Remnant 2 Review — Scores, Verdict, and Whether It's Worth Buying in 2026

Short verdict: Remnant 2 is the rare sequel that improves on its predecessor in almost every way — critics landed at 80-85 (IGN 9/10, OpenCritic 82), it holds a "Very Positive" rating on Steam, and in 2026 it's still one of the best co-op shooters money can buy, especially on sale. Released July 25, 2023 by Gunfire Games (published by Gearbox, later Arc Games), it sold one million copies in its first four days and has been supported with three DLCs, free endgame updates, and a crossplay overhaul since. This review covers what critics praised, what they complained about, how it holds up in 2026, and how the DLC and hardcore mode change the picture.

Official resources: Steam store page · IGN review · Metacritic — Remnant II · OpenCritic — Remnant II · Official Remnant 2 news

The Scores: What Critics Said

Remnant 2 reviews were consistently strong at launch and have aged well:

IGN's verdict sums up the consensus: Remnant 2 "doesn't just reimagine the soulslike genre as a co-op looter-shooter, but absolutely nails that concept in nearly every way." The most-praised elements were the combat feel, the memorable boss fights, and a buildcrafting system deep enough to carry hundreds of hours — the same systems we break down in our archetypes guide and weapons guide.

The main criticisms at launch: a fluctuating difficulty curve, a thin early-game weapon pool (XGN's review called out "a scarcity of weapons for a FPS soulslike, especially in the early game"), and PC performance stutters that took several patches to fully iron out. The other big launch-era complaint — no crossplay — was addressed seven months later in the February 2024 update, covered in our crossplay guide.

Per the official Steam store page, the game promises "a mix of methodical and frenetic ranged/melee combat" across "dynamically generated dungeons and areas" — which is exactly what reviewers found most compelling.

What Remnant 2 Does Best

The combat. The third-person shooting is weighty and responsive — it's closer to a polished TPS than a pure soulslike, and the i-frame dodge economy rewards aggressive play. Every weapon category feels distinct, and the interplay between weapon mods, mutators and skills is where the depth lives.

The buildcrafting. Between 14 archetypes (dual-classed), 40 traits, 225+ rings and amulets, and the Dark Horizon prism system, there's an almost Borderlands-like theorycrafting ceiling — with the crucial difference that every build is viable through the hardest difficulty.

The boss design. World bosses like the Nightweaver, Sha'Hala and the One True King are the highlights reviewers kept coming back to — multi-phase, mechanically dense, and genuinely memorable.

The procedural worlds. Each of the four worlds (Yaesha, Losomn, N'Erud, Root Earth) generates differently per campaign, so every run has new dungeons, events and rewards to find. It's a design that rewards replays more than any story moment does.

Where It Stumbles

• Story and characters are thin — the lore is interesting (the Fae, the Root, the Drzyr), but the campaign is a framework for gameplay, not a narrative highlight.
• Early game pacing is the weakest stretch: the opening hours give you few weapons and the trait system feels restrictive until the 85-point cap discussion (see our traits guide) makes sense.
• Host-based co-op means your campaign progress lives on the host's save — fine with friends, awkward with randoms (Quickplay doesn't mix PC and console anyway).
• No cross-save — your characters stay on the platform you started them on.

The DLCs and the 2026 State of the Game

Remnant 2 shipped three paid DLCs, each adding a new archetype, weapons, and a story area: The Awakened King (Nov 14, 2023, Ritualist), The Forgotten Kingdom (Apr 23, 2024, Invoker), and The Dark Horizon (Sep 24, 2024, Warden). The Forgotten Kingdom holds a Metascore of 78, and the DLCs are generally considered solid value at $9.99 each.

More importantly, the big free Dark Horizon update (September 2024) added Boss Rush mode and the Prism system — a new endgame progression layer that re-energized the game's tail end (we cover both in our prisms guide). Combined with crossplay, a return to Game Pass in May 2026, and regular 75%-off sales, the game has more players and content in 2026 than it did at launch.

Hardcore Mode and Its Exclusive Rewards

For veterans, Hardcore Mode (permanent death on a dedicated character) adds real stakes, and it's the source of six exclusive rewards:

Note that scripted deaths (the Red Prince tribute, refusing the Red Empress, etc.) don't kill your Hardcore character, and Hardcore characters can only play with other Hardcore players. The ring rewards are covered in detail in our rings guide.

Is Remnant 2 Worth Buying in 2026?

Yes, with two caveats. If you want the complete experience, the Ultimate Edition ($69.99, regularly ~75% off) includes all three DLCs and the Survival Pack — see our Ultimate Edition guide for the breakdown. If you just want to try it, the Game Pass copy (when available) crossplays with every other PC version, and the base game alone is a complete 30-40 hour campaign.

The people who should NOT buy it: anyone who wants a story-driven single-player campaign (this is a co-op game first), and anyone who needs cross-save. Everyone else — especially co-op groups — is getting one of the best value shooters of the last five years.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Remnant 2 worth buying in 2026?

Yes. It's a complete package: base game plus three DLCs, crossplay, an active endgame (Boss Rush + prisms), and it goes on 75% sales regularly. It's one of the best co-op shooters on the market.

What did critics score Remnant 2?

IGN gave it 9/10; OpenCritic averages 82 across 119 critics; Metacritic sits at 80 on PC with console versions at 80-85. Steam users rate it "Very Positive" (~82% positive).

Is Remnant 2 better than Remnant: From the Ashes?

Almost universally yes. The class system replaced the old one-dimensional archetypes, buildcrafting is far deeper, combat is smoother, and the procedural worlds are denser. The main regression is nothing — most reviews call it a straight upgrade.

How long is Remnant 2?

The main campaign is roughly 20-25 hours, and about 30-40 with all side content. The endgame (all archetypes, prisms, Boss Rush, hardcore rewards) pushes dedicated players past 100 hours.

What are the Remnant 2 hardcore rewards?

Six items: the Savior long gun, Daredevil's Charm amulet, and four rings (Ahanae Crystal, Dran Scavenger Ring, Provisioner Ring, Drzyr Sniper Sigil). Only the Savior requires Veteran difficulty; the rest drop from Hardcore world-boss kills on any difficulty.

Related Guides

• Remnant 2 Ultimate Edition — Is It Worth the Price?
• Remnant 2 Archetypes Guide — All 14 Classes & Unlocks
• Is Remnant 2 Crossplay? Cross-Platform Co-op Guide
• Remnant 2 Weapons Guide — All Gun Types & the Best Picks
• Remnant 2 Traits Guide — All 40 Traits & Best Builds

Last updated: August 13, 2026.