Remnant 2, the sequel to 2019's Remnant: From the Ashes has finally come out! Read our full review to see whether its procedurally-generated levels and graphics are worth buying the game for.
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Remnant 2 Review and Score Explanation
Remnant 2 Score Explanation
| Overall | Remnant 2 proves to be a significant improvement over its predecessor. Major aspects of the game have been expanded upon, such as the class system, the graphics, and even the procedural generation of its levels. With its engrossing third-person shooter gameplay and ample playtime for its price point, you’ll be in for one hell of a time when you pick this game up. |
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| Story | Remnant 2 continues the story from Remnant: From the Ashes, which might be a bit confusing for newcomers who haven’t played the first game (or Gunfire Games' other series like Chronos). However, don't worry too much as you can still have a great time playing it without extensive prior knowledge. To those who have played the first Remnant game and Chronos, the story and its ending ultimately provide more questions than answers. |
| Gameplay | For a game that’s basically a third-person shooter but Dark Souls, the gunplay is great. Although aiming with an analog stick can sometimes be tricky, there is a minor aim assist feature available for console players who might need some help lining up their shots. When it comes to character building, the flexibility remains as good as it was in the first game; however, now you must choose your Archetype wisely. Each Archetype offers unique perks, and since Trait Points are capped unlike in the previous installment, you’ll need to allocate your stats wisely. |
| Visuals | Remnant 2’s graphics have been vastly improved from the first game. The environments are incredibly detailed, ranging from the haunting ruins of Earth to the Root-infested world of Yaesha, and the futuristic planet ship N'erud. Even the dilapidated Victorian streets of Losomn have received meticulous attention. Character models are also a lot more detailed, as well as the enemies. And let's not forget about the cool-looking armor sets and weapons. |
| Audio | The game’s audio, overall, is decent. The soundtrack is nice, full of hope and gives the feeling that you were on an epic quest. The voice acting for the characters is also good, though I found the male main character’s voice a little too whiny at times. There are eight voices for each gender, though, so maybe only the voice I picked has this problem. |
| Value for Money | For $50, the amount of playtime you can get up to in Remnant 2 is pretty amazing. One playthrough won’t be enough to see everything this game has to offer because every game experience is randomized to some degree. You won’t see all the bosses or all the possible locations. You’ll just need to keep playing and playing to see them all (and collect all the best gear). Plus, with the possibility of a DLC on the horizon, there are even more adventures awaiting you down the line. |
Remnant 2 Review: Good Roots, Good Fruit
Remnant 2 has built upon the solid gameplay foundation laid by its predecessor, Remnant: From the Ashes, without sacrificing any of its core elements. The familiar Souls-like gunplay remains intact, but with an impressive array of new weapons, armor sets, weapon mods, and challenging adversaries.
Character building underwent a significant overhaul as well, with each Archetype offering unique perks and a strategic approach to allocating Trait Points (now capped at 60, though you can get it up to 85 with a few tricks). The graphics and procedural generation have also been improved, with levels feeling handcrafted despite being procedurally generated.
Though it would’ve been nice to see other more notable additions, I can’t blame Gunfire Games for taking a "if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it" approach to making Remnant 2. Ultimately, it stands as a solid third-person shooter that delivers on all fronts.
Remnant 2 Full Game Review
Pros of Remnant 2
| Things Remnant 2 Got Right |
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 Great Gunplay and Character Building Improved Graphics and Level Design One Playthrough Isn’t Enough To See Everything Decent Soundtrack and Voice Acting |
Great Gunplay and Character Building
First and foremost, the gunplay in Remnant 2 stands out as exceptional. The weapons have a satisfying feel, with decent recoil, and the ability to mix things up with weapon mods and mutators. Whether it's your typical Earth firearms like assault rifles, machine guns, pistols, or the more futuristic plasma cutters, there's a wide range of options to choose from. If you know where to look, you'll even discover some cool organic-looking weapons. Aiming with a console controller can be challenging but don’t worry - the game provides a slight aim assist.
As for melee combat, it follows the familiar mechanics of other Souls-like games. Each weapon has its own animation, and you’ll have to get up close to your enemies to deal damage. However, caution is advised since many enemies are capable of dispatching you quickly with just a few hits. While you can dodge hits like in Dark Souls, it’s better to deal with enemies from a distance (unless you want to conserve ammo).
Character building, meanwhile, has been overhauled. In the previous game, your Archetype mostly determined your starting equipment, with limited impact on gameplay. You could buy the equipment the other classes had from shops in Ward 13, and allocate as many Trait Points as you wanted to your stats. However, in Remnant 2, each Archetype comes with unique perks. The Medic possesses a shield skill, the Handler enjoys a loyal dog companion, and the Challenger embodies incredible durability. Additionally, Trait Points (read: stat points) are now capped at 85, meaning you’ll have to allocate them more carefully.
But, once you’ve progressed to a certain point in the game, you will have the ability to equip a secondary Archetype. This thrilling feature allows you to combine two classes' unique perks simultaneously! For instance, combining the Handler with an Engineer grants both a faithful canine companion and a versatile auto turret. You can mix the Challenger archetype with the Medic, so not only will you be able to take hits to the face from bosses and survive, you’ll regenerate your health too.
Overall, the gameplay’s great and there’s a lot of motivation for you to unlock all the Archetypes, as well as scour each of the game’s worlds for the best weapons. There's nothing quite like taking down enemies who've given you a hard time with your new skills and equipment, and reaping that well-deserved satisfaction.
Improved Graphics and Level Design
Another thing you’ll notice that’s been improved in Remnant 2 is the graphics. The environments are detailed, despite being procedurally generated.
For example, Yaesha sells itself as a verdant world that’s currently being corrupted by the Root, so you’ll see dead trees and soil covered with cancerous growths. N’erud, in contrast, is a planet ship that is within the event horizon of a black hole, so everything’s dark and polluted, with alien structures towering in the distance. Meanwhile Losomn is basically Yharnam from Bloodborne, complete with decrepit citizens with British accents. Here, the ramshackle wooden houses are juxtaposed with the opulent castles of the ruling class.
Each world has its own aesthetic, and it delivers that aesthetic well despite most of the levels in that world being made up of pre-made blocks stitched together by the game’s AI. Each playthrough will randomize the map, plot-specific locations, and the placements of items and enemies, so you’ll never know what you’re going to get yourself into.
As for other visual aspects, the character models are now a lot more detailed than in the first game, all the while retaining traces of the looks they had in Remnant: From the Ashes. Comparing them feels like "RTX On" and "RTX Off". There are a lot of new and cool-looking weapons and armor sets too, with their own intricate details. You won’t be running out of fashion options anytime soon, that’s for sure.
One Playthrough Isn’t Enough To See Everything
As I mentioned in the last section, the locations within each level of the game are procedurally generated, ensuring a fresh experience with every playthrough. Even the positions of landmarks will change. This means that you’ll pretty much never encounter the same map for a specific location. Additionally, you may need to play through the game multiple times to fully explore everything it has to offer as there are certain locations and bosses that only show up by chance.
Similar to its predecessor, Remnant 2 includes an adventure mode separate from its main campaign mode that allows for free exploration of procedurally generated levels outside of the main campaign. This provides an alternative experience without having to start a new game from scratch. It's perfect for those who prefer grinding levels and gathering upgrade items without progressing the story. Adventure Mode also offers access to specific items and Archetypes in case you couldn’t get to them in the campaign. You will definitely sink dozens of hours into this game just to unlock everything, and each playthrough should be relatively fresh.
Decent Soundtrack and Voice Acting
Remnant 2's soundtrack offers a captivating blend of rock, blues, enchanting lyres, and hums that beautifully capture its post-apocalyptic and fantasy themes.
The main menu theme sets a somber tone with an unsettling piano dirge, evoking feelings of despair. Yet, it transitions into a hopeful melody as the haunting vocals of a woman, accompanied by a choir and strings, guide players on an epic adventure across dimensions. When you’re just exploring, the music can be eerie or chill, depending on the atmosphere. Meanwhile, when facing bosses, the music intensifies to match the fervor of the challenge at hand.
As for the voice acting, it's decent overall. The protagonist now has up to eight voices compared to just four in the first game, adding variety to their expressions throughout your journey. These voices even have lines in most cutscenes! The protagonist I played with sounded like an okay guy, though he came off as a bit whiny at times. Still, it’s a nice touch.
Cons of Remnant 2
| Things That Remnant 2 Can Improve |
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Story Is Okay, but Could’ve Been Better Could’ve Had More Improvements From The First Remnant |
Story Is Okay, but Could’ve Been Better
The game can be described as a sprawling quest where you must retrieve various objects in different worlds filled with captivating lore and intriguing characters. However, the main plot itself is relatively straightforward, and it becomes apparent pretty early on as to what will happen by the end. Yet, just as you think you have it all figured out, the game throws a curveball at you and the game leaves you yearning for clarity. Unfortunately, this confusion stems more from a lack of coherence rather than an intention to make the plot subversive.
Slight spoilers ahead! I’ll have to reveal parts of the first game for a clearer explanation. If you haven't played Remnant: From the Ashes and are planning to, skip this section. There are also some spoilers for Remnant 2. For those who will still tread forward regardless, I'll try to give a general overview without revealing any major spoilers.
After defeating Harsgaard, the man responsible for the Root invasion of Earth in the first place, the story leaps forward by 20 years. The Wanderer, our protagonist from the first game, has ventured into unknown lands while you step into the shoes of a new traveler who finds their way to Ward 13 - an underground human settlement that has now evolved into a small town on the surface.
However, things truly kick off when Clementine is unexpectedly pulled into the World Stone, which served as a massive teleporter between worlds in the previous installment. Clementine herself is an ordinary human woman empowered with the abilities of a Guardian, a being tasked with defending the world against Root infestation. Initially, your mission was to rescue her, but it soon turns into a quest to collect Fragments from powerful creatures in various worlds. These Fragments will be used to create a device capable of eradicating the Root once and for all.
While you are ultimately successful, you may find yourself scratching your head at the ending. It will leave you more perplexed than satisfied. Fortunately, a potential future DLC will shed light on what really happened.
The Game Could’ve Set Itself Apart More
When I first got into Remnant 2 and encountered the character customization screen, a wave of déjà vu swept over me. It felt strangely familiar, as if I had been here before… And that's because I had indeed experienced it before, in the original Remnant: From the Ashes. Despite the overhauled class system and improved level design, both Remnant and Remnant 2 feel like the same game.
Don't get me wrong; things like the controls were okay. I can only assume the devs adopted a "if it ain't broke, don't fix it" mentality in that regard. After all, if the Dark Souls series could do it, why not Remnant? But shooting enemies while occasionally dodging and rolling about can only stay so fun for so long.
While the revamped Archetype system is a welcome addition, it leaves me curious on if there were other untapped innovations to its gameplay mechanics or combat systems that could have made this sequel truly stand apart from its predecessor. If there’s a Remnant 3, let’s hope Gunfire Games adds something more noticeable into the mix.
Remnant 2 Story Plot
Remnant 2 continues to expand upon the existing storyline from the first game. Despite the devastation caused by the Root, an evil tree-based species that almost drove humanity to extinction, there still lies a glimmer of hope for humanity. With the destruction of the Root's portal to the planet, and a decline in their numbers, survival has become a possibility. However, life beyond the already-established human settlements remains challenging.
Seeking shelter in Ward 13, you and a companion find yourselves entangled in an unexpected turn of events. Commander Andrew Ford, founder of Ward 13, requests your assistance in activating a World Stone, a remarkable device that possesses the power to transport its user to various worlds, located somewhere within the old bunker.
Unfortunately, during this mission, not only does Commander Ford leave through the World Stone, an uninvited guest named Clementine,one of Ward 13's protectors, inadvertently gets sucked into the cryptic stone as well. Despite understanding the dangers involved, you make the courageous decision to embark on a rescue mission and follow her into worlds unknown.
Who Should Play Remnant 2?
Remnant 2 is Recommended if You Enjoy:
• Remnant: From the Ashes
• Dark Souls/Elden Ring
• Fallout 3/New Vegas/4
If you enjoyed the 2019 prequel, Remnant: From the Ashes, you'll definitely have a good time playing Remnant 2. It expands on the core features of its predecessor while maintaining the beloved Souls-like feel of the gameplay. Fans of Souls-like games, like the Dark Souls series or Elden Ring, will undoubtedly appreciate Remnant as a noteworthy third-person shooter in this genre (maybe even the only shooter of its kind within the genre).
Also, if you have an affinity for post-apocalyptic games like the Fallout series, then Remnant 2 might just be the perfect game for you.
Is Remnant 2 Worth It?
Bang For Your Buck: The Game
Remnant 2, for a game priced at $50, has a lot of content in it. Rather, it’s great at stretching out the content it has without making the game feel cheap. You’ll have a reason to play through the game since you won’t see everything in your first playthrough. You’ll also spend a good amount of time experimenting with different builds, as well as play with your friends in co-op. If you're a fan of Souls-like games with satisfying gunplay and roguelite elements, Remnant 2 is definitely worth giving a try.
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How Remnant 2 Matches Up to Recently-Released Games
| Games That Came Out Recently | Why Get Remnant 2? | Why Get the Other Game? |
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 Jagged Alliance 3 |
Remnant 2 may be a bit more expensive than JA3, but your money will be worth it if you like the satisfaction of playing Souls-likes. It ultimately scratches the same kind of gaming itch, but in a different way: growing powerful enough to take on even the hardest of foes. And guns! | But Jagged Alliance 3 might be better for you if you don’t want to overexert yourself by playing a Souls-like game. It’s more of a thinking man’s game, where you can sit back and strategize instead of flying by the seat of your pants. |
 Exoprimal |
Remnant 2 is a more satisfying game overall, with lots of replayability, a solid single-player campaign, and great graphics. Plus, you can play with your friends. Neat. | Exoprimal might be your thing though if you like horde shooters a lot. Just make sure you and your friends are on the same platform so you can play with each other. |
 Pikmin 4 |
Remnant 2 is a gritty experience with zombies and galaxy-spanning viral hiveminds fought with guns. If you’re not in the mood for anything cute (and you don’t have a Switch), then buy Remnant 2. | But if you do have a Switch, Pikmin 4 is a fun game you can pick up on the fly. Unlike Remnant 2, you won’t stress yourself out too much playing it either. |
How Remnant 2 Matches Up to Similar Games
| Games Similar to Remnant 2 | Why Get Remnant 2? | Why Get the Other Game? |
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 Remnant: From the Ashes |
Remnant 2 is an improvement from the first game. If you want a more polished Remnant experience, 2 is definitely much better (though not much different) than the first game. | If you’ve never tried a Souls-like third-person shooter, you can pick up Remnant: From the Ashes at a discount and try it out first. If you like it, then you’ll like Remnant 2. |
 Elden Ring |
Remnant 2’s much more focused on combat rather than exploration like in Elden Ring. If exploration isn’t really a priority for you, Remnant 2 should give you a better time. Plus it has guns. Don’t forget that part. | But Elden Ring has a more well-rounded experience. If you want an open-world game you can sink countless hours into and don’t mind not having guns, you can pick this game out first and try Remnant 2 later.. |
 Star Wars Jedi: Survivor |
It’s a toss-up between Jedi: Survivor and Remnant 2. On one hand, Remnant 2 is a cheaper game, with a lot of elements aside from sci-fi, like fantasy and Victorian horror. It can be appealing to more players outside of sci-fi enthusiasts and Star Wars fans. | But on the other hand, Jedi: Survivor is a more epic game in terms of scale, mechanics, and setting. If you think your gaming rig can handle it, you might want to pick this game up first and save Remnant 2 for later. |
Remnant 2 Trailer
Game8 Reviews
Remnant 2 Product Information
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| Title | REMNANT II |
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| Release Date | July 25, 2023 |
| Developer | Gunfire Games |
| Publisher | Gearbox Publishing |
| Supported Platforms | PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, PC |
| Genre | Third-Person Shooter |
| Number of Players | 1-3 |
| ESRB Rating | Mature 17+ |
| Official Website | Remnant 2 Website |
