Risk of Rain 2

Hopoo Games had every reason to play it safe with their sequel. The original Risk of Rain earned a devoted following as a 2D roguelite with tight gameplay and a distinctive atmosphere. Instead, they rebuilt the entire thing in 3D, shifting perspective to third-person and redesigning every system around the new dimension. The skepticism was loud during early access. It didn’t last.

Risk of Rain 2 launched into early access in March 2019 and hit 1.0 in August 2020, earning overwhelmingly positive community reception. Players discovered that the transition to 3D didn’t just preserve the original’s appeal but expanded it. The game’s item-stacking loop, where collecting enough synergistic pickups turns your character into a force of nature, became one of the most celebrated power curves in the roguelite genre. Cooperative multiplayer for up to four players added another dimension entirely.

The story got more complicated after launch. Hopoo stepped away from development, and subsequent DLC released under different stewardship has divided the community. But the conversation about the base game remains firmly positive.

Risk of Rain 2’s Greatest Strength: Characters

Items are the engine that drives everything. They stack, combine, and scale in ways that transform a vulnerable early-game character into something absurd by the later stages. Picking up the right combination of on-hit effects, healing procs, and damage multipliers creates cascading interactions that fill the screen with chaos. Finding that breakpoint where your build comes online and enemies start melting is the reason people play this game for hundreds of hours.

Multiplayer is where Risk of Rain 2 truly shines. Playing solo is fun. Playing with three friends is a different experience altogether. Each of the game’s survivors plays differently enough that team composition matters, and watching four overpowered builds collide with a late-game boss creates memorable moments that few cooperative games can match. The matchmaking system also allows joining public games, though organized groups tend to get more out of the experience.

Survivors offer real variety. Each playable character has a distinct kit that changes how you approach the game’s environments and enemies. Some excel at close range, others at keeping distance, and switching between them keeps the game fresh across dozens of runs. Unlocking new survivors through in-game challenges gives long-term goals beyond simply completing runs.

Sound design deserves special mention. The soundtrack builds in intensity as runs progress, matching the escalating chaos on screen. Players frequently call out the music as one of the game’s strongest elements, and it’s become a standout in the genre.

Where Risk of Rain 2 Falters

Post-launch development has been rocky since Hopoo stepped away from direct involvement. The Seekers of the Storm expansion launched with significant technical issues, balance problems, and bugs that affected DLC owners and the base game alike. Performance problems tied to framerate emerged, enemy spawning patterns changed in frustrating ways, and some items were rebalanced in ways the community rejected. A later expansion addressed many of these concerns and was received much more positively, but the damage to community trust was real.

Solo play, while viable, highlights a scaling issue. The game’s difficulty scales with time, pushing players to move quickly through stages. In multiplayer, this creates exciting pressure. Solo, it can feel like a ticking clock that punishes exploration and deliberate play. Some survivors handle solo runs better than others, and the imbalance is noticeable.

Late-game performance can suffer regardless of hardware. When four players have fully stacked builds and the screen fills with particle effects, enemy spawns, and item procs, framerate drops are common. The game’s visual chaos is part of its charm, but the technical cost is a consistent complaint, especially in extended multiplayer sessions.

The Multiplayer Difference

Risk of Rain 2 is good solo. It’s great with friends. That gap matters more here than in most games with multiplayer options. The scaling, the item distribution, the survivor synergies, and the escalating difficulty all feel tuned for cooperative play. Solo runs work and plenty of players prefer them, but the game’s most memorable moments tend to happen when multiple overpowered builds are working together against impossible odds.

Understanding that distinction shapes expectations. If you’re coming in primarily for solo play, the experience is solid but not as remarkable. If you have a regular group, this is one of the best cooperative roguelites available.

Should You Play Risk of Rain 2?

Fans of roguelites who want something with a strong cooperative hook should put this near the top of their list. If you enjoy power scaling, build diversity, and the thrill of watching a run go from desperate to dominant, Risk of Rain 2 delivers that loop better than most. Players who loved the original will find the 3D transition handled with care and ambition.

Skip it if you’re looking for a tight, balanced single-player experience above all else. If DLC quality and long-term developer support matter to you, be aware that the game’s post-launch history has been uneven since the original studio stepped back.

The Verdict on Risk of Rain 2

Risk of Rain 2 pulled off one of the most impressive transitions in recent memory, jumping from 2D to 3D without losing what made the original special. The item stacking system creates power fantasies that few games in the genre can match, and cooperative multiplayer elevates the whole experience. DLC releases after Hopoo’s departure have been a mixed bag, with some additions landing well and others causing real problems. The core game that Hopoo built remains excellent, and that foundation is strong enough to keep players coming back years after launch.