Info about Mortal Glory 2:

Official game description:
Roll an explosive barrel at your enemy, throw them into a pit or take out two enemies by knocking them into each other. With a wide variety of tools available to you, your creativity will determine how you deal with the competition. Unique arenas, randomized environments and occasional special rules ensure that each fight offers new tactical opportunities.
A wide variety of fantasy races are seeking glory, each with their own unique racial strengths. Whatever your tactics are, finding the best recruits is essential!
There is a vast collection of unique relics, character perks and more to discover. Finding clever combos and deadly synergies will unlock new strategies and occasionally turn your gladiators into unfairly strong demons.
Various difficulty settings will accommodate your preferred playstyle and there are increasingly harder challenges to master. But beware... The AI is brutally talented at the highest levels.
With every step comes a new challenge or perhaps... an opportunity? It is up to you to guide where your team should travel next... and suffer the consequences.
Each playthrough is different! With various tactics to try and additional increasingly harder challenges to master, the arena will keep welcoming you back again and again. Thanks to conveniently paced combat, Mortal Glory 2 is also great to play if you only have a moment to spare.

Release date: Mar 4, 2024

Categories: Turn-based Tactical, Turn-based Combat, Roguelike, Strategic Combat, Grid-based Combat, Character Progression, Replayability, Randomized Events


- Hardware Profile: No data
Feature extractions:
- Community Price:
  - Community fair range: $10.00 - $15.00
  - Reasoning: The reviews indicate a split: some believe the full price is justified, but several recommend waiting for a sale, implying the base game's perceived fair value is lower than the list price. The phrase 'without DLC, worth buying on sale' strongly suggests that the sale price represents the community's fair cost for the base game alone. Given typical indie pricing and the mention of a cheaper alternative ('MG1' for 'a couple bux'), a sale price in the $10-15 range is a common fair value for such a title, balancing the positive content with the community's request for a discount.
- Playtime Metrics:
  - Game completion: 22.5h
  - Story completion: 3.0h
  - Session length: N/A
  - Endgame: N/A
  - Reasoning: gameCompletion is inferred from the reviewer who explicitly states 20-25 hours of gameplay before repetition sets in, suggesting the effective total content duration. storyCompletion is based on multiple reports of a full run (all 3 acts) taking approximately 3 hours, though individual reports range from 2 to 4 hours. No evidence directly supports typical session length or dedicated endgame hours, so those are set to null.
- Time-to-fun:
  - Summary: The game is generally fun early, thanks to an addictive loop and solid tactical foundations, but pacing issues and repetitive builds cause enjoyment to fade after several hours or runs.
  - Stance: Fun then drops
  - Anchor: N/A
  - Time to anchor: N/A
  - Friction: Early game is slow and boring; RNG reliance and few skill synergies; Tedious fight stages in mid-game; Pacing issues that hinder full enjoyment; Boring spells and map design
  - Unlock drivers: N/A
  - Conditions: Player enjoyment may hinge on liking turn-based tactical games like XCOM; Raising difficulty and glory level can maintain addictiveness; Long-term mastery and experimentation are rewarded; Repetitiveness sets in after a few runs or around 20-25 hours
- Player Archetypes:
  - Veteran Roguelike Strategist (buy)
    - Motivation: Finding a fresh tactical roguelike with deep build synergy and genre innovation.
    - Playstyle: Strategic, build experimentation, comparing mechanics to genre touchpoints.
    - Experience: veteran
    - Purchase stance: buy
    - Labels: N/A
    - Reference games: Slay the Spire; Into the Breach; Baldur's Gate 3; FTL; Monster Train
  - Casual Newcomer (buy)
    - Motivation: An approachable and fun tactical roguelike with room to experiment.
    - Playstyle: Casual, exploratory, not hyper-optimized, enjoying build variety and replayability.
    - Experience: newcomer
    - Purchase stance: buy
    - Labels: N/A
    - Reference games: Mortal Glory 1
  - Disappointed Franchise Veteran (deep sale)
    - Motivation: Seeking a worthy sequel to the original, but finding it underwhelming.
    - Playstyle: Comparative, nostalgic, evaluating against the predecessor's mechanics and content.
    - Experience: veteran
    - Purchase stance: deep sale
    - Labels: N/A
    - Reference games: Mortal Glory 1


Below are summaries of things people say about the game per category.
Each point is assigned a weight that represents how often it is mentioned across all reviews.
What players like:
- Improvement over original game (weight 0.37): Several reviews note that the game surpasses its predecessor in various aspects, with some calling it a significant or big improvement. This suggests the developers successfully built upon the original title.
- Highly enjoyable and great game (weight 0.34): Multiple players expressed strong overall satisfaction, using words like 'great' and 'enjoyed' frequently. The feedback indicates a widely positive reception.
- Fun combos and builds (weight 0.25): Players highlight the combination system as a key source of fun, offering room for creativity and experimentation. The variety of builds enhances gameplay depth.
- Strong replay value (weight 0.13): Multiple mentions of randomized encounters, modifiers, and unlockables indicate that the game encourages repeated playthroughs. The variety in gameplay experiences keeps it fresh.
- Lots of additional content (weight 0.13): Many reviews mention the abundance of content, implying that players get substantial value for their time and money.
- Easy to pick up (weight 0.12): Reviewers note that the game is accessible to newcomers, making it easy to learn and start playing. This lowers the entry barrier for potential players.
- Fun tactics and arena gameplay (weight 0.12): Players describe the game as an enjoyable tactics and arena game, which suggests that the core combat and strategy mechanics are well-received.
- Refined gameplay loop (weight 0.12): The game's gameplay loop is seen as more polished than the first game, with better difficulty adjustments. This indicates a mature and balanced system.
- Great for rogue-like fans (weight 0.12): The game is recommended for fans of the rogue-like genre, with a tactical twist. Players find it enjoyable within that context.
- High strategy and depth (weight 0.12): The game offers a deep strategic experience with substantial depth, which may satisfy players looking for tactical complexity.
- Worth the price (weight 0.12): Several players find the game to be a good purchase, offering value that justifies its cost. This is a positive signal for potential buyers.
- Great developer performance (weight 0.12): The developers are praised for their work, suggesting that their efforts are recognized and appreciated by the community.
- Meets expectations (weight 0.11): Some reviewers felt the gameplay was sufficient and met expectations, indicating a lack of major disappointments for a portion of the player base.

Common complaints:
- Inferior to predecessor (weight 0.67): Many reviewers believe the sequel lost the magic and tactical depth of the original Mortal Glory, feeling more like a patch or regression rather than a true successor. Elements like the branched map, reduced meta-progression, and lack of campaign structure are cited as downgrades.
- Overall balance poor (weight 0.62): A significant number of players feel the game is highly unbalanced, with issues ranging from difficulty spikes to unfair RNG and overpowered enemies. Specific examples include one-shot kills and enemy advantages on higher difficulties, making the experience frustrating and inconsistent.
- Difficulty tuning inconsistent (weight 0.54): Players report that difficulty scaling is erratic: normal mode can be too easy, while higher difficulties feel unfairly hard or RNG-dependent. The lack of counter-play on advanced settings is a recurring frustration.
- Replayability limited (weight 0.44): Shallow artifact pools, few effective archetypes, and minimal character variety reduce the incentive to replay. Players also note that many abilities are incremental or useless, making builds feel samey after a few runs.
- Progression feels pointless (weight 0.44): Unlock systems are slow, gear upgrades become irrelevant, and later purchases don't improve the experience. Many feel the growth curve is broken because early advantages are unaffordable, while late-game items are useless except for selling.
- Pacing and grind issues (weight 0.44): Long battles, repetitive fights, and a slow early game make the experience feel like a chore. The narrative drags after the first boss, and many battles lack meaningful choices, leading to boredom.
- Run length excessive (weight 0.42): Multiple reviews complain that individual runs last three to four hours, making each playthrough a heavy burden and leading to boredom or abandonment. This issue is frequently mentioned and directly impacts sessionability and replay value.
- Lack of build variety (weight 0.41): Limited gear and skill choices, combined with forced attributes and few effective archetypes, prevent diverse and creative builds. Most characters offer little differentiation after leveling, and late-game items are often identical or useless.
- Skill design poor (weight 0.39): Many skills are considered useless, misleading, or poorly designed, with few that synergize well. The charge system can render purchased spells unusable without rare items, and some racial skills are situational to the point of being ineffective.
- RNG unfairly impactful (weight 0.38): Randomness in items, skills, and events can make or break a run, leading to wins or losses that seem unrelated to player skill. Early game is particularly luck-based, and late-game outcomes can hinge on random critical hits or bad drops.
- Borrows from Slay the Spire (weight 0.33): The branched map and progression system are seen as direct clones of Slay the Spire, but without adding meaningful functionality. This change is criticized for slowing the game down and reducing the strategic depth of the original.
- UI and tooltip issues (weight 0.32): Multiple UI problems were reported: tooltips block clicks, don't disappear on mouse-out, and cover the arena. Additionally, lack of item comparison popups and shop screens that don't show gear together complicate decision-making.
- Environmental mechanics flawed (weight 0.32): Environmental elements like barrels, tornadoes, and knock-back are either overused, annoying, or inconsistent. Some can cause unfair deaths, and the system feels underdeveloped compared to other tactical aspects.
- Graphics and assets reused (weight 0.22): Players noticed that character portraits, battle graphics, and item sprites are identical to the first game, making the sequel feel more like an expansion or patch. The art style is also considered basic and inconsistent.
- Certain classes unbalanced (weight 0.2): Melee characters are often perceived as stronger than mages, and some races like werewolves are too weak. This class imbalance limits viable strategies and reduces strategic variety.
- High cost concerns (weight 0.16): The base game is considered more expensive than the first, and paid DLCs are seen as milking the playerbase. Some feel the content is too small for the price, contributing to a negative value proposition.
- Story and world-building weak (weight 0.16): There is very minimal narrative and world-building, with a generic gladiator setting that fails to immerse. The visual novel and management aspects of the first game were stripped away, leaving little context for the battles.
- First impressions negative (weight 0.15): Some players were immediately turned off within the first ten minutes, due to confusing UI, unappealing graphics, or slow pacing. This early negative impression can deter further play.
- Mobile game impression (weight 0.12): Several reviews compare the sequel to a mobile game, citing simple mechanics, lack of depth, and a grindy feel. This reduces perceived quality and originality.
- Save not cloud synced (weight 0.06): Run progress is not saved in the cloud, requiring manual file transfer between devices, which is inconvenient for players on multiple platforms.

Gameplay feedback:
- Turn-based tactical roguelike (weight 0.64): The game is consistently described as a turn-based tactical roguelike, merging roguelike progression with tactical RPG combat. This genre blend is the core identity across multiple clusters.
- Multiple difficulty settings (weight 0.36): There are various difficulty levels, including harder options and modifiers. Players note that enemy AI becomes more intelligent at higher difficulties, suggesting a scalable challenge.
- Slay the Spire comparisons (weight 0.32): Players draw direct comparisons to Slay the Spire, noting similarities in the map, route system, and overall gameplay loop. This suggests the game follows a familiar structure that appeals to fans of that title.
- Strategic and tactical depth (weight 0.31): The gameplay emphasizes strategic depth and tactical decisions, often in grid-based battles where positioning and timing are crucial. This indicates a combat system that rewards planning and careful execution.
- Critical hits and bosses (weight 0.16): The game features critical damage and includes playable characters and enemies, with bosses present. This adds classic RPG elements that enhance combat depth.
- Random elements affect gameplay (weight 0.11): Randomness influences gear, skills, arenas, opponents, and even teammates, increasing replayability. This roguelike element ensures each run offers a unique experience.
- Flexible combat scale (weight 0.1): Combat can range from one-on-one duels to 4v4 battles, adapting to different scenarios. This flexibility adds variety and strategic options to encounters.
- Similar to first game (weight 0.1): A mode plays similarly to the first game, indicating continuity in gameplay mechanics. This may appeal to returning fans who expect a familiar experience.

Performance notes:
- No issues running game (weight 0.06): Players report a smooth experience with no technical problems such as crashes or performance hitches.
- No obvious bugs encountered (weight 0.06): The game appears stable with no noticeable glitches or errors affecting gameplay.

Recommendations:
- Highly recommended for genre fans (weight 0.38): Many reviewers strongly recommend the game to fans of roguelikes and tactical RPGs, noting it is a must-buy for those who enjoy both genres. The game is praised for its strategic depth and replayability.
- Better value than first game (weight 0.26): Some reviewers prefer this game over the first, suggesting it is the definitive version of Mortal Glory. They recommend it to fans of the series and note that it improves upon the original.
- Worth buying at full price (weight 0.25): Several reviewers state that the game is worth its full price, citing its content and replayability. Some even call it an instant buy and say you cannot go wrong with the purchase.
- Recommended despite modest presentation (weight 0.22): The game is recommended even with modest graphics, as the gameplay more than compensates. It is seen as an interesting game that is worth supporting despite its visual limitations.
- Great for fans of first game (weight 0.17): If you enjoyed the first Mortal Glory, this game is worth supporting. Returning players are recommended to also play the first game if they haven't, and no prior experience is required.
- Great for casual or strategic play (weight 0.16): The game appeals to both casual players looking for distraction and hardcore players interested in thoughtful positioning and team optimization. It offers escalating arena challenges that suit different play styles.
- Recommended for D&D enthusiasts (weight 0.16): Fans of D&D-esque turn-based strategy games will find this title highly enjoyable. The tactical elements and character customization appeal to players of tabletop skirmish games like Mordheim and Frostgrave.
- Good for roguelike newcomers (weight 0.16): Reviewers recommend this game to new players, stating that no experience with the original is needed. It is also recommended to try the demo first to decide if it suits your preferences.
- Price justified for genre enjoyment (weight 0.14): The price is worth it if you enjoy these types of games, and the game offers good value for money. Reviewers often mention the replayability and concept as strong points.
- DLC enhances experience (weight 0.12): Reviewers note that the game is much better with DLC, and without it, it is still worth buying on sale. This suggests that the base game is good but the DLC adds significant value.
- Better to wait for sale (weight 0.12): Several reviews suggest waiting for a sale or buying the first game on sale if on a budget. This indicates that while the game is good, its value may not justify a full price for all players.
- First game is also addictive (weight 0.11): For those who haven't played the previous game, it is recommended as it is also addictive and provides a good experience. Some reviewers even suggest getting the first game instead.
- Suitable for strategy and roguelike fans (weight 0.11): Players who enjoy strategy RPGs or roguelikes will find the game deserves a look. It combines grid-based tactics, character customization, and loot systems in a satisfying way.
- Enjoyable but requires patience (weight 0.05): The game is fun if you can accept the session length, which may be longer due to tactical depth. This is a niche consideration for players who prefer shorter play sessions.
- Ignore negative reviews (weight 0.05): One reviewer advises to not heed negative reviews, suggesting that the game is better than critics imply. This indicates a polarized reception but strong support from some players.

Other player notes:
- Similar to Slay the Spire (weight 0.39): The game is frequently compared to Slay the Spire, especially regarding map design, route selection, and progression UI. Some reviewers note it is structured almost exactly like Slay the Spire.
- DLC and expansions enhance replayability (weight 0.28): The game has several DLCs and expansions, including the Reign of Tyrants, which adds playable boss characters and is considered a game changer. DLC significantly boosts replayability compared to the original.
- Compared to various strategy games (weight 0.22): The game draws favorable comparisons to roguelites like FTL, Slay the Spire, and Monster Train, as well as tactical games like Into the Breach and Baldur's Gate 3.
- Good value for money (weight 0.2): Players find the game inexpensive and offering good value for its price. Some say it is worth more than its default asking price.
- Content depth and length (weight 0.2): Typical runs take about 2 hours, but many unlockables extend the length significantly. Some achievements may take hundreds of hours, and the game provides at least 20 hours of fun.
- Solo developer appreciation (weight 0.18): Reviewers note the game is made by a solo indie developer, which adds to its appeal. The developer also documents development on YouTube, showing dedication.
- Graphics are basic (weight 0.18): Several reviewers mention that the graphics are basic or threadbare, but some note they turned out fine or are efficient despite initial concerns.
- Sequel with reused assets (weight 0.17): The game is a sequel that reuses assets and mechanics from the first Mortal Glory. Some reviewers feel it plays like a small-to-medium mod of the original.
- Steam Deck compatibility (weight 0.15): The game plays well on the Steam Deck, with both this and the first game described as great on deck. However, playtime is not recorded properly on the device.
- Original lacked route selection (weight 0.12): Compared to the original, this sequel adds route selection and replaces the previous system of random stat upgrades after fights. This change is seen as an improvement.
- Achievement system noted (weight 0.09): The game has an achievement system with low completion rates, and completing Master difficulty can unlock achievements for other difficulties.
- More digestible than similar games (weight 0.06): Compared to games like Tales of Maj Eyal, this title is described as more easily digestible, making it accessible while still offering depth.
- Wants more content (weight 0.06): Despite already having a large amount of content, one reviewer expresses a desire for more items, spells, races, and character portraits to further enhance variety.
- Different from original campaign format (weight 0.06): The first game's campaign format was integral to its appeal, while this sequel adopts a branching path format common to roguelites, which some see as a trade-off.
- Balance issues require fixes (weight 0.05): One reviewer explicitly states that developers need to fix game balance, indicating potential exploits or difficulty spikes that detract from the experience.
- Lacks variety in overworld choices (weight 0.05): A reviewer notes the game lacks variety in overworld map choices, which could reduce replayability and strategic decision-making.
- Generic roguelite structure (weight 0.05): Some reviewers feel the game uses a generic roguelite chassis, with a Slay the Spire map and bloated act structure, which might detract from originality.
- Works on Linux Mint (weight 0.05): Despite the listed Windows requirement, the game works fine on Linux Mint, which is appreciated by Linux users.

Emotions:
- Frustration (weight 0.21): Players feel frustrated by excessive randomness, which leads to unfair deaths from environmental hazards like tornadoes and exploding barrels, and one-shot kills by enemies or bosses. The lack of build variety, misleading skill descriptions, and poor class balance make runs feel unenjoyable, while the long run length, slow unlock progression, and UI issues such as tooltips blocking clicks add to the tedium. Many also criticize the difficulty curve, where the early game is luck-based and the late game can be trivially easy or impossibly hard, limiting player agency.
- Enjoyment (weight 0.19): The game provides fun and dynamic combat, with rewarding combos and build choices that encourage experimentation. Players enjoy the tactical depth, the variety of characters and modifiers, and the satisfying challenge, with many describing it as highly enjoyable and better than the first game despite some minor issues.
- Disappointment (weight 0.1): Players are disappointed that the sequel feels like a regression, lacking the growth and qualitative improvements of the first game, and reusing assets without adding depth. The removal of the visual novel and management aspects, combined with boring skills, poor design choices, and a small amount of content, leads to a sense that the game has lost its charm and originality.
- Satisfaction (weight 0.09): Players feel satisfied with the strategic gameplay, which is well-balanced and rewarding, allowing for effective character building and synergy discovery. The progression system and difficulty adjustments are praised, and completing the game or executing strategies provides a great sense of accomplishment.
- Excitement (weight 0.05): Players are excited by the exciting gameplay and the addictive game loop, which keeps them engaged with its depth, combos, and escalating arena challenges. Many consider it one of the best roguelites they've played, offering plenty of variety and strong tactical moments.
- Boredom (weight 0.04): The game can become boring due to a lack of run-to-run diversity, leading repetitive battles and slow upgrades. Normal runs are often unchallenging and predictable, with the early game feeling slow and the one-on-one combat lacking engagement.
- Admiration (weight 0.02): Players admire the game for being a near-perfect title, a hidden gem that deserves more recognition, offering a huge amount of strategic depth. The fact that a single developer could create such a complex and polished game is also highly respected.
- Fun (weight 0.02): Players simply find the game super fun to play, enjoying the experience of trying out new builds with different character types. The core gameplay provides plenty of enjoyment and entertainment.
- Enthusiasm (weight 0.02): Players are enthusiastic because the game is magnificent and absorbing, with enough depth, replayability, and progression between runs to overcome laziness to write a review. The game's quality makes it a compelling and immersive experience.
- Appreciation (weight 0.02): Players appreciate the game for being well-done and better than the first, with great developer support and responsive updates. It offers deep and varied gameplay despite simple graphics, and supporters feel good about backing an indie developer who did a great job.
- Annoyance (weight 0.02): Some players are annoyed by small UI issues, such as the lack of an item-comparison popup in shops and the barrel system gradually becoming irritating. These minor annoyances detract from the otherwise enjoyable experience.
- Anticipation (weight 0.01): Players feel anticipation for future updates and content, especially looking forward to new game+ mode unlocks after completing a run. The potential for new content and improvements keeps them excited.
- Discouragement (weight 0.01): Players feel discouraged by the hardest difficulty being too reliant on RNG, causing runs to fail early, and by being stuck at glory level 9 where certain configurations always lose. This RNG dependence limits progress and is disheartening.
- Hope (weight 0.01): Players hope that runs will be shortened as they can be quite long, and that the developer will build on the solid foundations in the future. They also wish for tweaks to the skill book system and the potential unlocking of a healer class, indicating optimism for improvements.
- Approval (weight 0.01): Players approve of the game's improvements over the first, particularly noting that the UI is significantly more readable. This positive change enhances the overall experience and is welcomed.
- Concern (weight 0.01): Players are concerned about race-specific skills without action cost, which can raise difficulty unfairly, and they haven't seen Archer-related content yet, leading to worries about class balance and content coverage.
- Disgust (weight 0.01): One player found every aspect of the first 10 minutes a complete turnoff, indicating a strong negative initial response to the game's presentation, mechanics, or overall feel.
- Compulsion (weight 0.01): Players feel compelled by the 'one more run' feeling, which is a strong pull to keep playing due to the engaging gameplay loop.
- Love (weight 0.01): The game is one of the reviewer's favorites, indicating a deep and enduring affection for the title.
- Inconvenience (weight 0.01): Players are inconvenienced that run progress is not saved in the cloud, requiring manual transfer of files, which is a hassle.}