Remnant 2 completely revamps your build choices, and soars as a result

pcgamesn.com:

Remnant 2 – the third-person Souls-like and co-op shooter from Gunfire Games – is set to release later this year, and while PCGamesN was at GDC 2023 in San Francisco, we had the chance of going hands-on with the Remnant: From The Ashes sequel, and the co-op game has overhauled its progression and build customisation so much that you’ll never have the same character twice.

Soon after revealing Remnant 2 at The Game Awards last year, Gunfire Games offered me the chance to play the game. To temper your expectations, I played as three of the game’s classes – or archetypes as they’re called – repeatedly in one level and against one boss. I didn’t play the game in co-op either, so exactly how all of Remnant 2’s systems stack up when played alongside others remains to be seen.

If you haven’t played the original Remnant: From the Ashes, it’s important to note that Gunfire Games has really leaned into some of the core design principles of the genre defined by Dark Souls. Spatial awareness is key, so understanding what each enemy can do, how they can move, and what they’ll be doing when not in your peripheral vision is vital. Combining this with solid shooting mechanics and a wide range of guns is a lot of fun, as once you find yourself dodge rolling around enemies and their attacks while popping off crits and using your abilities, everything about Remnant 2 starts to click.

It might take a while to get to that clicking point though, as the new passive abilities and archetype system are a lot to get your head around. I was forced into playing mid-game with a complete build (such is the nature of a preview) but with some proper onboarding, you’ll be there in no time.

The new archetype system is a really fun twist on the original