Rogue Legacy was a 2013 game! It’s so old that the original was on PS3. Fans have been waiting a long time. Now is the first time to release a sequel on almost the series’ tenth anniversary. It’s worth mentioning that Rogue Legacy 2 did release earlier but in an unfinished state.
It was announced in 2020 and also went into Early Access shortly after its reveal. Now, two years later, Rogue Legacy 2 is getting its 1.0 status. It is also making its console debut via the Xbox family. The game adds plenty of new things over the original like different weapons besides swords. As good as these updates are, there are still a few things that could use tweaking in future patches.
7 Add A Duck Button
One of the most common features in video games is the ability to duck. Not every game has one or needs one whether they are retro or modern. However, as a 2D platformer game, Rogue Legacy 2 would benefit from being able to duck.
It’s not so much the dodging that is the problem. Characters do have a dash ability to avoid enemy attacks. It’s not being able to get a precise hit on an enemy. That’s the issue and it’s not even a big one.
6 Reset Puzzle Rooms
There are several ways players can gain chests or items like Relics in a run. Sometimes chests, as one example, are hidden behind a puzzle room challenge. There will be a set of rules and a switch at the entrance to the room. Hitting the switch will begin the challenge.
For example, if players cannot get hit then any damage will cause the chest to destroy itself. Sometimes the rules can be confusing or things start too soon before players realize they hit the switch. That’s why it would be nice if puzzle rooms reset themselves after players leave a room and then come back. That may seem too forgiving for a roguelike to do but it’s a nice thought at least.
5 Add A Test Room
There is no way to test every skill, weapon, class, and so forth acquired in Rogue Legacy 2 except for while on a run. In camp, players can unlock a test dummy. They can practice their heir’s skills on it but it’s not that robust of a playground.
It would be great if the game added a test room for fans to play around with. Not many games have test rooms except for fighting games. Rogue Legacy 2 should break the mold for itself and other roguelikes by adding in this extra mode.
4 Add Voices
The NPCs have a lot more dialogue in Rogue Legacy 2 compared to its predecessor. There are more NPCs in general like Atticus the Living Safe and Maria who is a pizza deliverer. The additional characters and story bits are great for a roguelike.
However, there is still no voice acting in the game. Rogue Legacy 2 doesn’t need it. This is a small studio so it could be costly. Adding voices would be like a cherry on top of an already overflowing sundae of rich delights. It never hurts to dream big concerning future patches for a game though.
3 Co-Op Would Change The Game
The biggest wish for Rogue Legacy 2 is that it will gain multiplayer support. How cool would it have been if the announcement trailer focused on one hero and then another hero popped out followed by the reveal of Rogue Legacy Too. The pun would have been worth it alone.
Most roguelikes are solitary experiences with few exceptions. A good example would be Children of Morta. It broke the trend, offering a two-player co-op option. A second player wouldn’t necessarily have to control another full heir. Something would be nice for co-op though.
2 Daily Challenges
Daily challenges do make it into some roguelikes. A good example would be Spelunky. Rogue Legacy 2 could benefit from something like a daily challenge to keep the game alive months and years after its 1.0 release. To accompany this challenging routine, a leaderboard should be added. Who wants to become the best at this game and who just wants to have a good time?
Additionally, or alternatively, the developer could add in a boss rush mode. Once bosses are defeated in the game, that’s it. This is a shame because they are fun to fight. A way to showcase bosses without having to replay the entire game would mean a lot to fans of boss-focused games.
1 Skip Death Sequences
Something new to Rogue Legacy 2 is the death screen. When players fall, their progress will be shown on the map. It will take players through their entire tour including what they collected and what they fought. It even calculates if a player goes back and forth between two rooms multiple times. The only thing the original game showed off was the number of enemies slain. It’s a novel idea for this sequel that can be fast-forwarded through.
Unfortunately, this death screen cannot be skipped entirely. It would be great if a skip button was added to the next patch. Cutscenes and other long sequences cannot be skipped as well. The time it takes to get through these unstoppable things is not long. They do add up though and some players will not care about the story or their map progress. Options are always good to have.
Rogue Legacy 2 was released on April 28, 2022, and is available on PC, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X.