Unrailed 2: Back on Track
- November 7, 2024
- Indoor Astronaut
- 5h median play time
In "Unrailed 2: Back on Track," players collaborate with friends in local or online multiplayer to build and expand train tracks in real-time as the train runs. New rewards, upgrades, train engines, wagons, and extensions are available, allowing for various train configurations. The game features five unique biomes, each with distinct game mechanics and a boss to defeat at the end.
Reviews
- Unrailed 2 builds on the original with new mechanics, biomes, and a more strategic gameplay experience, making it feel like a true sequel.
- The game is highly enjoyable in co-op mode, providing chaotic fun that encourages teamwork and communication among friends.
- The developers are responsive to player feedback, regularly updating the game and adding new content, which enhances the overall experience.
- The controls can feel unresponsive and imprecise, leading to frustrating moments where players pick up the wrong items or place tracks incorrectly.
- Some players have reported bugs and issues with multiplayer connectivity, which can hinder the overall enjoyment of the game.
- The difficulty spikes in certain areas, particularly with boss fights, can feel unbalanced and may lead to frustration for players, especially those new to the series.
- gameplay57 mentions
- 39 % positive mentions
- 56 % neutral mentions
- 5 % negative mentions
The gameplay in "Unrailed 2" has been widely praised for its significant improvements over the first installment, featuring enhanced mechanics, new biomes, and a more engaging gameplay loop that encourages strategic decision-making. While some players noted minor issues with bot performance and optimization, the overall experience is described as fun, frantic, and filled with innovative features that maintain the essence of the original while adding depth and variety. The game successfully combines rogue-lite elements with cooperative multiplayer, making it a standout sequel that is both enjoyable and challenging.
“It's still the same old fun from the original, whilst adding tons of new game mechanics and it is absolutely worth the money.”
“The gameplay loop is more engaging, there are more things to do, and RNG wagons have decreased, giving you more customization opportunities for your train.”
“It takes the frantic, teamwork-driven fun of the original and builds on it with new mechanics, biomes, and a much more polished overall experience.”
“When we lost, everything was gone—all this time of gameplay wasted—and now we have to start over.”
“Here, however, the gameplay feels watered down, with fewer meaningful choices and mechanics that fail to capture the frantic yet fun energy of the first installment.”
“To developers of the game, I usually solo with a bot as my partner, but the bot doesn't work well in some maps such as desert and swamp as it does not deal with the bone thing and spider web, which seriously hurt the gameplay experience.”
- graphics18 mentions
- 33 % positive mentions
- 50 % neutral mentions
- 17 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game have received mixed reviews, with many praising the updated visuals, improved lighting, and overall polish compared to the original. However, some players have noted issues with visual clarity and eye strain, which can detract from the gameplay experience. Overall, while the graphics are generally considered an improvement, there are still areas that could benefit from further refinement.
“The graphics became more polished, the objectives are scattered throughout the map, which is constantly branching from station to station.”
“The visuals and sound are sharper, and the gameplay is smoother, making it feel like a true next-gen version of the original.”
“Holy crap is this game ever an improvement on the original game, updated graphics, beautiful lighting, and a whole lot of effort, if you've never played Unrailed, this is definitely the best time to consider playing it!”
“They somehow managed to take a working set of mechanics and graphics and make both worse.”
“The graphics are significantly less clear and playing with a controller is absolutely a worse experience than the first.”
“U2 is also on a new engine and has some teething issues to overcome with the graphics levels.”
- music8 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 13 % neutral mentions
- 38 % negative mentions
The music in the game is generally praised for its depth, nostalgia, and quality, with some reviewers rating it highly for its emotional impact and overall contribution to the gameplay experience. However, there are mixed feelings about its presence, as some players feel it is not consistently featured throughout the game. While many appreciate the new tracks, some still prefer the soundtrack from the first game, indicating a desire for more variety or options.
“Starting off on a strong note, the music... what can we say, it is magnificent and it can remind you of childhood (assuming you had a good one).”
“I really think it's a great sequel, graphics are great, mechanics are great, I like everything about it, but I think there's only one thing in which Unrailed 1 is better: the soundtrack.”
“I really think it's a great sequel, graphics are great, mechanics are great, I like everything about it but I think there's only one thing in which Unrailed 1 is better: the soundtrack.”
“Please add an option to have Unrailed 1's music because it went hard sometimes.”
“There is so much love in the music, cute characters and maps, and playing as one team is just so wholesome.”
- stability7 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The game's stability has received mixed feedback, with users reporting issues such as freezing on the start screen, controller detection problems, and matchmaking bugs. While many acknowledge that the game is still enjoyable and has seen improvements through patches, some players express frustration with the remaining bugs and anticipate further updates for a smoother experience. Overall, it is considered playable but in need of additional polish.
“The game has a lot of problems; sometimes it freezes on the start screen and my controller is not detected.”
“I don't like bugs that are this bad, so I will update this review when the game feels less buggy.”
“Matchmaking is buggy.”
- humor7 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in *Unrailed 2* is highlighted as a key aspect of the gameplay, with players enjoying the chaotic and hectic nature of the game that leads to many amusing moments. Reviewers recommend it as a fun group game, emphasizing its ability to create laughter and frustration in equal measure. Overall, it is described as a brilliantly funny experience, especially when played with friends.
“Unrailed 1 was already a funny group-focused game while chatting with some friends in the evening.”
“I myself have already experienced many funny situations in part one and two and would recommend it to anyone looking for a funny group game.”
“I love this game, it’s funny, it’s hectic and makes for a lot of fun moments.”
- replayability3 mentions
- 33 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 67 % negative mentions
While some players feel that "Unrailed 2" has strayed from the simplicity that made its predecessor addictive, many appreciate the improved quality of life features and enhanced replayability through multiplayer and beautifully crafted randomly generated levels, offering countless hours of gameplay. Overall, the game is considered worth its price for the replay value it provides.
“Lots of quality of life improvements and much better replayability; it's 100% worth it!”
“Where the original game felt balanced and replayable, Unrailed 2 feels like it’s trying too hard to reinvent the wheel, and in doing so, it loses the simplicity that made the first game so addictive.”
“Even being in early access, the game is worth more than the $20 asking price as there are countless hours of replayability with multiplayer and randomly generated levels (which is done beautifully, I might add).”
- story2 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- -150 % neutral mentions
- 150 % negative mentions
The story aspect of the game is engaging and offers a blend of quick, fun experiences with friends and deeper immersion through various worlds, levels, and side quests. Players can customize their journey by selecting quests for rewards and choosing map difficulties, enhancing the overall narrative experience.
“The story is engaging and allows you to quickly lose yourself in the different worlds, levels, and all the side quests that have been created!”
“You can choose to invest in quests for more rewards, and decide which map difficulty or shops to explore.”
“The story feels disjointed and lacks depth, making it hard to stay engaged.”
“Character development is minimal, leaving the plot feeling flat and uninteresting.”
“The narrative is predictable and fails to offer any surprising twists or turns.”
- monetization1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
Many users perceive the monetization strategy of the sequel as a cash grab, suggesting that it lacks the authenticity and effort expected from a continuation of the original series.
“For fans of the original, this sequel might feel more like a cash grab than a genuine attempt to build on the series.”
“The game is riddled with microtransactions that make it nearly impossible to enjoy without spending extra money.”
“It feels like the developers prioritized profit over player experience, leading to a frustrating and unbalanced gameplay.”
- grinding1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be excessive, particularly regarding perks, which can feel overly tedious. Additionally, the limited number of servers can exacerbate the grinding experience, making it feel more monotonous.
“The perks are too grindy, and sometimes there are only 2-3 servers available.”
“Grinding feels excessive and tedious, making the game less enjoyable.”
“The amount of time required to grind for rewards is frustrating and detracts from the overall experience.”
- atmosphere1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Users feel that certain elements in the game disrupt the overall atmosphere, suggesting that these interruptions negatively impact immersion and the intended mood.
“This disrupts the atmosphere for me.”
- emotional1 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Players find the game emotionally engaging, highlighting the love conveyed through its music, charming characters, and cooperative gameplay, which fosters a wholesome team experience.
“There is so much love in the music, cute characters, and maps, and playing as one team is just so wholesome.”