Legend of Grimrock II Reviews
The Legend of Grimrock 2 is an RPG that's as much Myst as D&D, and benefits from the strengths of both.
A sublime blend of fighting, puzzling and exploration, but the unforgiving difficulty may be too much for some.
We're so conditioned to expect sequels to cram in more features in an attempt to be noticeably different, but there's a quiet confidence to Grimrock 2 that is utterly beguiling. Bigger, bolder and utterly sure of itself and its intended audience, Almost Human may be looking to the past for inspiration, but it's created one of the best pure role-playing games of the year.
A modern dungeon romp with old-school PC RPG sensibilities. A surefire choice for genre fans, but some repetition in encounters and puzzles in the second half get tiring
Legend of Grimrock II is another fantastic trip to the grid.
Everything in this sequel is bigger, more elaborate, more detailed, and absolutely better. Which, after such a lovely first game, is quite the thing.
Legend of Grimrock 2 will consume your mind in many ways. The puzzles will slowly tear away at your brain until they are solved, and the amount of focus needed for just about every combat encounter is through the roof. Grimrock 2 can forever be referenced as a "perfect sequel." It doesn't go nuts adding idea after idea to make things more convoluted, but instead refines what already made the experience amazing while expanding those ideas noticeably enough.
Moving beyond a mere homage to Dungeon Master this is one of the best dungeon crawlers of recent years, even if the puzzle balance still isn't quite right.
While it isn't necessary for you to have played the classic titles that set the stage for Legend of Grimrock, you should be aware of what you're getting into. LoG 2 is a challenging, occasionally frustrating title with a grid-based real-time combat system that isn't for everyone and a rich collection of secrets that will necessitate back-tracking and pixel-hunting. It's also a game that makes you feel smart for doing well, which is an experience that's all too rare in modern gaming.
Beautifully presented and expertly executed, The Legend of Grimrock 2 is everything that made the first game great, only now there is even more of it. Wonderful puzzles and plenty of variety will keep eager adventurers entertained until the very end.
Pure RPG magic.
Legend of Grimrock 2 uses the same coy smiles to entice you to explore its world, and while the core game remains as good as ever, the success of its evolution depends greatly on whether that is compelling enough reason for you to do so.
As it stands next to others in the RPG genre, turn-based, action, pen 'n' paper, or otherwise? Well…
This year has seen a lot of great modern CRPGs impersonating old school titles, and Grimrock 2 is yet another in that long list of spiritual successors to long dead franchises that have been begging to be resurrected. If you want to lose a couple of weeks to a good dungeon crawler with a thriving community and some very un-indie-like bells and whistles, Grimrock 2 is a sure way to scratch that itch.
I didn't expect to get on all that well with Grimrock 2, and I was pleasantly surprised. This does have to be your kind of thing – that's not to say that newcomers can't find anything to enjoy, but lots of what I took away from LoG2 came from nostalgia and references to yesteryear – not exactly in-jokes so much as a firm appreciation of the videogame RPG's tabletop roots.
Legend of Grimrock 2 is a great improvement over the original, a fantastic journey with a distinct old-school vibe, with a lot of heart and with a glossy modern veneer. Even if you haven't played the first one, it's a proper standalone, self-contained experience.
If you enjoyed the original Legend of Grimrock, odds are you will feel right at home here. It is bigger, more polished and provides greater variety than its predecessor. Newcomers to the dungeon crawling genre might find the learning curve somewhat steep, as is usually the case for these types of games. It's also disappointing that the game doesn't do much to push the genre when there are ambitious projects like Malevolence out there, but Legend of Grimrock 2 is a nice, safe, purchase for the dungeon crawler tragics.
A large improvement over the first title that is impeded only by a few fringe issues and puzzles.
Legend of Grimrock 2 is a victim of its format, often made needlessly clunky and restrictive in the fruitless pursuit of nostalgia, but when it comes to pure, fascinating, exploratory dungeon-crawling, few can hope to top it. A worthy purchase for those patient enough to dismantle it.
A great sequel with some solid improvements over the first game. It’s new location really shines, and I really love the puzzles in this game. Though it’s a bit hard, it’s still very enjoyable.