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GONNER2

GONNER2

Art in Heart · released Oct 21, 2020

ActionIndiePCPlayStation 4Xbox One, Xbox Series XNintendo Switch

In this sequel to GoNNER: Journey your way through deep dark chaotic places with unimaginable sparks of colour as you go on a mission to help Death rid a mysterious presence from her lair. Battle crazy bosses, lose your head (a lot), in this messy, cute, fast-paced procedurally-generated platformer.

69
VGC Score
·No trend datalow confidence
73%
At launch
70%
Steam all-time
69%
Press
100%
Recent sentiment

Screenshots & trailers

Review sentiment over time

Weekly positive-review rate (green) and review volume (bars). Dashed lines mark significant patches; the amber line is the start of the current scoring window. Hover the dots to see what drove a dip or a jump.

How this score was computed

The VGC Score is a weighted blend on a press-comparable 0-100 quality scale. Steam approval rates are first calibrated (95% positive on Steam ≈ 89.5 quality, since Steam approval skews high). Press and tracked creator reviews each count ~2x a player review and share one cap against player evidence (creator buy/skip calls pool into an approval rate, calibrated like Steam approval); all-time sentiment is capped and halved (it's context, not verdict); reviews of the current build carry the most weight when a fresh patch anchors the window; and a 'typical game' prior keeps small samples from pegging the scale. Because press reviews and Metacritic user aggregates describe the launch build, their weight decays as the game ages (3-year half-life after a 1-year grace). That's how a game that launched rough can outgrow its old reception once updates win players over. Reviews under 2h playtime (the refund window), non-Steam activations, and free copies are downweighted.

ComponentPositiveQuality (0-100)Weight (pseudo-reviews)
Press reviews (OpenCritic)698
All-time Steam reviews70%6771
Metacritic user ratings0
Post-patch Steam reviews (trust-weighted)100%971
Calibration prior (typical game)7250

Scoring window: last 30 days (no significant patch detected) · 2 reviews sampled · 2 total reviews in window · weighted 0.4 up / 0 down · computed 3h ago · full methodology →

Press & Creators reviews (14)

Individual verdicts from outlets we track: scored reviews first, most trusted outlets first among them. The small badge is each outlet's trust score: how well its scoring history aligns with players.

  • 70
    trust 75Oct 23, 2020

    It takes time to figure out just what you're doing, but anyone looking for a strong challenge will find a lot to love with GoNNER2. It builds upon the original game's premise well and by offering co-operative campaign play, adds significant replayability with friends. It's not a flawless game by any means, and players who prefer a more guided experience would do better to look elsewhere but, those caveats aside, GoNNER2 still makes for a compelling experience that comes recommended, if you're up for the challenge.

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  • 79
    trust 70Oct 22, 2020

    I absolutely adore the original GoNNER but I won't deny that it's a love that wasn't easy to develop in the early going...

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  • 80
    trust 67Dec 11, 2020

    "Press Jump to Die" perfectly describes the difficulty posed in Gonner2. It's a brutal unapologetic platformer roguelike that shows its style at all angles. In the character design, unnerving minimalist soundtrack, and world building there's something special here. The game does a lot with a little and in the end it's tricky to decipher what. That's just up to you to "press jump."

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  • 40
    trust 65Dec 24, 2020

    Gonner 2's main aim is to make your life a living hell. If you think you're 'ard enough, Gonner 2 is here to prove you really aren't, and if that's your type of thing then you can go right ahead. The procedurally generated levels can seem unfair and overly random in places, often leading to the end of a run, but its controls, music and artstyle have to be commended for creating such a gritty and dark atmosphere. Fitting for a game that'll make you want to die.

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  • 80
    trust 63Oct 23, 2020

    GONNER2 has tight platformer shooter gameplay that can sometimes become difficult to parse through the game's unique aesthetic style.

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  • 80
    trust 60Nov 9, 2020

    All in all, GONNER2 stays true to the roguelite genre by giving players a run for their money. By playing the same level in a different layout repeatedly, players will need to focus on either taking their time and picking off enemies one by one, or blasting through the level with their trusty rifle and friends, hoping they come out alive to fight another day. The platformer’s way of revealing portions of a level at a time keeps players on their toes and refuses to be predictable. With bright colors and ever-changing challenges, players will be able to test their adaptive skills by themselves or with others, and GONNER2 is an excellent roguelite for fans of these kinds of games.

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  • 65
    trust 60Oct 28, 2020

    There are simply way too many good roguelikes out there, games that are way better than GoNNER2 in every single aspect. This game isn’t as polished as Hades, relatable as Going Under, or revolutionary as The Crown Tundra‘s Max Lair mode. Simply put, it might be interesting for those who enjoyed the first GoNNER a few years ago, but if you’re new to the franchise, this definitely won’t impress you that much.

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  • 90
    trust 60Oct 28, 2020

    When it comes to roguelite shooters, you’ll be hard pressed to find a better offering than GoNNER 2. While certainly challenging and a bit obtuse at times, once things click you’ll find yourself having a hard time resisting the urge for another run.

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  • 70
    trust 60Oct 30, 2020

    GONNER 2 is a fast paced and brutal roguelike with plenty of madness thrown in for good measure. Local co-op will have you coming back for more but little niggles and an over the top difficulty mean this game falls just short of greatness.

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  • 80
    trust 55Nov 26, 2020

    Although it looks like an extremely simple title, GONNER 2 offers an intense action experience in conjunction with a good amount of content. The use of repetition as part of the gameplay forces players to give up the search for perfection and this, to some extent, reinforces the game's strengths. If you do not care too much about the process of dying continuously, the insistent return to the environments will always provide more charm than displeasure, mainly due to the novelty of the procedural phases. It's certainly not a title that appeals to everyone, but does it have to be? I think not. So, grab your head, bag and weapons, and go to the fight.

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  • 70
    trust 53Oct 23, 2020

    The more die-hard fans of the first game may be able to get past the more frustrating elements of GONNER2, but others may be turned off by how cheap it can get at times. Still, the core gameplay is simple yet enjoyable, and like before, GONNER2 looks and sounds stunning. But the end result is like when you watch an older cartoon at a higher FPS: it's faster, still pretty, and the content at the core is still the same, yet there's still this awkward quality to it that's just hard to ignore.

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  • 75
    trust 51Oct 26, 2020

    GONNER2 is a fast-paced run and gun adventure. It is exciting to defeat enemies in combos while escaping danger, especially when death is often on the prowl. The exotic setting stands out and it is a delight to explore its colorful world, even if it is common to get lost in the visual confusion. The difficulty is severe and you will die a lot until you reach the end of the adventure. Unfortunately, the content of the game is limited, roguelike aspects, such as different equipment and procedural generation, alleviate this feeling, even if it is not always enough. In the end, GONNER2 is an intense and brief experience.

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…and 2 more tracked reviews.

Patch history