • “Overall, no glitches or bugs and very enjoyable.”
    • “It receives constant updates and is relatively bug free, especially for an early access game.”
    • “The game feels very polished, it runs great with only a couple minor issues which will most likely get fixed soon.”
    • “I bought this game pre-Gearbox, and my first three playthroughs were so comically buggy that I uninstalled the game afterwards, saying, 'I don't think this game is ready.' Even now, the game will crash on good runs for no reason (especially Abyssal Depths for me, even when not a lot of creatures), and behave oddly on others.”
    • “It was one of my favorite games for so long, and now it is a barely playable buggy mess.”
    • “The game is now a buggy mess.”
  • optimization419 mentions

    The optimization of the game has received mixed feedback from users. While some players praise its smooth performance and ability to run well on lower-end systems, many others report significant issues, particularly in late-game scenarios where frame rates drop drastically due to the overwhelming number of enemies and effects on screen. The recent DLC has exacerbated these problems, introducing bugs and tying game mechanics to frame rates, leading to a generally unoptimized experience that detracts from the overall enjoyment.

    • “The dev team toed the line between minimalist performance and gorgeous, communicative graphics to make an incredibly stylized style that never sacrifices readability or performance.”
    • “Risk of Rain 2 has to be one of my favorite games of all time — wonderful concepts, wonderful gameplay, memorable enemies, stages, items, bosses, and great optimization.”
    • “The game runs smoothly once loaded even on low-end PCs.”
    • “The latest DLC forced a patch to all games regardless of ownership that tied the game logic and character skills performance to the framerate in a game where 40+ minute runs have so many enemies that the framerate drops in the late game, causing the game and skills to no longer perform consistently. On top of this, there are save deletion bugs when playing co-op and plugging in a second controller.”
    • “Months after beta release, it is still poorly optimized and runs like absolute dog... and for a game that looks literally on-par with Roblox, that's pretty sad.”
    • “The game runs fine at the start, but after a while, if you max out all the settings and body count, eventually you are going to experience a large performance drop as you get swarmed by tons of action and enemies.”
  • atmosphere340 mentions

    The atmosphere in "Risk of Rain 2" is widely praised for its immersive quality, enhanced by a stunning soundtrack that many consider one of the best in gaming. Players appreciate the detailed environments and unique art style, which together create a captivating and dynamic experience that complements the game's fast-paced gameplay. Overall, the combination of atmospheric visuals, engaging music, and rich lore contributes to a sense of adventure and exploration that keeps players returning for more.

    • “The worlds are vast and detailed, and combined with the atmospheric soundtrack, it creates a sense of endless adventure.”
    • “The game's music and atmosphere are breathtaking, and I would go as far as to say that this game has the best soundtrack to any video game, period.”
    • “The immersive world, the meticulously designed environments, and the stunning visuals create an atmosphere that's nothing short of breathtaking.”
    • “This 'game' (Risk of Rain 2) sucks, I recently discovered that there is not actually any rain (the condensed moisture of the atmosphere falling visibly in separate drops) in the 'game' (Risk of Rain 2).”
    • “The crushing and brooding atmosphere is pretty much gone from the first game.”
    • “In this game, graphics aren't great, and they don't paint the same kind of atmosphere that the first game did.”
  • emotional170 mentions

    The emotional aspect of "Risk of Rain 2" resonates deeply with players, evoking a wide range of feelings from joy and empowerment to heartbreak and frustration. Many express a profound connection to the game's narrative and mechanics, often leading to tears of both happiness and sadness, particularly when facing challenging gameplay or experiencing the game's poignant moments. Overall, the game is celebrated for its ability to create an emotional rollercoaster, leaving a lasting impact on players long after they finish playing.

    • “The story of Risk of Rain 2 is a heartbreaking one.”
    • “In the vast cosmos of gaming, few experiences evoke the kind of emotional resonance that Risk of Rain 2 effortlessly achieves.”
    • “It moves you in ways that linger long after the screen goes dark, a testament to the emotional tapestry that great games can weave.”
  • character development106 mentions

    Character development in the game is highlighted by its unique and varied character designs, each offering distinct play styles and abilities that enhance replayability. Players appreciate the depth of character lore and the engaging gameplay mechanics tied to character progression, although some express frustration with the grind required to unlock certain characters. Overall, the character design is celebrated as a standout feature, contributing significantly to the game's charm and enjoyment.

    • “I love the quirky character designs (especially chef and rex) and each one has a unique play style.”
    • “The character designs and kits are where most of the enjoyment comes from, aside from enjoying breaking the systems.”
    • “The character designs, the monster variety, the map layouts, every part of this game has shown a large amount of care and effort put into it being an enjoyable experience.”
    • “There is no character development, no storyline, no goals, no sense at all to the blundering, mindless wandering in which you find yourself trapped until, mercifully, you exit to desktop, and remember that other games, real games, do exist.”
    • “The maps are easily 3x as big and mobility is down, the items on whole feel weaker from what I experienced, and the character design is lacking where it isn't laughable.”
    • “I have a sincere hatred of the female character designs that seem to be direct pandering to source filmmaker porn creators; Huntress honestly looks like a Fortnite skin.”
  • monetization104 mentions

    The monetization aspect of the game has drawn significant criticism, with many users perceiving it as a cash grab, particularly following the acquisition by Gearbox. While some players appreciate the absence of microtransactions and the focus on quality content, others express concern that the new DLCs and updates feel rushed and exploitative, undermining the game's original integrity. Overall, there is a strong sentiment that the game's monetization strategy has shifted towards profit over player experience, leading to disappointment among its dedicated fanbase.

    • “Dozens of items, plenty of characters, DLC that's actually fun and rewarding, and no bullshit microtransactions.”
    • “No microtransactions, no dev drama.”
    • “The game is addictive and engaging, and does not have the slightest hint of microtransactions.”
    • “Right now, I see it only as a cash grab.”
    • “Gearbox surely knew that they were ruining this beloved game and pushed out a cash grab bugfest anyway.”
    • “The new content feels like a cynical cash grab, a way to squeeze more money out of dedicated fans without delivering the high-quality content we’ve come to expect.”
Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
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Play time

40hMedian play time
120hAverage play time
11hMain story
135hCompletionist
10-129hSpent by most gamers
*Based on 636 analyzed playthroughs

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