Going into Risk of Rain 2, I expected a sequel that played it safe. What I got was a structural risk that paid off. That gap is what this review will spend the next thousand words pulling apart.
There's an interesting trap that games in the 3D Roguelite space tend to fall into. Risk of Rain 2 mostly avoids it, but the way it avoids it is more interesting than the genre itself.
Gameplay
Combat in Risk of Rain 2 rewards reading more than reflexes. Hopoo Games clearly built around the idea that you should always have time to think — but the consequences for thinking wrong are real. The result is the rare action game that respects deliberate play.
Mechanically, Risk of Rain 2 sits at an interesting intersection. The decision-into-consequence loop pulls from the Soulslike school, but the way Hopoo Games layers resource scarcity on top changes how you approach each session. After a few hours you start to recognize patterns — not just in the game, but in your own decisions.
Story & Setting
Narratively, Risk of Rain 2 works because Hopoo Games keeps the stakes personal even when the scope is enormous. The headline plot involves the fate of a small village, but the moments that land are smaller — a conversation in a tavern, a letter you find in a desk drawer, a side character whose name you remember three weeks after the credits.
Where Risk of Rain 2 stumbles narratively is in the middle. The opening is sharp, the ending is satisfying, and the long middle stretch — somewhere between hours 9 and 29 — has pacing problems that Hopoo Games hasn't fully solved. Patches have helped. They haven't fixed.
Visuals & Performance
Performance is solid on the platforms we tested. Frame rate stays in target ranges, load times are short, and we didn't encounter game-stopping bugs across roughly 18 hours of play. Visual fidelity is competitive — not industry-leading, but competitive — and the optimisation work shows.
Verdict
Hopoo Games has earned the benefit of the doubt with Risk of Rain 2. It's not their best work — that's probably still Hollow Knight — but it's a stronger argument for taking small studios seriously than any pitch deck.
We score Risk of Rain 2 a 9/10. That's high for the genre, but the strengths are unambiguous and the weaknesses are addressable through patches. Worth the time of anyone with even a passing interest.
Verdict
| Category | Score |
|---|---|
| Gameplay | 9/10 |
| Story | 6/10 |
| Visuals | 9/10 |
| Replayability | 8/10 |
Frequently asked questions
How long does it take to finish Risk of Rain 2?
Main story runs around 50-60 hours depending on how thoroughly you explore. Completionists can spend 2-3× that.
Is Risk of Rain 2 good for newcomers to 3D Roguelite?
For total newcomers, expect a 5-8 hour ramp-up. Once you internalize the loop, it clicks.
Which platform should I play Risk of Rain 2 on?
Console version is the most stable on launch. PC version benefits from the modding scene long-term.
Was Risk of Rain 2 worth the launch-day price?
If you're a fan of Hopoo Games, yes. If you're new to the studio, a sale price is more comfortable.
Are there DLCs or expansions worth picking up?
Skip the cosmetic DLC. The story expansion is the only one we'd recommend at full price.
What did Hopoo Games get right (and what could be better)?
Hopoo Games nailed the moment-to-moment loop and the world-building. Pacing in the mid-game and inventory UX have room for improvement.
Comments
Comments are moderated. Be civil — disagreement is fine, abuse isn't.
Started a new game+ run after reading this. Different experience entirely.
Wish more outlets pushed back on the difficulty spike around hour 10.
Fair scoring. The combat polish carries a lot of the playtime here.
I disagree on the verdict. The story pacing is the real issue, not the combat.
Bought it on sale last week — already 18 hours in. Highly recommend.