2025 has been packed full of great games, with potential Game of the Year contenders coming out of unassuming development studios. Monster Train 2 has just been released, and the masterful roguelike deckbuilder sequel is adding itself to that list with very strong review scores right out of the gate.
Shortly after its release on May 21, 2025, Monster Train 2 already reached a coveted score of 90 on Metacritic. This score is an aggregate from 14 different critics – if it stays at 90 or above with 15 or more reviews, Monster Train 2 will earn Metacritic's illustrious Must-Play badge. Developer Shiny Shoe's latest release is being praised as an improvement on the first game, which is already celebrated among the deckbuilding genre. It joins Blue Prince and Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 as critical darlings from smaller studios vying to be crowned 2025's best game.
Monster Train 2 largely builds on its predecessor, and is getting its flowers for continuing the series' penchant for throwing wrenches into the typically methodical progression through a roguelike deckbuilder run. "Monster Train feels faster, more dynamic, and less incremental and methodically paced than its peers, and Monster Train 2 takes virtually every...
