Monster Train 2, developed by Shiny Shoe and published by Big Fan Games, is a triumphant sequel to the 2020 hit that captivated roguelike deckbuilder fans. Released on May 21, 2025, this game builds on its predecessor’s innovative blend of card-based strategy and tower defense, delivering a refined, content-rich experience that stands toe-to-toe with genre giants like
Slay the Spire and
Balatro. Set on a celestial train journey from Hell to a corrupted Heaven, players command an alliance of demons and angels to defeat powerful Titans. With new clans, mechanics, and endless replayability, Monster Train 2 is a masterclass in strategic depth and chaotic fun. This article dives into its evolution, gameplay, configuration, and critical reception, exploring why it’s a must-play for 2025.
The Legacy of Monster Train: Setting the Stage
A Fiery Foundation
The original
Monster Train (2020) was a standout in the roguelike deckbuilder genre, earning praise for its unique three-tiered battlefield and strategic depth. Its premise—a train ride to restart Hell’s fires—combined tower defense with card-based combat, offering a fresh take on the genre popularized by
Slay the Spire. With over one million sales and a 96% positive rating on Steam, it built a loyal fanbase hungry for more. Monster Train 2 doesn’t reinvent the wheel but refines it, introducing new clans, mechanics, and a narrative shift to a Heaven-bound journey.
Why a Sequel?
Shiny Shoe’s decision to create a sequel stemmed from the original’s success and the community’s demand for expanded content. While their other project,
Inkbound, explored innovative turn-based mechanics, it didn’t achieve the same commercial success, prompting a return to the
Monster Train formula. Monster Train 2 feels like a love letter to fans, doubling down on what worked - diverse clans, synergistic cardplay, and a rewarding progression system - while addressing minor criticisms like limited narrative depth and repetitive late-game runs.
A New Journey: Story and Setting
From Hell to Heaven
Monster Train 2 flips the original’s narrative, sending players from a rekindled Hell to a corrupted Heaven overtaken by Titans. This makeshift alliance of angels and demons adds a layer of lore, with cutscenes featuring clan champions like Lord Fenix of the Pyreborn or Fel of the Banished. While the story isn’t the main draw, it provides露
Thematic Depth
The game’s aesthetic leans into its divine setting, blending heavy metal guitar riffs, vibrant 2D art, and 3D models to create a distinctive vibe. The narrative, though simple, adds flavor through comedic interludes and character interactions, making each run feel like part of a larger saga. However, the writing prioritizes humor over deep character arcs, which may disappoint players seeking a more robust story like
Hades.
Gameplay Mechanics: Core Concepts
The Three-Tiered Train
At its heart, Monster Train 2 is a roguelike deckbuilder with a tower defense twist. Players defend a four-floor train, with the top floor housing the Pyre—your health pool. Enemies enter from the bottom, ascending each turn, and your goal is to eliminate them before they reach the Pyre. You deploy units, cast spells, and use new equipment and room cards to create synergistic combos. The deployment phase ensures you can place units before combat begins, reducing the randomness of early turns compared to the original.
Strategic Depth
Each run starts with choosing a primary and allied clan, each with unique heroes, cards, and playstyles. The game’s complexity lies in optimizing unit placement, spell order, and resource management (ember points). New mechanics like equipment cards (enhancing unit stats) and room cards (modifying entire floors) add layers of strategy. For example, a room card might boost spell potency, while equipment can grant abilities like counterattacks based on health.
- Key Gameplay Elements:
- Unit Placement: Position tanks and support units across three floors to counter enemy movements.
- Card Synergies: Combine spells, units, equipment, and room cards for devastating combos.
- Pyre Management: Protect the Pyre’s health while leveraging its unlockable abilities.
New Clans: Diverse Playstyles
Five New
Unique Mechanics
Each clan offers distinct strategies. The Lunar Coven’s abilities shift with moon phases, requiring careful timing for maximum effect. Pyreborn dragons hoard gold for buffs, while the Frankenstein-esque Banished clan uses equipment that detaches upon unit death, creating sacrificial strategies. These mechanics, combined with the original five clans, offer endless combinations. For instance, a Lunar Coven/Pyreborn deck might time gold-based buffs with moon-phase boosts for explosive results.
New Features: Expanding the Formula
Equipment and Room Cards
Monster Train 2 introduces equipment and room cards, adding strategic depth. Equipment cards enhance individual units with bonuses like health-based damage or movement-triggered effects. Room cards transform floors into specialized zones, such as arenas that generate resources when enemies die. These additions make every card potentially game-changing, encouraging experimentation.
Pyre Hearts and Mutators
Unlockable Pyre Hearts offer run-altering buffs, like extra energy or randomized starting cards, unlocked through in-game achievements. Mutators, optional modifiers, spice up runs by altering rules—like doubling money earned or strengthening equipment cards. These features, alongside 21 Dimensional Challenges, ensure varied gameplay without relying solely on increased difficulty.
Game Modes: Endless Variety
Endless Mode and Daily Challenges
Endless Mode lets players test their skills against ever-increasing difficulty, comparing stats with friends. Daily Challenges introduce unique mutators, encouraging leaderboard competition. These modes, alongside custom challenges, keep the game fresh, with players sharing run codes to replicate specific setups.
Celestial Alcoves and Crossovers
Celestial Alcoves introduce random events, including crossovers with other roguelikes, adding surprises and rewards. These events, unlike
Slay the Spire, always offer beneficial outcomes, encouraging exploration without fear of punitive consequences. The variety ensures no two runs feel identical.
Game Configuration: Technical Details
System Requirements
Monster Train 2 is optimized for multiple platforms, including PC, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, Nintendo Switch, and Steam Deck. Minimum PC requirements include:
- OS: Windows 10 (64-bit)
- Processor: Intel Core i3 or equivalent
- Memory: 4 GB RAM
- Graphics: DirectX 11 compatible with 1 GB VRAM
- Storage: 4 GB available space
The game runs smoothly at 60 FPS, with minor freezes reported in early builds but resolved in later patches. It’s Xbox Play Anywhere compatible, allowing seamless switching between console and Windows handhelds.
Accessibility and Performance
Accessibility options, like toggling screen shake, enhance player comfort. The game’s performance is stellar on Steam Deck, with no crashes or graphical glitches reported in final builds. Cloud saves ensure progress continuity across devices, making it ideal for portable gaming.
Critical Reception: A Mighty Success
Review Scores
Monster Train 2 has earned widespread acclaim, with a Metacritic score of 90 and an OpenCritic rating of 88, ranking in the top 2% of games. Critics praise its polish, depth, and replayability, with scores including:
- 10/10 from ScreenRant
- 9.5/10 from Gamer Social Club and NoisyPixel
- 9/10 from IGN, Shacknews, and Checkpoint Gaming
- 8.6/10 from XboxEra
Community Feedback
Steam reviews are overwhelmingly positive (95% of 4,898 reviews), with players lauding the game’s depth and quality-of-life improvements over the original. Some note minor issues, like unoptimized controller controls or a lack of a rulebook for complex mechanics, but these are overshadowed by praise for its addictive gameplay loop and banger soundtrack.
Unlocks and Progression: A Rewarding Journey
Covenant Outpost and Logbook
The Covenant Outpost serves as a hub for post-run interactions, unlocking new clans, heroes, and Pyre Hearts through achievements. The improved Logbook tracks enemy info, collection goals, and friend comparisons, adding a social layer. Progression feels constant, with every run—win or lose—offering rewards like new cards or cosmetic train parts.
Long-Term Engagement
Unlocking content can feel slow, with runs averaging 30-60 minutes, but the steady drip of new cards, Pyre Hearts, and challenges keeps players hooked. The game’s design ensures even losses provide dopamine hits through achievements like “biggest deck cleared” or “most damage in one attack,” balancing frustration with progression.
Comparisons to Genre Giants
Slay the Spire and Balatro
Monster Train 2 is frequently compared to
Slay the Spire and
Balatro, earning praise for its tower defense twist and faster-paced deckbuilding. Unlike
Slay the Spire’s methodical card acquisition, Monster Train 2’s reward-packed stops make runs feel dynamic. Its three-floor battlefield adds chaos, making it feel like “three
Slay the Spire games at once.”
Standing Out
While
Slay the Spire shines at higher difficulties with specific card synergies, Monster Train 2’s flexible upgrade system lets nearly every card shine, regardless of difficulty. Its crossover events and mutators offer more variety than
Balatro’s poker-based mechanics, making it a worthy rival in the genre.
Visuals and Sound: A Divine Experience
Art and Animation
The game’s mix of 2D art and 3D models creates a vibrant, anime-inspired aesthetic. Characters, from Train Stewards to Titans, are lively and detailed, though some note the designs could be more innovative given the angel-demon theme. Animations, like room card effects, add flair without overwhelming the interface.
Soundtrack
The techno-rock soundtrack, with electric guitar riffs, elevates boss battles and never grows repetitive. While lacking voice acting, the music’s epic, orchestral style complements the gameplay’s intensity, making strategic pauses enjoyable. Players frequently cite tracks as “bangers” that stick in their heads.
Challenges and Learning Curve
Complexity for Newcomers
Monster Train 2’s myriad keywords and mechanics can overwhelm newcomers, especially without a clear rulebook. Controller controls feel unoptimized, and deciphering enemy buffs/debuffs takes time to master. However, the game’s elegant design ensures mechanics become intuitive with practice.
Balancing Randomness
Randomness remains a core roguelike element, with some runs failing due to unlucky draws or boss counters. The guaranteed deployment phase mitigates early-game frustration, and foreknowledge of bosses allows strategic planning. Still, high-difficulty runs can feel luck-dependent, a common genre trait.
Conclusion: A Must-Play Masterpiece
Monster Train 2 is a triumphant sequel that refines its predecessor’s formula, delivering a roguelike deckbuilder with unmatched depth and replayability. Its new clans, equipment, and room cards create endless strategic possibilities, while mutators and challenges keep runs fresh. Despite a light story and occasional complexity, the game’s polish, addictive gameplay loop, and stellar soundtrack make it a standout. Available on multiple platforms and Game Pass, it’s accessible and endlessly engaging, earning its place as a 2025 Game of the Year contender. Whether you’re a genre veteran or a curious newcomer, Monster Train 2 is a hellishly good time worth boarding.
