Thea 2: The Shattering
A strategy game blending 4X, RPG, and card game elements.
Thea 2: The Shattering is a 2019 strategy video game developed and published by MuHa Games. It is the sequel to Thea: The Awakening, which was released in 2015.
Quick Facts
- Developer
- MuHa Games
- Publisher
- MuHa Games (PC), RockGame
- Engine
- Unity
- Platforms
- Windows
- Xbox One
- Nintendo Switch
- PlayStation 4
- Released
- Windows, May 13, 2019, Switch, August 19, 2021, Xbox One, January 28, 2022, PlayStation 4, April 12, 2023
- Genre
- Strategy
- Modes
- Single-player, multiplayer
Facts from the source article.
Gameplay
Thea 2 blends turn-based 4X, role-playing, and digital collectible card game elements. Players choose a patron from Slavic deities and then a champion of a character class, who must survive to progress. Any character can forage, craft, or fight, but specialists complete tasks faster. Combat and events are resolved through a card game. Once enough resources are gathered, players can establish a village; unlike the first game, they may have multiple villages or remain nomadic. Crafting was overhauled to depend less on grinding, more resources were added, and children are no longer treated as a resource. More options were added for those who disliked the first game's card combat, and collaborative multiplayer allows friends to assist each other in combat.
Development
MuHa Games had two unsuccessful Kickstarter campaigns for Thea: The Awakening, which they attributed to being an independent studio and the game's unusual genre mix. After that game built a community, crowdfunding became easier. Thea 2 entered early access in November 2018 and released for Microsoft Windows on May 13, 2019, later coming to Nintendo Switch, Xbox One, and PlayStation 4.
Reception
Nic Reuben of Rock Paper Shotgun found the complex rules often hindered the fun of creating a coherent story from random events, calling it an imperfect game he felt affectionate toward. Malindy Hetfeld of GamesRadar recommended Thea 2 for those who enjoy 4X elements without a hardcore experience. Joel A. DeWitte of NintendoWorldReport described the Switch port as painfully slow and completed his review using the PC version. During the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine, MuHa Games donated all proceeds from sales in Russia, Belarus, and Ukraine to anti-war efforts, prompting some negative reviews.
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