When I attended the 11 Bit Studios Preview event, much of the focus surrounded their upcoming Game Pass title, The Alters. While The Alters is turning out to be a terrific game, the reason I went to Poland was to get my hands on Moonlighter 2: The Endless Vault.
You see, I'm a fanatic when it comes to the roguelike genre. From top to bottom, this is the type of game I continue playing in my head long after I've turned it off for the night (or morning if you're a 4 AM gamer like myself).
That last death haunts me, cackling as it permeates my ego. I was ready to throw my controller, blaming the game's "unfair" traps, but let's be real—it's always the player's fault. These roguelikes like Hades, man, they'll humble you.
Which is what I freaking love. That overwhelming challenge that, even at its hardest, can be chipped away with every run.
Moonlighter 2 managed to crit-hit me right in the feels after just a few runs.
If you're unfamiliar with the Moonlighter series (I can't believe I get to call it a series), it's time you educate yourself. The original managed to rack up over 2 million sales, so it's kind of a big deal!
Moonlighter is a roguelike dungeon crawler from the indie developer Digital Sun, with the first game being made entirely in 2D. While keeping most of the original mechanics intact, the next entry has transitioned to the realm of 3D.
The main loop is as follows: Enter a dungeon, grab loot, sell loot in your shop, and use that money to buy upgrades for both you and your store. Rinse and repeat.
That's right, a shop. In Moonlighter 2, your character sells their loot through their own merchant store. Placing items looted from the dungeon on your tables allows these items to be sold to incoming customers.
Use that cash to purchase some upgrades and make your overall experience both smoother and more efficient. Getting that cash starts the moment you complete your first dungeon level.
So far, there are three dungeons to choose from, each with quite a few levels and bosses to defeat. Each milestone passed means earning a bigger and better haul. In every area, you'll have the chance to leave with what spoils you've acquired up to that point. Using an item called the Medallion will transfer your adventurer back to the main village, safe and full of goodies.
While this loop is entirely similar to the first game, every section has been completely overhauled for a better and more addicting experience.
First, for returning fans of Moonlighter, let's address the tension over the shift from 2D to 3D. Suppose you browse the forums on Reddit and Steam. In that case, you might come across a passionate fanbase that seems rather split over the decision.
I get the initial confusion over the direction. Many players loved the 2D, old-school dungeon crawler theme. It was a work of art that capturedthe hearts of well over two million players. So, why change?
I spoke with Digital Sun Games Design Director Luis Pérez and PR lead Isra Mallén about why the shift was made.
Luis said, "We know that our pixel art was gorgeous, our team is amazing, and we wanted to see if we could meet the expectations of the jump without losing any of the charm. I think maybe this is a little biased. But I think that the art team did an amazing job."
He continued, saying they wanted to improve the overall experience and that 3D offered the best chance at accomplishing that: "Moonlighter needed to be updated and improved, and combat was one of our big priorities."
Moonlighter 2: The Endless Vault definitely benefits combat-wise, thanks to the 3D transition. In Moonlighter 1, I often missed an enemy while off by just a few pixels. Sure, this could have been fixed with a simple hitbox expansion, but bringing the sequel into a three-dimensional space adds a layer of crisis the first game didn't have.
Luis explained, "We wanted to try to make it deeper and bring more emergency to the combat. For example, Mage Seeker had deeper combat, and we took a lot of that learning into this one, too."
Isra Mallén added, "It felt like the combat had to be there, but it wasn't a main pillar in Moonlighter 1. The first game was simpler in a lot of ways. This is the first time we are doing a proper combat system clearly thought of for Moonlighter only. It's very unique to us."
Speaking of overhauls, the merchant system has seen a glow-up in ways I didn't even realize I wanted. I'm having fun selling items again!
In the old system, players would sell off items at an estimated price that would either start off grossly over or under the amount customers were willing to pay. Over, and you just pissed someone off. Under, and you left money on the table.
The new system chucks this guesswork out and instead lists the price of the item outright from the moment you pick it up. The cost of items is determined not only by their initial value but also by the new burn mechanics.
Items can still be destroyed if placed in the incorrect position, but this time, there's meaning behind it. Certain burn items will increase the price depending on the corresponding text requirement listed.
For example, I came across an item that, when burned, would copy itself. Combining this with other burn mechanics that would increase the price of adjacent items, you could create a cascading effect leading to an original item worth 150 coins becoming 400 while doubling it to 800.
Planning your inventory is somehow.. fun? What sorcery is this?
Bringing items back to the merchant tables also brings on another round of minigames to accomplish. Players get access to both boosts and charms.
Boosts raise the price by a standard amount, starting at 50 gold. Charms will raise it by 10%. So, a log worth 1 coin would be worth 51 coins after a boost, but it would remain the same price if you used a charm. After each sale, you gain either a charm or a boost at random.
These effects can be increased, too. After a certain number of sales, players will be gifted the choice of perks from the storefront. These perks grant increases to both boosts and charms monetarily and use-wise. Some perks will grant the ability to double down and use two or even three boosts or charms on a sellable item.
When used in combination with items worth a lot of gold, you'll quickly hit absurd sale prices when done right.
In Moonlighter 1, combat felt more like a wait-and-see game. Players could time enemy attacks by backpedaling or shifting to the side after baiting a shot from another foe. There was undoubtedly a strategy for combat, but the "emergency," as Luis described, is distinctive to Moonlighter 2.
Immediately, you can expect that refined combat experience to pay off the first time you enter a dungeon. Swinging, dodging, and shooting all mixed into one brings a level of satisfaction I never found in the original game, and I treasured the first game!
In Endless Vaults, every run managed to trigger this addictive adrenaline rush. It sounds like some kid is going off about Apex Legends or some twitch-shooter FPS title, but I'm not.
Moonlighter 2 maintains its predecessor's original strategy while showcasing a more reward-oriented combat design. For instance, thanks to the attention paid to combat, Digital Sun has concocted a new stun system.
When keeping the strain on larger enemies and lowering their health past the midway point, players can launch these foes into various effects. Turning a single enemy toward a cliff will "eject" them from the arena while launching them into a crowd will cause damage and a knockback effect.
These stuns can only be taken advantage of with close-quarters weapons but can be triggered by long-range options. Speaking of, Moonlighter 2 looks to balance the combat distance by allowing the player to bring in both melee and ranged armaments.
In my preview, I was only allowed a look at a few melee weapons: a broom, sword, and gauntlets. However, I was also given a ranged pistol that marks one of at least four options available to players.
The addition of ranged weaponry provided dynamism I didn't realize I needed in my Moonlighter. From moment to moment, I was constantly piling on the damage, no matter the distance, while dodging enemy attacks. You'll need every gadget at your disposal if you're going to take on these larger dungeons.
Dungeons retain some of the original's segmented structure, guiding players through distinct areas that lead to compelling bosses. However, they've added a new mechanic between rooms, making floor clearing a more strategic affair.
Rather than aimlessly navigating to find the correct path to a boss, defeating all foes in an area rewards you with a treasure chest and a choice of multiple routes forward, making room clearing more impactful.
Each treasure chest can contain loot or perks to choose from, depending on the room type you picked leading into the area. I'll cover loot in the next section, but perks change entire runs depending on what you manage to roll for choices.
Some can offer extra ranged damage at the cost of ammo, while others boost crit chance or damage. They can vary depending on the perk rarity, which tends to increase the further you progress in a dungeon. In my playthrough, I managed to make it about a third of the way through the dungeon, where I ran into the first boss.
Time was dwindling. Well, technically, it was five past the hour, and people had already started packing up their stuff. However, as I just said, little old me had finally made it to the boss. Was I going to quit now? Hell no.
I had dealt with the first boss in Moonlighter dungeons before; they were always a cakewalk. They were usually some sort of warm-up to the mechanics of bosses in the area. Damn, was I wrong.
This thing was punishing. Time and time again, it would blast sound waves and bombs in my direction. Pushing the limits of my infinite dodge button to the max.
Occasionally, the boss would lay a grenade out for me to punch back in its direction. I'd slap-hazardly send it back toward its shields, breaking them down over time. Once I finally dropped those suckers, it was time to lay the punishment on. My little sword was doing all the damage it could with every swing, watching a ticking-time bomb arriving in the form of the boss standing up again.
Suddenly, we weren't alone. Once the boss regained its composure, it sent a plethora of enemies at me while recommencing the barrage of aerial attacks.
Five minutes in, and it was pretty damn clear this wasn't the same kind of boss fight I was used to in Moonlighter 2. This was an entirely different beast, one that was testing not only my skills but also my consistency and patience.
One mistake meant the loss of 10 to 20 health, which I had no way of getting back since I had managed to make it here with only two potions. Unfortunately, I'm down to 8 health. Any hit at this point means the end.
We repeat this dance several times, completely avoiding any and all damage. This is my moment. Then, out of nowhere, the boss destroys the part of the cover I was using to dodge his attacks.
It's time to lock in.
Another round, and the boss is down to the last bit of health. Two more waves of attack dodging, and I'm free to slaughter this nightmare.
I make it through the next wave, where he destroys the last bit of cover I owned in this boss arena. My only choice is to roll through the attacks, utilizing my iframes like a FromSoftware god.
Then it hits. The grenade I missed out of the corner of my eye. The merchant falls lifelessly to the ground below, red covering the screen.
A shout and a smile come across my entire body, and I shake my head briefly, realizing I could only blame myself. I had spammed one too many dodge-rolls and had hurled myself directly into an explosion. I look around, and the room is empty of all press and media. The only people behind me were a handful of developers who had been silently cheering me on while I took on a nearly 15-minute boss battle.
I apologize, not for being late to get off their game, but for letting them down. However, victory for them was never in the form of a boss kill, but the beaming smile Moonlighter 2: The Endless Vault put on my face.
Walking away from the table, I quickly caught up with some of the other media members at the event and started ranting about my experience. At this point, it wasn't about learning or sharing information but about gushing over something that far surpassed my expectations.
Moonlighter 2: The Endless Vault somehow manages to make every little mechanic from the original far more engaging and satisfying while respecting the legacy of Moonlighter. From the mercantile minigame, emergency-driven combat, and inventory management simulator, Moonlighter 2 is on a path bound for success.
If someone were to ask me, "Hey, Mike, should I play the first game before playing the sequel?" I'd tell them not to worry because Moonlighter 2 is just that much better, from beginning to death.
Moonlighter 2: The Endless Vault releases on Xbox Series X|S, Windows PC, Xbox Game Pass, PC Game Pass, and PlayStation 5 summer 2025.
