Minecraft Dungeons 2, the sequel to 2020's well-received dungeon crawler from Mojang, returns with a vibrant new dimension called the Sift and plenty of 45-degree angled action gaming. The follow-up aims to double down on the frantic brawler gameplay fun while giving Minecraft fans a colourful new space to explore.
A new threat in the Sift
The story picks up after the peace brought by the first game's events is shattered. A trio of baddies called the Illagers wreak havoc across the land by spawning rifts from the Sift, bringing gangs of marauding beasties into the world.
The Sift itself is the standout star of the game—a wonderfully colourful new realm that is the opposite of the dank, dark dungeons of the title. It's vivid, bright, and packed full of overworldly monsters, critters, and meanies. It's an assault on the eyes and both the most Minecraft and un-Minecraft place all at the same time.
Gameplay and co-op options
Mojang has created their first new dimension here in 15 years, and it is a successful highlight of this title. The game, available in major gaming stores as a disc as well as digitally, plays well enough. Simple to conquer, the demographic is very much aimed at a younger audience, and as such the RPG elements are fairly thin and easy to understand.
You'll upgrade your hero and their weapons and armour quite quickly as you progress through the main story, branching out into neat little side quests to help uncover rarer rewards by stepping off the beaten track. Gamers can play either alone or in a party with up to four players through couch co-op, online co-op, mixed couch and online play, or matchmaking, making beating back the hordes of baddies in any given sandbox moment a little easier than a solo run.
Verdict
Overall, this is a nice expansion on the original title with a beautiful colour palette, easy-to-play controls, and plenty to do. However, it gets quite samey quite quickly and doesn't feel like a top-tier must-play title this year. One for the kids, perhaps via your all-in Game Pass rather than a shop spend. Verdict: 3.5/5.
