Legend of Grimrock 2

[Cyberarmy]

I am attempting a solo ratling farmer on normal. So far it seems to be working out quite well, I am speccing into light weapons to maximize the use of the early weapons, and I grabbed the ratling trait to give him random stat boosts at each level up.

How quickly does food drop off after the first boss, because my hamster-man power leveled to level five by the time I killed it, but I noticed that there was little food to be had after the turtle genocide.

There is another beach full with turtles after a while, also there are wargs, frogs, myconids and other similar wild life that drop food. But some areas are loaded heavy with undead/elementals.

 

[Jarpie]

Are vitality and willpower working as intended or is there a bug that they won't give the bonus on health/energy?

 

[Cyberarmy]

Are vitality and willpower working as intended or is there a bug that they won't give the bonus on health/energy?

Devs said WaI, I think they changed it last minute so forgot to change tooltips. I think game would be easiler with that implented though so problem for me.

 

[Infinitron]

Reviews: http://www.gamebanshee.com/news/114624-legend-of-grimrock-ii-reviews-2.html

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.

 

[Unkillable Cat]

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.

LOL. Those two "examples" are both in the same area on the same map, and one of them is even marked with a great big "DANGER!" sign. While I agree that it's a dick move to have an item stand innocently out in the open and then do a "teleport-into-mummies" trick, mummies are the second-weakest enemy of the game (behind the turtles) and should not present a problem if you know what you're doing.

And those are pretty much all of the "bullshit" traps in LoG2 IIRC.

(For "bullshit traps" the reviewer should take a look at EOB3. Now THERE are some bullshit traps.)

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.

This is one of the things I'm most excited about: The guys who've taken the time to master the LoG1 Dungeon Editor and create assets for it will have little to no problem mastering the LoG2 Editor and importing their assets. I wouldn't be surprised if we see a good LoG2 custom dungeon by the end of the year.

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.

Except LoG2 is first and foremost an extremely well-executed tribute to Dungeon Master 2, just like LoG1 was a homage and tribute to Dungeon Master 1. ;-)

 

[Daemongar]

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.

LOL. Those two "examples" are both in the same area on the same map, and one of them is even marked with a great big "DANGER!" sign. While I agree that it's a dick move to have an item stand innocently out in the open and then do a "teleport-into-mummies" trick, mummies are the second-weakest enemy of the game (behind the turtles) and should not present a problem if you know what you're doing.

And those are pretty much all of the "bullshit" traps in LoG2 IIRC.

(For "bullshit traps" the reviewer should take a look at EOB3. Now THERE are some bullshit traps.)

Honestly, I was taken by surprise by both traps (IMMEDIATELY went to grab that new gun, not even thinking about the possibility of a trap, and didn't read the "Danger!" sign.) Nobody died vs. the mummies, and one died because of the Danger! trap. I thought they were both fine. In fact, I loved the Mummies trap. All I could think of is... why *would* a shotgun be out in the open like that. In LoG2's defense, you get to keep the gun. What really is the big deal when there is a crystal in the very upper right of that map which will res your party? The traps were out of nowhere, but it's not like I lost a point of vitality.

So far, it took me a while to really get going in LoG, but LoG2 really is falling into place. I'm playing it on Normal and the challenge seems about right. Playing my original "out of the box" party and only ended up wasting a few points on initial (non-applicable) skills, avg level 8, 2.75 elemental crystals complete.

Also, there was another trap, the "We dare you." or whatever it was called in The Archives. I thought this was a great trap as well. Yes, you may die, but dammit you have some notice.

 

[Unkillable Cat]

For the record the mummies posed no problem to me, but I did get wiped out by the swarms the first time because I got mobbed.

Yeah, the "We dare you" trap is not bullshit, but it's a tough one. I solved it by putting an item on the shelf, taking the book and then coming back later to clear the trap once I'd levelled up a bit.

There's also the "Be quick!" trap in the Nest-part of the dungeon where the Ratlings first appear. That one can be a nuisance as well, but what else did one expect?

 

[Shadenuat]

Series of same "press button to fall down" traps in graveyard and crystal mines felt like a lot more bs design to me than just jump scares like when you grab Sawyer's favorite gun. And all the running faster than spikes. Perhaps there's some logic to first type but they can be solved by just trial and error without any thinking, and running through long dark room full of spikes with a few pots at hand might be easier than trying to figure one out too.
I don't think puzzles in this one ever reach level where you need both precision and creative thinking, like in Portal.

 

[Daemongar]

For the record the mummies posed no problem to me, but I did get wiped out by the swarms the first time because I got mobbed.

Yeah, the "We dare you" trap is not bullshit, but it's a tough one. I solved it by putting an item on the shelf, taking the book and then coming back later to clear the trap once I'd levelled up a bit.

There's also the "Be quick!" trap in the Nest-part of the dungeon where the Ratlings first appear. That one can be a nuisance as well, but what else did one expect?

I actually appreciate that they went through such effort for their traps. There is only so much they can do with pressure plates, buttons, levers and whatnot. Most traps have been trial and error, and after doing the Archives yesterday, man, I think I can solve any puzzle thrown at me.

There was one that was "Path of Eagles" which was pure trial and error, which I disliked but finished (both directions, d'oh.) But it was countered by a few tough ones that I was happy to have figured out myself. A particularly good one was the one for the gargoyle statue with the teleporter. Took a while, as I was really just wanting to barge past that.

Also, I took the "Danger!" trap as an homage to Might & Magic Worlds of Xeen. There are quite a few traps in the very first city where you search a mattress or break a barrel and get surrounded by bugs/rats/slimes. If it's not an homage, well, the LoG2 shouldn't be judged so harshly for doing it, as it's pretty common. Maybe in this light, the trap with the mummies may be an homage to Dungeon Master as well.

 

[Unkillable Cat]

The "Path of Eagles" one is actually quite easy to figure out once you realize that the path may not be visible. The path is identical to the raised path below it.

It's the "Disguised Path" that's pure trial and error, but I've seen a few of its ilk in usermade LoG1-dungeons, so always assume you'll have to take the MAXIMUM amount of twists and turns, especially AWAY from the other side.

The only puzzles I had any real trouble with in LoG2 were:

# Getting into the archives. (Required finding a cipher to solve the code, I'm not a fan of these.)
# Getting into the graveyard. (Clue vague enough that lots of trial and error is needed to solve it.)
# Getting into the pyramid. (Seriously, the're NOTHING in the game that tells you what item you need, save for the item's appearance and the description SUGGESTING that there MAY be a connection to the pyramid. Even if you do realize that this item opens the pyramid it's gonna take a while to figure out HOW it opens it.)

Of these the pyramid puzzle is by far the most obnoxious, another clue is badly needed to give people an idea what they should be looking for.

As for me, I now have 71/77 secrets and have assembled the Meteor AND Crystal Armour sets. I only need to find where I dumped that piece of the Rogue Armour to complete the "match the sets" achievements.

 

[Sinatar]

The "Path of Eagles" one is actually quite easy to figure out once you realize that the path may not be visible. The path is identical to the raised path below it.

It's the "Disguised Path" that's pure trial and error, but I've seen a few of its ilk in usermade LoG1-dungeons, so always assume you'll have to take the MAXIMUM amount of twists and turns, especially AWAY from the other side.

The only puzzles I had any real trouble with in LoG2 were:

# Getting into the archives. (Required finding a cipher to solve the code, I'm not a fan of these.)
# Getting into the graveyard. (Clue vague enough that lots of trial and error is needed to solve it.)
# Getting into the pyramid. (Seriously, the're NOTHING in the game that tells you what item you need, save for the item's appearance and the description SUGGESTING that there MAY be a connection to the pyramid. Even if you do realize that this item opens the pyramid it's gonna take a while to figure out HOW it opens it.)

Of these the pyramid puzzle is by far the most obnoxious, another clue is badly needed to give people an idea what they should be looking for.

As for me, I now have 71/77 secrets and have assembled the Meteor AND Crystal Armour sets. I only need to find where I dumped that piece of the Rogue Armour to complete the "match the sets" achievements.

The disguised path isn't trial and error, the floor texture below the path is unique to the rest of the room.

 

[Decado]

Those reviews contain too much crybaby bullshit from dummies. This game is near-perfect.

 

[evdk]

Some things are just not meant to be tanked, they have to be waltzed. Like Rat Boss, the moment you meet him he will probably 1-shot any character unless at full HP. Protection is to lower damage you get from trash mobs, minions and enemies like that. And you will still have to pot sometimes.

I didn't waltz the bastard, I spammed force fields to freeze him, allowing me to heal comfortably.

 

[Unkillable Cat]

Some things are just not meant to be tanked, they have to be waltzed. Like Rat Boss, the moment you meet him he will probably 1-shot any character unless at full HP. Protection is to lower damage you get from trash mobs, minions and enemies like that. And you will still have to pot sometimes.

I didn't waltz the bastard, I spammed ice bombs to freeze him, allowing me to heal comfortably.

Fixed for my method.

The disguised path isn't trial and error, the floor texture below the path is unique to the rest of the room.

Really? I'll have to go check.

BTW, 72/77 secrets now. I've found all 16 Epic Items now, so that's something.

 

[Shadenuat]

I tired freeze bombs on some bosses but they didn't freeze. I think Rat Boss didn't. They can freeze Island Master clones though.

 

[PhantasmaNL]

As somebody who projectile vomited for about 3 and a half hours after being subjected to Grimrock combat for 2 minutes, is this game recommendable? I really really hated the square dance rsi inducing fucking shit combat of the first one.

The square dance is still there, but there are a few more...twists to it.
.

Ok i gave it a shot, on normal. I may revert to easy (blasphemy!1!!!) since i play more for the fucked up evil puzzles than the combat.

 

[Unkillable Cat]

Sinatar is right, the "Disguised Path" is revealed by checking the floortiles. How could I have missed that?

In other news, digging up graves is fun. I also managed to find the final chest, turns out those "Riddle" guys buried there were trying to tell me something.

I'm up to 74/77 secrets, having finally found the Bane axe and that bloody secret in the spikepit in the catacombs.

 

[Jaedar]

I just realized I left a 2h battleaxe on the floor somewhere because I got attacked when I saw it and then forgot about it. So annoying. I'm feeling a bit underleved for the hamlet, not sure if I should try and get into cemetery first.

 

[Morkar Left]

Only the sheer number of opaquely designed puzzles threaten to spoil the experience,...

*sigh*

but even that qualification is assuaged by clues that always lie in wait if you're willing to look for them.

and contradicting himself in one sentence...

 

[Unkillable Cat]

75/77 secrets, and I know where #76 is, I'm just trying to figure it out.

Meanwhile, some people have found all the secrets, but none of them have gained the "Relic" achievement.

 

[Baron Dupek]

Bugged achievement? Preposterous!

 

[Unkillable Cat]

Actually I think it's because the achievement is NOT related to the secrets. It's something else, something related to LoG1.

76/77 secrets. I have NO IDEA where to even begin to look for the last secret.

 

[Metro]

Google

 

[valcik]

.. one of them is even marked with a great big "DANGER!" sign.

Also, that's a subtle pointer to secret area actually, not a trap. I've found handy magic orb for my wizard after backtracking those insects through the teleporters, because they didn't spawn out of nowhere.

 

[Unkillable Cat]

Yeah, that is a VERY clever secret. Took me a minute to realize how I could get it.

I went ahead and...er..."tested" the cannon. Bad news? Cannonballs are non-recoverable (had 69 of them at this point) and the damn thing's heavy. Good news? The special attack is lulzy, firing a cannonball with knockback for both you and the enemy.