‘Risk of Rain 2’ Is a Textbook Example of a Content-Rich Game

The first time I ever played Risk of Rain 2, it was on the Nintendo Switch. I didn’t have any friends to dive into it with, so countless solo runs ending in my untimely demise had to happen. Throughout that time, however, I learned something about this seemingly simplistic game; the amount of content on display was overwhelming and, frankly, astonishing. Even now, there are hardly any games on the market that offer as much of a bang for your buck as Risk of Rain 2 can.

When There’s a ‘Risk of Rain’, Make Sure It Pours

For those unfamiliar with what Risk of Rain 2 has to offer, it’s an action roguelike that constantly and consistently throws hordes of enemies your way. A simple mission is given to you: find a teleporter, and go to the next area. Fight enemies along the way, gather upgrades, and try to survive. It sounds simple enough, but I can promise you: your life will never be the same after you play this game.

As with any good roguelike, variety is the spice of life. You’ll find new items, and new gear to equip on your character. There are new characters to unlock. Plenty of enemies to fight. All while juggling a few friends along the way in the most carnally developed chaos you could imagine. It’s beautiful on paper, and absolutely stunning in motion.

It’s the gift that keeps on giving, mainly because it’s never the same. Sure, your runs may take you to familiar sites and sounds, but the procedural generation doesn’t fail. Teleporters spawn in new locations every match. The squealing pitch of the man playing a synthesizer like his life depends on it in your ears. It’s just pure bliss, plain and simple.

You Offer to the Shrine, but Gain Nothing

A problem I have a lot of times with roguelikes is that they sometimes feel unfair. Risk of Rain 2 does not give me that same feeling. If you don’t have enough items, you can overcome a challenge with skill. Don’t have the skill for this particular section? You may need new items. If you have neither? Then prepare to respawn and try again.

Finding that perfect segue between “punishingly difficult” and “extraordinarily fun” must have required a huge team of developers, right? Right? Here’s the thing; Risk of Rain 2 was initially developed by two people. And now it’s available on every major platform, has plenty of content to keep players occupied for years, and recently just launched an expansion to add even more. Plus, a Dead Cells crossover? Sign me right up.

Two people put together one of the most entertaining and exciting roguelikes of all time. There are nearly 45,000 reviews on Steam alone of players who have dove into this world for over 100 hours. Big-budget games have shorter runtimes than this, and they cost four times as much. If you need something to pass the time or something you want to master, pick up Risk of Rain 2 as soon as you can.