Minecraft Dungeons 2 was provided by Xbox for review. Thank you!
There’s something that always intrigued me about Minecraft Dungeons. I understood that creating different types of spinoffs of one of the most popular video games in history was inevitable, but I didn’t expect one to be an ARPG. However, as someone who loves deeper ARPGs like Diablo, it never really caught on with me. I was hopeful that the sequel would start to bridge that gap and make the experience feel worthwhile. In a lot of ways, Minecraft Dungeons 2 does that, but it still feels like it’s missing the appeal that would bring over those who want something deeper.
In a lot of ways, Minecraft Dungeons 2 feels like a major step up from its predecessor, adding in so much needed depth that keeps it engaging. The general gameplay loop remains the same, but with the new additions, it makes the simple loop feel more worthwhile to invest in.
Just like the predecessor, we’re going to be running around the world, using our weapons and abilities to fight leagues of enemies across the world. We have our basic attack, ranged attack, and three different equitable items that can be used as abilities. It’s a simple, yet effective loop, and it can be a lot of fun to go around killing enemies, especially with friends.
However, we do have a few changes that make combat more enjoyable. Our ranged weapons have unlimited ammo that recharges over time, so we no longer have to pick up arrows. You’re also able to jump now, which introduces slamming attacks. The unlimited arrows are quite possibly the best change, and it’s nice not to have to worry about picking them up to make sure I still have access to attacking people from afar.
But the biggest changes come from progression in the world. We can equip more armor, switching to a 4-piece system, and we can get passive buffs from Talismans. We can equip three of these at a time, and the more we fight with them equipped, the more they level up, which can increase the buffs that they provide. All the equipment we can find can now have extra effects, on top of the slots to specifically enchant them with effects. This pairs well with the incredible amount of loot that we can find, making each one feel more unique and turning grinding for loot into a push to find the best items with effects that play into our build.
As we continue fighting, we will level up, which gives us the Enchantment points we need to enchant our gear. The more we level up, the more we can have, which allows us to enchant more and make them more powerful. We can find Enchantment Books throughout dungeons, which we can then use to enchant items with our points and Emeralds. These enchantments can be enhanced three times to make them more powerful; the effects they provide vary from offensive effects, like adding electric shocks to attacks, to defensive ones, like the chance to create a healing mist when killing an enemy. Each weapon and piece of gear can be enchanted, giving us the chance to enchant six different pieces of gear at any given time.
It didn’t really hit me how enjoyable the system was until later on, as I was collecting more books and finding the Talismans. The joy of finding the scores of loot, picking and enchanting the right ones, and seeing how it changes the way I play was what made the experience much more fun. I could spend hours just finding new gear and seeing what they do and how they will change the way I play.
Even with some of the new passive effects on gear, a lot of the depth I enjoy seeing still isn’t there. Gear doesn’t have its stats listed, and is instead shown how good it is by a singular item score. The “higher item score = more powerful” system makes sense, but I like seeing the numbers go up on the gear I like. The passive effects mixed with enchantments get much closer than the previous game, but it still falls short of the added detail I like seeing.
It’s something I wish was there, but for what Minecraft Dungeons 2 is made to be, it makes sense. The game feels way more mild, catering to younger audiences for a more accessible experience, and I feel that was achieved. It’s a great stepping stone for those who want to get into ARPGs but get overwhelmed with all of the small differences between gear. Here, it’s easy to see from one single number, while also starting to introduce the complexity in other titles in the genre.
As for the world, we now have a giant, interconnected world to explore freely. There’s a great variety of biomes with tons of quests to complete, along with tons of enemies and random minibosses that will pop up out of nowhere. On top of that, there are dungeons and rifts spread across the world, which we can take on to get unique equipment, new Enchantment Books, and more. There are also treasure chests scattered around, with some of them requiring some well-timed jumps to get to.
This is also where we will start to get our first look at the new Sift Dimension. This is a brand new dimension for Minecraft as a whole that will be making its first appearance in this game before it launches in the main game. We can access it through Rifts, giving us a glimpse of the aesthetic and wildlife, while also providing some great rewards. They are similar to dungeons and can give more unique gear and Enchantment Books.
The switch to one giant world over the original’s hub world is another massive improvement. The world is vibrant and full of enemies and treasures to discover, making it a treat to just walk through and explore. The fast travel system works exceptionally well, making it extremely easy to go across the map when necessary, and I feel it suits this kind of game much better than the previous game’s hub world that requires us to load into levels.
However, while the interconnected world and fast travel system are great, it does feel like it misses some key elements. One of the biggest is not being able to pin locations on the map. The world map shows dungeons and rifts, but we can’t pin the location or navigate to it. We have to essentially figure it out and go in the right direction until it appears on our minimap. I constantly went back and forth out of the map just to make sure I was going in the right direction, which was tedious.
The story itself is alright, but serves more to keep the game moving along. We are run out of our home by illagers and have to start over in a new land. From there, we will rebuild and have to fight the Council of Illagers, who are hatching some grand scheme that involves the new Sift Dimension. It does its job of continuing to push the game forward and introduce new locations and the Sift Dimension, but I wouldn't say it's memorable.
Ahead of its launch, I wasn’t able to get Minecraft Dungeons 2 running on the Steam Deck. Every time I booted it up, I would be prompted to install Microsoft Game Services, but it would go to a black screen and close the game. So, I wasn’t able to test it effectively on the Steam Deck.
However, I did play through the entire game on the ROG Xbox Ally X, and I can tell it’s very well optimized. I was able to play the game at around 80-90 FPS on High settings at 1920x1080 resolution. There’s definitely some wiggle room to bring it down, which is what makes me hopeful for being able to play on the Steam Deck at a lower resolution. Even at 30 FPS, I could see it being playable at medium settings, but I’m hoping for 45 or 60.
I’ll be testing it more in depth as soon as I can launch it, but based on what I’ve played so far, I have high hopes.
Minecraft Dungeons 2 makes some welcome improvements that start to elevate the experience past what its predecessor was capable of. The revamped gear and interconnected world evolved the series in meaningful ways, making it a significant improvement. It still falls a little short of the more detailed, depth-filled ARPGs I enjoy, but it inches closer while keeping its accessibility and charm. For someone who just wants a simplified Diablo or is introducing kids to the genre, this is exactly what you should get.
Our review is based on the PC version of this game.
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Minecraft Dungeons 2 evolves what its predecessor began in a lot of fantastic ways, making it a great, accessible ARPG.
