Risk of Rain 2 review: The alien planet would like you to stop collecting things

The big picture

Risk of Rain 2 turns “just one more item” into a survival philosophy with some worrying holes in it. You explore, shoot and gather equipment while time pushes the difficulty upward. Becoming stronger is essential, but taking too long to become stronger gives the opposition time to improve its own position on the subject of your continued existence. The planet does not pause because you've spotted something shiny and would like a closer look. Time and item systems

Originally developed by Hopoo Games, with current expansion development by Gearbox Software and publishing through Gearbox Publishing/2K, the third-person roguelike entered PC Early Access March 28, 2019, and reached 1.0 on August 11, 2020. Its attraction is growing from vulnerable survivor into a questionable concentration of interacting effects, then discovering that the enemies have also been working on themselves. Steam listing

Thoroughness has developed teeth

Time continually increases difficulty, attaching a cost to exploration. A detour might strengthen you enough to justify itself; it might simply leave stronger enemies waiting when you finish. That makes your route part of the build. Clearing every corner stops being an obviously prudent choice and becomes a negotiation with a clock that has never once admired anybody's attention to detail. Developer explanation

That pressure gives collection urgency, but it can irritate players still learning where things are. Getting lost doesn't earn an extension. Nor should you assume every run will fit neatly between other plans: choosing to continue rather than head toward an ending can stretch the session. The invitation to keep escalating is powerful, especially when a build is becoming interesting. Make your plans around the possibility that you will develop strong feelings about one more stage.

Your character changes the question

Different survivors change how you move, attack and handle the same spaces. An item combination therefore needs considering alongside the character carrying it. Unlockable skills add another layer to a familiar survivor, giving repeated use a direction instead of reducing everything to a lottery for better loot. A run can become an experiment with a specific question, although the enemies remain very rude about letting you finish the experiment.

Artifacts that change item selection shift the emphasis toward intentional construction. That can help you understand interactions while reducing the need to improvise around what appears. Choose according to what you enjoy. There is no special prize for refusing a rule option because an imaginary spectator might think you were insufficiently inconvenienced.

The trade-off is visual readability. Growing crowds and stacked effects can compete with information you need to survive. An extravagantly powerful build is entertaining in principle, but the important projectile still needs to be located somewhere inside the spectacle. Players who prize clean feedback and precise visual control should treat that as a genuine consideration. More fireworks do not automatically make it easier to identify the thing currently trying to kill you.

Four friends need compatible copies

Online co-op can turn the escalating experiment into a shared event, particularly when different survivors give everyone a distinct role. Steam and Epic Games Store support crossplay with compatible settings, but that does not establish universal play across all platforms. Older and newer console versions have diverging updates, and 2K says that split ends cross-generation co-op. Check platforms and installed versions before buying for a group. The first challenge should be surviving the planet, not persuading four storefront purchases to acknowledge each other. PC crossplay, Console split

More things to become wildly attached to

The expansion range includes Survivors of the Void, Seekers of the Storm, Alloyed Collective and Hallowed Concepts. Alloyed Collective adds survivors, stages and a substantial drone component. Hallowed Concepts arrived October 8, 2026, bringing Enforcer, Acolyte, haunted areas, Trials and new item systems. One owner's copy enables its environments, enemies and items in a shared lobby; each player needs their own copy to choose its survivors and permanently unlock its content. Alloyed Collective, Hallowed Concepts

Current content targets Windows, native PS5 and native Xbox Series X|S. PS4, Xbox One and Switch remain playable but receive no new content development. Switch 2 compatibility runs that older Switch branch. Some older-console bundles can list DLC requiring newer hardware, so scrutinize contents before assuming the purchase button has considered your circumstances. Console online co-op also requires the relevant platform subscription. Legacy guidance

Steam Deck is rated Playable, with small interface text a caveat. Portal cloud streaming requires PlayStation Plus Premium, game access, a supported region and a suitable connection. Start with the base game unless an expansion's particular toys appeal. Risk of Rain 2 makes a strong case to players who enjoy improvisation and escalating excess. Just remember that the next item might solve your problems, including the one caused by spending too long looking for the previous item. Deck report, PlayStation editions