Wait! Did that skeleton pop a bone?
Escape Dungeon 2's review
Developer: Hide Games (published by Playmeow)
Genre: Dungeon Crawler, Roguelite
Store: Steam
Reviewed version: Final
Censored: No
Patch Needed: No
OS: Windows
Language: English
I've been following this franchise for a while since the first game's neat concept and great graphics caught my eye, but it wasn't until I got my hands on Escape Dungeon 2 that I gave it a try (I played the sequel first in case you wonder, I'm that strange).
Story
The game picks up right where the first game ended. This time you play as Shundral, an elven assassin who sneaks into the lair of the Demon Lord Qaron in an attempt to kill him and end his tyranny. Given how gameplay-oriented it is, it's no surprise there isn't much of a plot beyond its introduction. All you get in terms of the story are different bits of random dialogue between the mobs and an unexpected twist near the end of the game.
Gameplay
Like in the first game, you spend the game moving from one floor to another, killing any mob that gets in your way with your trusty elven bow, learning new skills and improving your stats with the towers on each floor, and dying over and over again. However, it features a lot of quality-of-life improvements that make the game much less frustrating.
Items were removed from the game save for some keys that take no space so there's more room for skills. Moreover, skills don't disappear when they run out. Instead, they consume the skill points you obtain from chests and monsters. Healing also works similarly in the sense that your character recovers a random amount of health by grabbing the hearts the monster drops and opening chests.
As for how you get stronger, you spend the memory fragments you've been getting in your playthrough once you die and become the plaything of whatever monster kicked your ass. Then you use them to upgrade your stats, increase the number of skills slots, and equip skills before you start. That way, you can get further and further until you're strong enough to beat the final boss.
Do you know what else was improved? The way sex scenes are obtained. Now, the game keeps count of how many foes of each type you defeat, and you can use that value as some sort of currency to "buy" them. You can still get them whenever you lose, but this sure makes unlocking all the scenes in the gallery more bearable.
Visuals
It took me by surprise to see 3D characters and maps in the dungeon-exploring segments, and it works perfectly. The new isometric maps let you tell how close enemies are, plus the chibi-like characters and stylized backgrounds are nice to look at. On another note, the 2D sex scenes are a feast for the eyes. They are done in gorgeous and detailed 2D art and are animated to boot. That said, you may not like them unless non-consensual sex between our silver-haired protagonist and the many monsters that have their way with her is your thing.
Verdict: Impressive
Escape Dungeon 2 is undoubtedly one of the best games I played this year. While its story is nothing to write home about, its gameplay and art sure compensate for it. Don't think twice and get it if you're looking for a game with solid gameplay and high-quality art.