The Forgotten Kingdom is the second DLC for Remnant 2, coming a few months after the release of The Awakened King. This time we’re thrust into an area based on the world of Yaesha, with a new storyline to uncover and the usual tidbits of new content, including the Invoker archetype. There are no major innovations here, just another tight, gripping expansion that brings more of the good old Remnant 2 grind and the powerful gameplay, but may end up leaving some fans thirsty for more.
Yaesha and the Invoker
The first content expansion was set in the biome of Losomn, which personally is one of my favorites, and was used to great effect. The towering view from the castle looming over the village is an impressive sight and one to forever treasure in memory, and the world felt appealing, creepy, involving in all the right ways. It was definitely a highlight, a worthy addition and showcase for what Gunfire Games can do within this universe.
The Forgotten Kingdom doesn’t quite deliver any similar epic moments. It’s much more contained, standard fare in terms of design, almost dull at times, with Yaesha far from having the same charm as the awe-inspiring Losomn. The true verticality moments are few and far between, the world is visually getting tiresome, despite still looking pretty, and the excitement from the previous expansion is gone. As a comparison, the bosses from The Awakened King leave much stronger marks than the ones here, which lack the flair and sometimes the size.
Story-wise, The Forgotten Kingdom is once again below the quality of the first expansion. The massive castle and the story behind The One True King was something that gripped players, but this time we have a vengeful spirit called Lydusa and a fairly barebones tale that I won’t spoil here, but that is mostly dished out by a single character whom you will encounter in a few different locations. It’s neither deep nor meaningful, in fact it’s almost too easy to ignore the tidbits of info that he delivers once in a while, but doing so may deprive you entirely of any lore for this DLC, so it’s best to listen to his ramblings as you take a breather from all the action.
Luckily, Remnant 2 remains as addictive and challenging as ever. You can’t have too much of a good thing, they say, and the combination of hardcore difficulty and rewarding combat remains as the main draw of the game. Familiar stuff for sure, but engaging, and the few new bosses will pose an interesting challenge when all is said and done, from the Cinderclad Monolith to The Stonewarden, ending with the expected final showdown with Lydusa.
A new archetype is already a tradition brought by the Remnant 2 DLCs, this time the spotlight being on the Invoker. You are going to need to find its engram to unlock it, this time an old flute. The way to discover it is as obscure as ever, only a true fan of the series will have the might to do so, and then you’ll be able to switch into a class harnessing the mystical forces of nature. The Invoker is perfect for cooperative play, with its prime perk Visionary doubling the number of base skill charges for all archetypes, and other skill reduces cooldowns, so it’s easy to see how effective it can be in a party.
More of a Good Souls
The Forgotten Kingdom marks a step back from the previous expansion. It’s not as gripping story-wise or even in terms of design as The Awakened King, the world of Yaesha starting to outstay its welcome. There isn’t a glimpse of the amazing verticality seen in the first DLC, the locations and dungeons fail to match the magnitude of that adventure, and overall it’s just a sufficient update to a great game. Come for the new bosses and Invoker class, stay for the usual fantastic and weighty combat and cooperative play, and hope that the third DLC ends the trilogy with a bang worthy of the series.
Score: 6.5/10
Pros:
- A solid but unremarkable new adventure
- The Invoker class is a good build for cooperative play
Cons:
- Yaesha is starting to wear thin
- Dungeons don’t feel as exciting as in the previous DLC
- Story isn’t very gripping
Remnant 2: The Forgotten Kingdom DLC review code was provided by the publisher. You can read MP1st’s review and scoring policy right here.