This is how great this game is on Switch and PC

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“More please!” was my verdict on the indie game Dungeons of Dreadrock, which created a wonderful maelstrom of gameplay and gave me pure gaming pleasure across 100 crisp mini-levels. This subtle appeal seems to have reached game developer Christoph Minnameier, as the sequel once again delivers the most beautiful pixel art and complex puzzles that will at times make the brain boil.

In this second installment, we now control a witch we briefly met in the first novel, who now tells the story from her perspective. This time, we can make decisions here and there in our dark journey, which may even lead to a different ending.

But we don't want to reveal any more information about the backstory, as it increasingly becomes an important driver of gameplay and is best consumed soberly with as little prior knowledge as possible.

Our protagonist can take a break during the journey to recharge his batteries.Image: zvg

Game principles remain the same

So we set off again, passing new levels and entering deeper and deeper into a strange yet familiar world. The gameplay remains true to form over long periods of time: one has to reach the exit in a small and limited arena to proceed to the next dungeon. However, the path to the exit is always filled with traps, enemies, or other obstacles that need to be cleared.

The witch must defeat this monster. But it's not that easy.Image: zvg

While we can easily knock down monsters with our wand and simply insert the key we find into the nearest lock, there are also strange nuts waiting for us. Sometimes we have to take a long break and think around corners, that is, across several floors, in order to finally find a solution.

This trap door puzzle requires some deep thinking outside the box to reach the exit.Image: zvg

The game is never unfair, but some tasks and challenges can be frustrating for colleagues because the solutions aren't obvious at all and require a lot of thinking. Thankfully, you can always get various hints at the press of a button that will guide you to the level exit and tell you exactly what to do.

Lovely pixel look

In terms of audiovisuals, “Dreadrock Dungeon 2” shows its most beautiful side. The cute pixel shape is still too beautiful to stop. No matter how simple a level looks architecturally, there are lots of little details to discover, all done with love.

The sequel also shows a lot of visual attention to detail.Image: zvg

While we encountered well-known monsters from time to time, we were also introduced to many new creatures that wanted to make life underground difficult. We played through lovely cutscenes, read the manuscript, and delved into the themes and mysterious backstory of this ominous place.

We're always accompanied by a beautiful soundtrack that plays subtly in the background and then jumps back into the foreground at just the right moment.

In brief passages, the backstory is told in a hushed tone, allowing us to delve deeper into the mystery.Image: zvg

Stand on your own two feet

Although the second part is closely related to the first in terms of gameplay mechanics and visuals, the sequel manages to hold its own. One reason is that we get to keep a lovely witch company. Even if at first glance it seems shrouded in the usual stereotypes, it develops a life of its own, always surprising us and providing a lot of substance to the parallel story of the first part.

Large monsters appear more frequently in the sequel, throwing us off balance.Image: zvg

In addition, we are always lucky to get interesting surprises in many levels. Just when you think you've got the software architecture figured out, something new emerges, showing us just how much of the developer's creativity lay dormant in this sequel. Everything was welcomed with open arms and the anticipation for the next level lasted for a long time.

Another sincere pixel journey

in conclusion: Dreadrock Dungeons 2 immediately grabbed me again, throwing me into the lovely pixel world, and I was completely hooked for a few more hours. The backstory provides the necessary curiosity, and thanks to the audiovisual design, all purists will have to hold back tears of joy here anyway.

Even though I had to spend a long time thinking about some of the puzzles and trying new strategies again and again, the flow of the game remained the same. The sublime feeling of finally mastering a difficult level is priceless in the sequel, too.

Since Part Two is now officially announced as the middle part of the trilogy, the following text is still out of date, but still perfectly sums up this fantastic pixel journey: More please!

The Nintendo Switch version of “Dungeons of Dreadrock 2: The Dead King's Secret” will be released on November 28. The Steam version will be released on December 5th. Approved for ages 7 and up.

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