This Grand Life 2
Last updated: 2025-08-09
- Engaging, replayable life simulation sandbox
- Comprehensive character and economic development
- Major improvement over predecessor
- Shallow content, repetitive grind
- Confusing UI, steep learning curve
- Underdeveloped social/family systems
Emotions
Players are highly satisfied with the game's engaging and rewarding gameplay loop, particularly its deep simulation mechanics, fulfilling progression paths, and strong replayability. The game is often described as a 'masterclass' or 'gem' that provides excellent value for money, with many appreciating its unique blend of life and business simulation, and the continuous improvements through updates.
Frustration stems primarily from a steep learning curve, a poor and unclear user interface, and various game-breaking bugs or artificial barriers that lead to unforeseen failures. Players also express annoyance with excessive grinding, unrealistic financial mechanics, and unexpected negative status effects that hinder progression and waste time.
Players highly appreciate the developer's exceptional responsiveness and active engagement with the community, frequently releasing updates and incorporating feedback. This consistent support and communication are seen as a testament to the developer's dedication, making players feel valued and confident in the game's ongoing improvement.
Excitement is driven by the game's perceived potential for growth, future updates, and the almost endless possibilities for content expansion, especially through modding. Players are thrilled by the game's current quality, often describing it as 'amazing' and a significant improvement over its predecessor, eagerly anticipating its full development.
Disappointment arises from the game's perceived shallowness in certain areas, such as social interaction and career complexity, as well as missing financial information and balance issues leading to debt. Players also express dissatisfaction with misleading descriptions, difficult modding, and the game quickly devolving into a mindless grind.
Verdict
Mostly positive
Summary
Positive 84% · Negative 16%. Score: 16 / 100
Positives:
- Players consistently praise the game's core gameplay loop, finding it highly engaging, addictive, and offering significant replayability. Despite being an early access title, it's considered well-made, fun, and a pleasant surprise with deep mechanics and diverse scenarios.
- The game offers a rich and deep life simulation experience, allowing players to explore various character paths, manage multiple lives, and engage in diverse activities from career progression to business ownership. The ability to customize characters and automate tasks enhances the sandbox feel.
- The developer is highly praised for their exceptional responsiveness, active presence on forums, and rapid implementation of bug fixes and new features. This consistent engagement and quick turnaround on feedback significantly enhance the player experience.
- The game is seen as a significant improvement over its predecessor, offering deeper simulation, more variety, and refined mechanics. It builds upon the original's strengths while introducing new complexities and content.
- Players generally find the game's cartoonish graphics and interface appealing and functional. While basic, they do not detract from the overall enjoyable experience and are considered an improvement over previous iterations.
Negatives:
- Players frequently mention that the game feels shallow and lacks sufficient content, especially in the mid-to-late game. This leads to a repetitive and unengaging experience, often described as a 'grind-fest' with limited expansion possibilities.
- Players report significant financial balancing issues, particularly with starting businesses and managing taxes. Companies are difficult to make profitable, often leading to initial losses, and the game can impose large, seemingly arbitrary taxes, sometimes resulting in unpayable debt and bankruptcy.
- The user interface is a significant barrier for new players, with confusing icons, a heavy reliance on tooltips, and a steep initial learning curve. This makes the first hours of gameplay frustrating and difficult to navigate.
- The social and family systems are underdeveloped, lacking depth and meaningful interactions. Managing multiple family members becomes tedious, and the lack of engaging social mechanics reduces the incentive to pursue materialistic goals or expand relationships.
- The career system lacks complexity and clarity, with an unbalanced distribution of job experiences. Players find it unclear what jobs specific career paths enable, and some skills are rarely utilized, limiting strategic depth.
Gameplay:
- The game features comprehensive character development, where players manage their character's career, personal life, and well-being. This includes progressing through various job roles, pursuing education, managing relationships, and addressing needs like health and happiness, similar to a life simulation game.
- The game offers deep economic simulation, allowing players to engage in various financial activities like managing businesses, investing in stocks, and real estate. Players can start from nothing and build significant wealth through strategic financial decisions and adapting to economic challenges.
- The game incorporates an automation system where players can set priorities for character activities, allowing for hands-off management. This includes managing tasks, needs, and career progression through a priority-based system, offering a unique blend of direct control and automated gameplay.
- Players find the game challenging, with a 'real game' mode offering a more punishing experience. The difficulty is noted as both tough and manageable, suggesting a learning curve that rewards strategic play.
- The game provides flexibility in starting conditions, allowing players to choose different setups and create multiple characters from the outset. This enhances replayability and allows for varied gameplay experiences.
Performance:
- Players report excellent performance across various hardware, including low-end PCs and the Steam Deck. This indicates good optimization and accessibility for a wide range of users.
- Recent updates have significantly improved the game's quality of life, specifically mentioning UI scaling and general performance enhancements. This shows active developer support and responsiveness to player feedback.
Recommendations:
- Many players highly recommend the game, stating it's worth the purchase price and offers a great experience. They feel it's a significant improvement and a well-made title.
- Players see great potential in the game, especially if they can overcome initial UI challenges. They are excited for future content, features, and overall development, suggesting it's a game to watch.
- The game is highly recommended for fans of life simulation, management, and sandbox games, particularly those who enjoy balancing resources and strategic thinking. It appeals to players who liked The Sims but desired more depth.
- Players believe the game deserves support and attention, encouraging others to buy it and spread the word. They emphasize supporting indie game development.
- A specific tip suggests that players should not get stuck in the tutorial area and should start a new game in a different location once they grasp the basics.
Miscellaneous:
- Players desire deeper and more varied gameplay mechanics, including the ability to commit crimes, manage complex industries, pursue diverse professions, engage in political careers, and achieve significant wealth.
- There is a strong desire for robust modding tools and a thriving modding community. Players are already creating mods and wish for streamlined processes, such as a GUI for mod creation, to enhance this aspect.
- Players noted that the game has Chinese and Japanese language support, despite official descriptions sometimes stating otherwise. This is a positive point for accessibility, though some minor English text remains.
- Players are looking for more nuanced family management, including the ability to designate primary and secondary control figures and allow different family members to reside in separate properties.
- These clusters contain general information about the game's current state (Early Access, no DLCs), estimated playtime, and suitable audience, rather than actionable feedback.
