Game Review | Monster Train 2
Image Credit: Kool2Play, Alchemist Shop Simulator
Monster Train 2 doesn’t reinvent the wheel, but it definitely bolts on a few flamethrowers and launches that wheel into orbit. This is more of the same frantic deckbuilding madness you remember from the original… just with better tools, wilder clans, and a lot more ways to break the game. If that sounds like a complaint, it’s not. It’s a party.
More Than Just a New Coat of Paint
Yes, it does feel a little like an enormous expansion pack at first. But it earns the “2” in its title once the new systems start layering in.
Room cards. Equipment cards. Active unit abilities. A deployment phase. Reworked shops. Even customizable Pyre Hearts. You’re not just stacking cards anymore... you’re building the entire train to be a death trap.
These new features aren’t fluff either; they open up tons of new synergies, giving you that sweet, sweet feeling of “I just broke the game and it’s letting me.” One reviewer bragged about building a 100-health unit that returned damage, scaled off hits, and duplicated it across three floors... on their first run. That kind of stuff is back, and better than ever.
The Clans Got Weirder (In a Good Way)
Five new clans join the fight, and they are gloriously strange. Fungus warriors, potion-mixing lunatics, gold-hungry dragons; it’s like someone spliced a strategy game with Saturday morning cartoons and left the results unsupervised.
We loved the original and were glad to hear that all five legacy clans return too, meaning 10 total factions and dozens of potential pairings. That’s a lot of replay potential, especially when each run feels wildly different.
The Good, the Bad, and the Zoomed-In
Let’s address the elephant on the train: the camera. One of the biggest gripes from longtime players is the new, zoomed-in floor view. Unlike the first game, you can’t see all three levels at once anymore, and yes... it takes some getting used to.
Some also miss the cleaner, simpler art style from MT1. Here, characters are more detailed and dramatic, which is either a nice upgrade or a fashion disaster depending on your tolerance for belts and glowing eyes.
But the flipside? The music slaps. The visuals are sharp. And mechanically, it’s all tighter than ever. The new shop upgrades, undo buttons, and smarter difficulty curve make it easier to get into and harder to put down.
Is It a Full Sequel?
If you’re asking whether this is “just Monster Train 1.5,” the answer depends on what you wanted. If you were hoping for a brand-new genre-defining twist, maybe not.
But if you wanted Monster Train refined, expanded, and packed to bursting with wild combos and strategic depth... this train’s headed straight for your brain.
Final Blurb & FAQ
Monster Train 2 is a masterclass in how to make a sequel. It respects what made the original great while adding enough new content and systems to keep things fresh for hundreds of hours.
More strategy and intense moments… And more ways to feel like a genius or a fool, often in the same turn.
Also, yes, this runs great on steamdeck.
GamerBlurb Rating: 9/10
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