The original Minecraft Dungeons was a charming, entry-level introduction to the ARPG genre, but the overly simplistic systems meant it didn't have the staying power that many friend groups were looking for. Now, Minecraft Dungeons 2 is just a few weeks away from launch. While it may look quite a bit similar to the original, Mojang is making sweeping changes to the delightful Diablo-like action RPG to deepen its systems and smooth over the rough points.
The mission structure is being overhauled entirely. Gone are the isolated procedural levels you select and load into, as a fully interconnected open world with no loading screens is incoming. This should completely change the pacing, allowing squads to stumble upon side quests and secrets seamlessly as they head towards distant objectives. Characters can even jump now for even more added mobility in this expanded world.
You won't need a hand-picked friend group to explore this new world either, as online matchmaking is finally coming in. From all the new additions, I'd call this the most important new feature considering the game's focus on cooperative play.
Whether you are hunting for specific armor sets or trying to clear high-tier endgame content, you will no longer have to rely solely on your immediate friend group to get your ARPG fix. Cross-platform crossplay support across PC, Xbox, PlayStation, and Switch will help with lowering matchmaking times tremendously.
While the ever-popular block-based universe is returning in Dungeons 2, some of the biomes that you'll be exploring with friends or matchmade teammates won't be the very familiar. Mojang is introducing an entirely new dimension (The Sift) into the mix to shake up the enemies and bosses players will be facing, letting it explore more interesting and unusual designs than sticking with what we've been seeing inside Minecraft for almost 20 years now.
The gear we loot and how we use them was the most important part of this genre's gameplay loop, and that's another overhauled area in the sequel. Taking a page out of the regular Minecraft's own book, armor is coming in split into separate sections (Head, Chest, Legs, and Feet) offering much more customization and magical effect combinations. There's even an overlay-like inventory system coming in to quickly swap items if needed. This should lower those moments of accidentally leaving behind a friend or two behind while they wrestle with their loot after a fight.
On the same note, Talismans are incoming as a brand-new addition to ramp up the passive effects that players can mix and match in their adventures. The original game's limited slots did make it a fun little pickup-and-play experience, but there was almost nothing in the form of build crafting.
These changes alone make Minecraft Dungeons 2 sound more like a proper ARPG and should populate your squad’s nightly play sessions for much longer than the original.
