Prepare for an epic journey as demons and angels unite against the Titans in "Monster Train 2!" Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we're looking at the most important information you need to know before playing the anticipated upcoming sequel.
00:00This video is brought to you by Monster Train 2. Available now on Steam, PlayStation 5, Nintendo Switch, and Xbox Series X and S.
00:12Angels and demons alike must put aside old grudges to forge an alliance and end this war once and for all.
00:23Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we're going over all the information you need to know before playing the roguelike deck building sequel, Monster Train 2.
00:40The Original
00:44If you're unfamiliar with Monster Train, then it's best we start at the beginning.
00:49The original game was released in 2020 on PC, before eventually making its way to Switch, iOS, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X slash S.
00:59It was a big hit for Shiny Shoe, an indie developer who's been making games since 2011, including co-developing remasters for classic LucasArts adventure games like Grim Fandango.
01:10With an addictive gameplay loop that kept you playing for hours, it earned immediate praise.
01:23It even received several awards and nominations from various outlets.
01:27With as much love as it got, the developers were able to keep the train rolling by supporting it with multiple updates and expansions.
01:34Needless to say, excitement for the sequel is quite high.
01:45The Gameplay
01:46As mentioned, Monster Train 2 is a roguelike deck builder.
02:00Players draw a hand of cards each round, holding different creatures, characters, spells, and the like.
02:06The purpose? To defend your train against the enemy forces seeking to destroy it.
02:11You can activate your cards on one of several floors, although you obviously have no way of knowing what cards you'll draw,
02:18what order the enemies will appear in, or what rewards you'll get to choose from after completing a battle.
02:30Enemies attempt to make it to the top of the train to damage your pyre.
02:34Once it runs out of health, it's game over, and you'll have to start another run.
02:41The Story
02:47Although the main draw of Monster Train 2 is its satisfying gameplay hook and strategy, there's still a story.
02:55During the first game, after the forces of Heaven violated a truce and attacked Hell, the underworld froze over.
03:01Its citizens were displaced, and players led a train of their forces in order to return home.
03:14The sequel sees you traveling towards Heaven this time, though not in a quest for retribution.
03:20Mighty titans have taken over, threatening to destroy everything.
03:23A truce is formed between angels and demons once again to defeat this new foe.
03:30The developers have promised more world building and lore this time around, which should delight fans who want to know more.
03:35Who want to know more?
03:43New clans
03:52Monster Train launched with five clans to choose from, and a sixth added through DLC.
03:57You'd choose one as your primary clan, and a second as their allies, but they each had different creatures, spells, and artifacts that had their own unique mechanics to strategize with.
04:09Similarly, Monster Train 2 is launching with five all-new clans.
04:13You start with two of them, angels known as the Banished trying to reclaim their home, and the Pyreborn, a clan made up of dragons.
04:21Unlocking the other three, the Luna Coven, the Under Legion, and the Lazarus League takes fulfilling certain requirements in combat.
04:38Similar to the first, these have their own mechanics, such as the Pyreborn's ability to add stacks of Pyre Gel to enemies, which increases the damage they take from every attack.
04:47New card types
05:04With new clans comes new cards, and the team has put in the work.
05:09Monster Train 2 will launch with more than 200 new cards to unlock and upgrade.
05:13These include the creature and spell types that seasoned players will be familiar with, but there are also new types that will play into your strategy.
05:28There is now equipment, which can be added onto any given unit for different buffs, or even debuffs to enemy factions.
05:34Another new inclusion is the room card.
05:37These types create an effect on one of your train's floors, like dealing damage to all units, including your own.
05:44Every card comes with a short descriptor as well, which adds to the world building for players who want to seek out lore.
05:50The main mode of Monster Train sees you moving through combat encounters until you reclaim heaven, choosing different paths in between fights to gain different types of rewards.
06:11However, this won't be the only way to play.
06:14Two modes from the original game are returning.
06:17There are daily challenges, which feature a variety of gameplay modifications and test you against players around the world.
06:24There are also custom challenges, where players can design and share their own fights.
06:29One mode not returning, however, is Hell Rush, a timed competitive multiplayer mode with eight players that was reportedly removed because it wasn't as popular.
06:47Two new modes will appear in the sequel.
06:49There's Endless Mode, to see how long you can make it against increasingly difficult challenges.
06:54Then there's the Dimensional Portal, which offers challenges handcrafted by the dev team with their own rules and modifications, where you can earn cosmetic rewards.
07:13Undoing Your Mistakes
07:24In the original game, once you made a decision, you had to live with it.
07:28If things went poorly, you either had to stick with it and try to turn things around, or abandon the run.
07:33Naturally, one of the more popular mods for the game was one that allowed you to restart combat from the start.
07:39The developers seemingly saw how much players enjoyed the safety net, and so have implemented their own for the sequel.
07:46In the menu, you'll now be able to restart a fight from the top.
07:50More than that, there's now an Undo button so that you can restart your individual round.
07:55This will likely make things much more manageable if a player's action has unintended consequences.
08:09Growing Stronger
08:11Just like the original, there will be a variety of ways to grow stronger as you move through your run in Monster Train 2.
08:27You'll earn gold after every combat encounter, as well as a collection of rewards to choose from based on your clans, like cards and artifacts.
08:36Also post-combat, you can choose different paths for your train to go down.
08:40These hold merchants that can upgrade either your units or spells for a price,
08:45spots to heal your train should it have taken any damage,
08:48more new cards to choose from, and randomized encounters that can either benefit your train or give you an edge in the next fight.
08:55Better choose your paths wisely, though.
08:57Train customization.
08:58Since your train is the most important part of the game, it's important you take care of it as best you can.
09:02We've already talked about room cards and randomized upgrades you can encounter on your path,
09:04but there are also permanent ways to change your train.
09:05Before starting a run, you'll be placed in a hub world, which holds areas you can unlock as you progress.
09:10One place you can visit from the start is the train depot.
09:15Here you can choose between cosmetic layouts for each room on your train, but they each require different criteria to unlock.
09:22You will also be able to unlock new pyre hearts, which come with unique stats and effects.
09:35can visit from the start is the train depot. Here you can choose between
09:39cosmetic layouts for each room on your train, but they each require different
09:43criteria to unlock. You'll also be able to unlock new pyre hearts, which come
09:47with unique stats and effects. Just another way to customize combat to your
09:52benefit.
10:06You have the option to be notified for occasional videos, or all of
10:09them. If you're on your phone, make sure to go into your settings and switch on
10:12notifications.
10:16information. Monster Train 2 was announced in February of 2025. The announcement also brought
10:27news of a demo on Steam which delighted fans of the original. The demo has since received a lot
10:33of positive word of mouth and feedback from the player base, and the wait is finally over.
10:38Monster Train 2 is available now for PC, PS5, Switch, and Xbox Series X slash S.
10:45Although there has been no word of post-launch updates or expansions, the original game did
10:50receive plenty of them. Something that has been teased, however, are crossovers with other
10:55properties. One has since been confirmed, a collaboration with another roguelike,
11:00the delectably dark simulation game Cult of the Lamb.
11:09Are you excited to pick up Monster Train 2? What features are you looking forward to the most?
