Remnant 2

Lore & Background

Remnant 2 is a third-person shooter inspired by Soulslike video games. Players can wield up to two guns alongside a melee weapon, and select a starting character archetype such as the Gunslinger, Challenger, or Handler. The Gunslinger focuses on firearms and has the unique ability 'Loaded' to instantly reload all carried firearms. The Challenger can unleash a shockwave that disintegrates enemies, while the Handler has a dog companion that can revive the player using the 'Bonded' perk. Players gain the ability to dual-class as they progress.

The game significantly expands on the procedural generation of its predecessor, randomly generating not only level layouts and enemy spawn points but also enemy types, region aesthetics, boss characters, non-playable characters, and storylines and quests. Players can play solo or in three-player cooperative multiplayer.

The story follows a nameless survivor called the Traveler, who, with their friend Cass, is ambushed by the Root—a destructive plant-like species. Saved by Clementine, they are taken to Ward 13. The Traveler meets Andrew Ford, who activates a World Stone portal and disappears into it. Clementine is then pulled through by a mysterious entity. The Traveler uses the World Stone to travel to one of three worlds: Yaesha, Losomn, or N'erud. Eventually, the Traveler finds a Segment crystal leading to the Labyrinth, where the Keeper tasks them with stopping the Root. The Traveler collects segments from other worlds to form the Index, which opens a portal to Root Earth. There, the Traveler, Clementine, and the Keeper face Annihilation, the Root's physical embodiment, which cannot be killed. The Keeper offers two options: let the Root corrupt the world or reset the universe. Clementine draws the universe into herself and the Index, eradicating the Root. In a post-credits scene, the Index bursts open, restoring the world.

Reader's Guide

Remnant 2 builds on the foundations of its predecessor by expanding gameplay variety through an archetype system and increasing replay value via procedural generation. The system randomly generates the order of biomes a player encounters, then generates one of two unique storylines in each biome, along with all mini-bosses, side quests, and events. This design incentivizes replay and encourages players to share their distinct experiences with friends. The game's sales outpaced Remnant: From the Ashes, nearly doubling its concurrent player count on Steam at launch and becoming the second-best-selling game on Steam at launch. It was the best-selling video game in the United States in July 2023. Three DLC packs were released: The Awakened King (November 14, 2023), The Forgotten Kingdom (April 23, 2024), and The Dark Horizon (September 2024). The game received generally favorable reviews, with critics praising its combat and procedural generation, though some found the story lacking cohesion.

Did You Know?

• The game features a procedural generation system that randomly generates enemy types, region aesthetics, boss characters, and storylines.
• The Gunslinger archetype's unique ability 'Loaded' instantly reloads all firearms the character is carrying.
• The game's story is set after the final DLC of Remnant: From the Ashes.