Legend of Grimrock 2

[Unkillable Cat]

No, it's just dungeon crawling, though they did add some new features (at least compared to LoG1).

First impressions:

The revamped races+classes makes for a MUCH better experience in terms of party builds. I went with a Human Knight, a Lizardman Rogue, a Ratling Alchemist and an Insectoid Wizard, pretty much the LoG2 version of my previous party, except that I switched out the second Rogue for the rat.

Combat has some extra things. The enemies have special attacks, like the Ogre did in LoG1. Turtles charge, aqua goblins leap and mummies flail wildly. Once weapons skills build up well enough the character gain extra attacks with weapons.

Also, I have been given a shovel, and any empty land square can be dug up to try and find treasure.

There's a day/night cycle when outside, really cool to watch.

The first boss fight is...an interesting change of pace, considering the dungeon crawler genre. It's also a little tough, in the end it came down to my rat using the pistol to win.

I'm now at the gate in the forest and have found 4 secrets (out of 77). The Wizard is the primary damage dealer with Fireburst occasionally doing over 100 points in damage while the rest of the party can barely manage 10 points per attack.

 

[Lemming42]

Spoiler

Thought this was cool.

 

[Lord Romulus]

Is it just me or do humans seem more overpowered than the other races? Humans naturally get a +10% exp gain and the fast learner trait gets you another +10%, which seems a little much.

 

[evdk]

Stuck at work. This is hell.

 

[Metro]

Lack of npcs is a bit disappointing considering they were used all the way back in EOB 1.

 

[adddeed]

I liked how it was only dungeon crawling, felt focused. No npcs, quests, etc. Just puzzles and monsters.

User reviews so far are positive, saying the game is outstanding. 5 hours until I get home :D

 

[Shadenuat]

I was just hoping they would expand on concept since M&MX came out and all that. Still going to play it. I ran out of steam when playing first part at final dungeon level. Felt like I killed enough raptors and doing some end boss, just felt tired. Still, was kewl game.
Maybe I should run full ratling party for the glory of Horned Rat.

 

[SuicideBunny]

Portraits obviously wouldn't make sense but different races had different attribute bonuses in the first game.

i made an insectoid battlemage in slot 1, pumped 5 points into will and gave him the insectoid armor trait in first trait slot and +2 wil in second. in slot 4 i had a ratling rogue whom i decided to spec for melee. he had the mutation trait in slot 1, second one empty. when i switched the first slot to ratling and the fourth slot to insectoid and selected their old portraits, the insectoid mage had 2 free trait slots but 14 wil, instead of the base 12, bringing him to 21 total with 5 points pumped into it and the +2 wil trait slotted.

 

[Unkillable Cat]

More impressions:

Ratlings (as enemies) are TOUGH. They make lots of quick attacks, standing still while facing them is NOT a good idea.

You can get "injuries" on certain body parts. Leg injuries slow you down, chest injuries stop health regeneration. Healing potions and Autosave crystals fix them.

I'm beginning to think that my party build is not optimal. My Rogue gets killed pretty quickly and doesn't do nearly as much damage as my knight.

Levels have elevation now, as in the floor isn't all smooth and even.

 

[adddeed]

Thanks for impressions, sounds amazing. How is performance?

 

[Unkillable Cat]

It's a bit more laggy than LoG1 in some ways, getting the options menu up and saving takes longer. Besides that, I'm not noticing any slowdowns with everything maxed.

The grenades from LoG1 are back - this time they leave a lasting effect in the square, a burning animation that thankfully doesn't stay for too long. Good for mobs.

I discovered a spell by accident - draw 123-654-789 (assuming 1 is top left) for Dispel, which does damage against Elementals.

 

[garren]

You guys playing on normal or hard?

 

[Shadenuat]

4 ratling farmers 4tw.

 

[Lemming42]

You guys playing on normal or hard?

Normal, and I'm getting my ass handed to me by everything in sight. Difficulty feels ramped up from Grimrock 1.

 

[Multi-headed Cow]

I feel I'm probably missing something incredibly obvious, but I'm also mildly concerned I may have busted it.

At the first "Challenge" where it says stand in the circle and call out to the guardians,

Spoiler

I assume it's stand in there and use the horn of summoning I just found? Nothing's happening with it, and the only reason I'm concerned is I tried digging in the circle and it'd be just my luck that digging in the circle breaks the scripting so you can't call the guardians. If you call them out via some other means then don't tell me how, just wanted to make sure it wasn't actually the horn and I was just beating my head against a bug.

 

[Lemming42]

Spoiler

Yeah, you put the horn in someone's hand and right-click use it while standing in the circle and it should summon tentacle-rape-monster.

 

[Cyberarmy]

-Raped by skeleton axe gang,
-Raped by rapier fencing ratling and his nest, (Seriously, I get why everyone hate ratlings...)
-Tricked by a leprechun,
Edit: Raped my warg pack in their den,

10/10 GOTY

Started with a human knight, minotaur barbarian, ratling alchemist and insectoid wizard.

-Lots of secrets and shortcuts, we can destroy some bushes now, just watchout for saplings. Some chests are locked now and we need lockpicks which are rare and hidden.
-Special skills for weapons rock and made energy useful for melee. There is good amount of weapons/armors lying around too with special effects from start (got me a leeching dagger)
-We can rest only costs some hunger, unfortunately it's not healing body part damage.
-Hello there body part damage, cant use weapons or shields if you got hand injury. Havent seen effect of any other parts yet. (edit: falling through trap doors give leg injury, -speed and carry weight) Mostly caused by wargs. Only potions and crystals able to heal these.
-Day/night cycle is cool to watch, shame MMXL devs couldn't figure out this one.
-Enemies are a bit smarter now, its hard to tango. Thet either attack on arriving a square (skeletons) or side step with you (sapling and some ratlings), flee and leave their place to another enemy, resort to throwing weapons or simply wait for you to act.
-Cool boss fights.



-Dual wielding with knight right now, it feels good even with only a dagger. Accuracy really matters which I neglect a bit at char creation...
-Mages deal good damage, especially to groups but energy depletes quickly.
-Alchemist ratling with a gun! Gun jamms are annoying but free potions are just too nice. Also gave him throwing skill for bombs.
-Barbarians gonna barbarian. Hits hard, harder if crits.

 

[Multi-headed Cow]

Spoiler

Yeah, you put the horn in someone's hand and right-click use it while standing in the circle and it should summon tentacle-rape-monster.

Spoiler

Oh, I'm a goddamn idiot. I was right clicking it in inventory. Didn't put it in someone's hand. Durr. Thanks bro.

 

[Unkillable Cat]

I've just reached the eastern forest after doing the bidding of the shrine guardians and getting a quest item.

A few questions:

"The four plagues" - anyone figure this one out? I think they're asking for the opposites of the signs, but what is the opposite for "disease" then?
"This is another way out" - Everything points to this being another way out of the first major underground area, but I must have missed it. I think I hear a save crystal beyond the wall. Has anyone found this?

Is it just me or do humans seem more overpowered than the other races? Humans naturally get a +10% exp gain and the fast learner trait gets you another +10%, which seems a little much.

In LoG1 there was an amulet that gave 25% more experience to the wearer, so a 20% headstart in XP isn't that much by Grimrock standards (especially if the XP Amulet is also in LoG2.)

Speaking of Traits, the "Mutator" one for Ratlings is simply OP. +1 on stat on every level up? Yes, please!

EDIT: Sweet jesus, I just went for a swim!

 

[Cyberarmy]

I've just reached the eastern forest after doing the bidding of the shrine guardians and getting a quest item.


"The four plagues" - anyone figure this one out? I think they're asking for the opposites of the signs, but what is the opposite for "disease" then?
"This is another way out" - Everything points to this being another way out of the first major underground area, but I must have missed it. I think I hear a save crystal beyond the wall. Has anyone found this?

Speaking of Traits, the "Mutator" one for Ratlings is simply OP. +1 on stat on every level up? Yes, please!

-Probably some cure disease potion, forgot to upgrade my alchemy skill so not sure about it.
-It's really another way out, you'll find the entrance soon enough.
-That mutation trait is really OP, its random but +1 stat is nothing to laugh by and every stat is useful for characters now.

BTW Achivement unlocked! Killed a group of enemies by falling onto them from a trapdoor. Sadly no XP :/

 

[Shadenuat]

Our first level up in the name of Horned Rat

Spoiler

Knight/Light/Athletics
Barbarian/Heavy/Athletics
Alchemist/Alchemy/Guns
Battlemage/Fire/Guns

And all characters have Endurance trait. Hoard all tortouse shells!

So far seems like more of the same.
And very pretty and no lags whatsoever. Really, developers of M&MX should learn something from this engine.

 

[Lemming42]

Spoiler

Anyone figured out the weird teleporter/trapdoor puzzle with the spider? I have absolutely no idea what I'm doing. I held the trapdoor down with a rock and stepped on the teleporter on the lower level until the spider was teleported onto the central switch, which caused the room with all the pressure pads to light up. Not a clue what to do now.

 

[Unkillable Cat]

Oh man, I just swam from the eastern forest map to the swamp to the south.

Fucking frogs, JUMPING AROUND ME and STEALING MY STUFF WITH THEIR TONGUES!

EDIT 2: Frogs are not bugged, it's just really hard to see anything in the swamps.

EDIT: Oh great, a Quadruple Lock. "Find the four elemental items to enter the castle". *sigh*

 

[Pope Amole II]

Is it just me or do humans seem more overpowered than the other races? Humans naturally get a +10% exp gain and the fast learner trait gets you another +10%, which seems a little much.

Humans are shit, actually, incredibly weak when compared to the other races. 20% xp means nothing because the lvl up formula here is each level costs 1k experience more than the previous one. For example, to reach lvl 10 you need 1+2+3+4+5+6+7+8+9=45k experience. At the same time, human with his 20% bonus will have 54k experience - 1k short of level 11 (instead of supposedly being lvl 12). And the further it goes, the worse it gets. Compared to the other races, humans are nothing. Not sure who are the best at the moment, though.

 

[toro]

Is not like I lack imagination but I went with "human knight, minotaur barbarian, ratling alchemist and human wizard". In the words of Volourn: Roffles.

Anyway, first boss down. Fire Wizard was awesome against those plants.