Legend of Grimrock II Reviews

The weekend brings us several more reviews for Almost Human’s newly released Legend of Grimrock sequel, and as with the first round-up we did, these critiques continue down the more-favorable-than-not path.

IGN gives it an 8.6/10:

The Legend of Grimrock 2 marks a significant improvement over its predecessor, which was already a formidable RPG in its own right. Its stylings and conventions might spring from a simpler time, but its presentation and the panache with which Almost Human delivers it as allows it to stand toe-to-toe with some of its big-budget contemporary cousins. New weapons and creative new races and classes augment the combat experience, and the shift out of the dungeons and onto the overland of Nex bestows a sense of exploration the original lacked. Only the sheer number of opaquely designed puzzles threaten to spoil the experience, but even that qualification is assuaged by clues that always lie in wait if you’re willing to look for them. And to Grimrock 2’s great credit, it’s a world I wouldn’t mind jumping into again.

GameFront gives it an 80/100:

But you know what gameplay element doesn’t hold up? Unexpected, bullshit traps, like picking up an item that teleports you into a chamber filled with mummies, or stepping on a pressure plate that unleashes ravenous insect swarms. While these are few and far between, these traps usually result in sudden death, forcing you to reload and play the segment again. From that context, they might as well be replaced with quick-time events, since you’ll have to replay with less surprise and immersion than you did before.

Pixel Related gives it a 9.5/10:

It’s abundantly clear that Legend of Grimrock 2 had a lot of work put in to making it more than just a pallet swapped version of the original Grimrock. While the combat remains the same, adding an open world to it creates a feeling of immersion in the world that the original was sorely lacking. While this world can be tough to navigate at times, it’s also the standout feature of the game and makes Legend of Grimrock 2 feel not only like a worthy successor to Legend of Grimrock, but makes it feel better in almost every way.

Leviathyn gives it a 9/10:

Legend of Grimrock 2 not only improves and builds upon the first game as every successful sequel should, but expands upon the gameplay to create a full on RPG world to explore. While the scripted puzzles and monster encounters still limits replayability, the sequel comes packaged with a full on Dungeon Editor, allowing intrepid dungeon masters to craft their own adventures using the developer’s own tools, theoretically creating infinite replayability. As a fan of the original game the sequel was on my radar but Grimrock 2 quickly became one of my favorite games of the year. If you’ve ever been a fan of classic first-person puzzle-RPGs you owe it to yourself to play this game. For fans of of the first game, Legend of Grimrock 2 is everything you could’ve wanted.

IllGaming gives it an 8.5/10:

The game is true to its core as a hardcore dungeon crawler experience. It takes on the groundwork of the original and expands it in every direction. It is beautifully crafted runs smooth, There is lots to do and explore, the UI is clear and efficient. The excellent dungeon editor tool included with Legend of Grimrock 2 ensures longevity as fans are sure to make unique challenges which combines with Steam Workshop to make sure you find fresh content easily. There is many hours of entertainment to be found here. It might be difficult for new players or those who are unfamiliar to the genre, but there are always online guides to assist them now that the game is out, a luxury I did not have.

And then Viitcha and Gather Your Party have done video reviews:

But where the first Grimrock was able to rely on homage and nostalgia to feed an audience starving to play an all-but-dead genre, Legend of Grimrock 2 has taken many steps forward; making it feel like less of an extremely well-executed tribute to dungeon crawlers and more like a fully realized vision of what the genre can aspire to. The second installment of the Legend of Grimrock has built on nearly every conceivable aspect of the original, for the better, yet it still maintains what made and still makes those old-school dungeon-crawling classics so great.