The allure of the double life, the thrill of the dungeon crawl, and the satisfaction of a well-stocked shelf – Moonlighter captured a unique blend of genres. Now, seven years after the original, Moonlighter 2: The Endless Vault has arrived in Early Access, promising a fresh take on the shopkeeping-by-day, monster-slaying-by-night formula, but with a significant shift to 3D and roguelike dungeon design.
While the core concept remains – balancing the demands of a village store with the need to venture into dangerous catacombs for supplies – the sequel introduces substantial changes to both gameplay and visual presentation.
Forget the top-down pixelated charm of its predecessor. Moonlighter 2 embraces a fully 3D world viewed from an angled third-person perspective. This visual overhaul is coupled with a move away from the traditional Zelda or Binding of Isaac-style dungeons. Instead, players will navigate branching paths reminiscent of roguelikes like Hades, making each run a unique and potentially perilous experience.
This change in dungeon structure fundamentally alters the flow of the game, emphasizing strategic decision-making and adaptability over meticulously clearing every room. The branching paths encourage exploration and offer a degree of control over the dungeon’s difficulty and potential rewards.
The seemingly mundane task of running a shop has also received a significant upgrade. Inventory management is now a strategic puzzle, with items possessing unique properties that can affect neighbouring goods. Imagine items that consume adjacent treasures, growing stronger with each morsel – a risky but potentially rewarding proposition.
The shop itself offers more elaborate customization options, allowing players to fine-tune pricing strategies and capitalize on market trends. Modifiers can be applied to even the most ordinary items, turning them into highly sought-after commodities. This deeper level of economic simulation adds a layer of complexity and engagement to the shopkeeping aspect of the game.
Currently available on Steam Early Access, Moonlighter 2 offers a substantial slice of the final product. Players can explore three distinct dungeon biomes, each teeming with unique enemies, and experiment with around 120 relics, four main weapon types, and approximately 100 shop and dungeon perks.
The developers, Digital Sun and publishers 11-Bit, plan to expand the game significantly during its Early Access phase. The final version will include more environments, formidable bosses, a wider array of loot, compelling NPCs, engaging quests, and a richer narrative. Expanded shop systems, dynamic events, and extensive customization options are also on the roadmap, along with the inevitable bug fixes and performance improvements.
The Rock Paper Shotgun article rightly points out the potential for romanticizing exploitative labor practices, even within a fantasy setting. “I’m a bit concerned that I can be persuaded to overlook exploitative or precarious working conditions if they’re presented to me in fluffy fantasy language,” the author writes. “Please do not start referring to staff cuts as Ye Olde Layoffs, publishers.”
This highlights a crucial point: even in escapist entertainment, it’s important to be mindful of the messages being conveyed. While Moonlighter 2 offers a compelling gameplay loop, it also presents an opportunity to reflect on the realities of work and economic inequality.
Moonlighter 2: The Endless Vault embarks on its Early Access journey with ambitious goals. Whether it can successfully blend its new roguelike elements and 3D visuals with the core charm of the original remains to be seen. However, the promise of deeper shop management and strategic dungeon delving suggests a title that could carve its own unique niche in the crowded action-RPG landscape.
