I was never really a big fan of roguelite games, they really weren’t part of my gaming career. However, Lost Castle 2 was a pleasant surprise for me. Lost Castle 2 is a game, released in 2026. Developed and published by Hunter Studio, it’s a 2D action-rpg with roguelike elements. It’s a sequel in the series, with the prequel being released nearly 10 years ago.
A Mysterious Opening
Launching the game will welcome you with a main menu that looks more simple than complex. The background’s vibrant castle and purple moon combined with the spooky soundtrack makes the game feel more mystical than boring and bland. It shows the game title, and some options in the menu.
When you start a new game, it will bring you to the save files part. The game supports up to 4 save files, giving room for multiple playthroughs for players. Selecting one of them will bring you into the introduction cutscene, that is taking place in a tavern. Here, an old treasure hunter tells a tale about these so called Ethereals, which are creatures that can produce expensive crystals. He mentions the outlying threat for these creatures, and that they should be handled. Then the game introduces the protagonist. You will have to manually create your own character for your playthrough. You can customize them from head to toes with accessories, and even already made presets if you are lazy. When you finish customization, the thieves guild will pick you up into their organization, and jump into the tutorial dungeon.
The tutorial will introduce movement and the combat system. It shows the environment of these dungeons as well. They are taking place in the forests of the world. The combat system is handled well, easy to pick up, and nothing too complicated. You have multiple attack types, like basic attack, special attack and dodge. With that comes the movement introduction which is just a simple movement, nothing special. This makes the game easy to learn and pick up, making new players not drift away from the game. Here, I found an interesting stat, which is worth keeping an eye on. Once you hit an enemy, a damage stat will appear on the screen. It shows the damage done, and your DPS which is also known as ‘Damage Per Second’. I think it’s a unique way to show how much damage the players can deal to enemies. Completing one dungeon level will reward you with multiple items, like runes, chests and mysterious treasure bags that can contain both good and bad things. They are nice, fun things that makes you feel like you earned something than just natural, bland progression with no reward. There’s a nice detail to the game. The more difficult dungeon levels you start, the more mystical and vibrant these forests become. It indicates for the player that the level is more difficult than the last one, but it also gives better rewards than a default one.
A Thief’s (Miss)Fortune
Completing the tutorial dungeon will end with a death from the tutorial boss. From then on, you wake up in a camp, which is the thieves camp. Here, you are welcomed by Ravia, who informs you about what happened. Once the dialogue ended, you can freely explore the camp, meet with various creatures or just start a new adventure. These creatures can help you with character customization, like hair styling, to even difficulty adjusting. One fun thing I found was this small dino-like creature that was running around the camp. It’s a fun, cute little touch, that shows how much care went into the game.
Once you die in a dungeon, you will spawn back at the camp. But this time, the camp upgrades are introduced, where the first one given for free, which is the Blacksmith’s building. This shows that the game has a great upgrade system, that makes the in-game currency more valuable. These dungeons are also randomly generated each time, which makes the game more unpredictable and harder. I think it’s a great addition for difficulty scale.
The Art of Combat
I have to talk about the combat system of the game, since its the main core of it and what it builds up on. I have to say, the combat feels fluid, and solid. It’s simple, doesn’t overdo what it supposed to do. There are multiple attack types. You have a basic attack, that will reward aggressive plays more than passive ones, but they also take longer to defeat an enemy. But there are also a special- and defensive attack too. Defensive attack will bring up the shield while being able to attack enemies at the same time. Special Attack is fully focused on all out attacking, with a shield ram, that can defeat even bigger enemies in one hit. It deals much more damage, but it makes your defense riskier. They all fit together though, because they balance each other out.
There’s one more attack type, which is a unique one. It’s throwing attacks. You can throw items, and enemies. They give you a new way to defeat your enemies without taking more risks.
A Game That Proves Me Wrong
If someone in 2026 would’ve told me, that a small roguelite game like this can be fun, I wouldn’t have believed them. But after playing Lost Castle 2, I have to admit I would’ve been wrong. It’s a fun game, that provides exploration, a nice combat, and a fun story overall. Everyone who likes a grindy game, with frequent death, but rewarding completion should try this game out. It does so much things well, and these things can be used as a foundation in later games or sequels to the game. It has a rather cartoonish artstyle that fits the genre perfectly. This game, in general, is worth playing.
