For someone who enjoys card-based video games, I don’t always know when there is a new or notable game out. So, when one comes out, I need word of mouth or a PR email to let me know. So, when I found out that Monster Train 2 was out, it came as a surprise. The original game was one of the many CCG games I played in a blog post from a few years ago. I didn’t play it for too long, but I did find it a lot of fun. With the new game out, I immediately jumped on board and tried to see how far I could go.
Don’t ask me what’s different
It’s been four years since I played the first Monster Train game. Because of that, I don’t have a great recollection of what I did or how far I got in it. As far as I can remember, I never completed a run. To me, Monster Train 2 feels like a new experience, yet similar at the same time.
For those new to the game, this is a quirky, Demonic-centric card battler that takes place on a train. Your job is to protect your train from invading foes. The train has four levels. One is your Pyre, which powers your train and the main object you’re trying to protect. On the other three levels, you can place your units to protect from the oncoming foes.
This three-level structure gives the game a tower-defense-like feel. On each turn, if you’re unable to defeat a foe, they can move to the next floor. This means you also have to strategize your placement of units. You can try to put your best units on the bottom floor and hope they do most of the work. You don’t have to do this, but then you’re taking the risk of those enemies reaching the pyre and doing damage to your train.
The game is hard for a reason
There is a lot of content here, and there is a lot to learn. In the couple of hours I spent with the game this week, I am still unlocking content. One of the cool aspects of the game is that you don’t use only one type of character in your run. You’re always using two different Clans. At the start of the game, you only have access to two, so you’re somewhat limited. These two are easy to grasp and give you a great opportunity to learn the basics of what cards can do.
Once you open up that third clan, you can start to see how deep you can go with your attacks and defense. It does take a bit of time to unlock that third clan. It’s the same for unlocking new cards. Because of that, some people may find that a bit annoying that you’re limited early on. As far as I can tell, there is no randomization with the Runs. So, most people should be able to learn from previous mistakes and do better the next time.
In the four or so hours with the game, I’ve unlocked four clans, but I’ve only gotten to the second-to-last region of a run. My best run relied a lot on multipliers and card bonuses to increase my attacks. The only way to progress is to have characters that have strong attacks. Unfortunately, I was unable to progress past the boss characters with 1000+ HP. I got close, but not close enough.
Great for short sessions
Monster Train 2 is best in short bursts. A run, even a short one, can still take you about 15-20 minutes. My typical session would involve one or two runs, followed by logging off and returning later for more. That’s been the case for the last couple of days.
Outside of the main story run, there are daily challenges. These are great if you want to try out different scenarios set in place by the developers. They warn you that this section has spoilers, but I think it’s only that you get access to clans and cards before you would in the story mode. At first, I didn’t want to see story spoilers, but I don’t think that’s a huge concern. That’s because the game’s story is not why you’re playing this game anyway.
I couldn’t recite the plot if asked to. I’m here for the customization and card randomization. Yes, the battles are the same, but the cards are the selling point. I’m at the point where I want to try out the different clan combinations to see what works best for me. The four that I have so far are different, so I’m enjoying seeing how they synergize.
At the same time, the new cards I’m discovering make me want to start a new run because I want to see what will come next. There are so many upgrades and modifiers you can add. The only way I’m going to finish a run is by finding the right combination that helps me and my play style. While I would love a rewind feature, I’m fine with the randomization and seeing if I can go further in the next run.
Fun for the long term
Monster Train 2 is a game that I will come back to throughout the year. I highly recommend playing this on a portable handheld, like the Steam Deck or ROG Ally X. Even if you haven’t played the first game, you can jump into this and grasp the gameplay in a short time. After that, you might end up losing track of time looking to complete a run.
