After Slay the Spire, I was hungry for more deck-building roguelikes, and Monster Train, along with its sequel, absolutely delivered. Both games shine thanks to the constant decision-making across multiple floors as enemies climb toward your pyre. That said, this isn’t a retrospective on either of those titles, so I’ll keep this part short.

We’re here to talk about the very first DLC for Monster Train 2, Destiny of the Railforged. However, if you would like to hear our thoughts on the base game first, you can check out our full review before diving into the new content.

The DLC introduces two new clans, along with an entirely new game mode called Soul Saviour. At its core, it plays much like a standard run of Monster Train 2, but with an interesting new mechanic. Each run has you equipping souls that grant different effects and abilities as you make your way toward the Lifemother, along with four other bosses standing in your path.

The Souls can be incredibly powerful, often giving you the edge in a mode that can feel tougher than the base game’s runs. For example, Ghastbud grants Titanite and reduces a unit’s energy cost by two, and it can be upgraded for even stronger effects. Silver is another standout for me, randomly granting your pyre either five extra health or five additional damage after each boss is defeated.

It’s needed because the enemies are HARD. A lot of the basic foes you’ll come up against have debuffs of their own. Decay steals your damage and applies it to the enemy, for example, so take them down quickly, otherwise your run is over before it even starts.

Each boss has a major ability as well. Lylith the Spurned gains Dualism at 50% health, or Maera the Dutiful, who applies 3 rage to enemy units when they shift between floors.

Thankfully, the main new clan in the DLC is a blast to use, no pun intended. The Railforged, who gain forge points, can spend these points to gain extra armour or more damage. The card, Spikedriver factory, is going to be your best friend, assembling spider cards that go into your hand and, once played, gain massive amounts of damage. I had one at one stage, which did 45×2 damage; it’s absurd, yet I love it.

The stops along the way largely mirror those of the base game, though this time you’re travelling through what could best be described as the Soul Realm. You’ll still choose between branching paths, whether you’re looking to recruit more units, heal your pyre, or bolster your deck in other ways.

New songs have been added during the boss fights and regular encounters as well, and, like the base game, these are fantastic. If you like the metal riffs you already know, then you’ll love this

Monster Train 2: Destiny of the Railforged is a great way to get a new experience out of what is already a fantastic roguelike. It’s tough, but fantastic new systems and the brilliant new Railforged clan make it so fun to experiment with. I can’t wait to see what else they can do.

Written by: Dylan Kocins