videogamescritic
← all games
THE GAME OF LIFE 2

THE GAME OF LIFE 2

Marmalade Game Studio Ltd · released Dec 11, 2020

CasualSimulationStrategy

The official sequel to the hit board game played by 50 million fans! The Game of Life 2 adds vibrant 3D animation and brand-new choices in every turn. Customise your peg, spin the spinner and build your best life!

73
VGC Score
Improvinghigh confidence
69%
At launch
78%
Steam all-time
60%
Press
86%
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)607
All-time Steam reviews78%731000
Metacritic user ratings0
Post-patch Steam reviews (trust-weighted)86%7914
Calibration prior (typical game)7250

Scoring window: last 30 days (no significant patch detected) · 41 reviews sampled · 23 total reviews in window · weighted 16.2 up / 2.7 down · computed 3h ago · full methodology →

Press & Creators reviews (10)

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.

  • 75
    trust 70Mar 29, 2021

    OK, so The Game of Life… you know, that board game probably everyone has played a bunch...

    read full review ↗
  • 80
    trust 64Apr 14, 2021

    GREAT - The Game of Life 2 takes on the classic board game, and gives it a fresh look with several themes, and some updated and enticing gameplay. With the ability to play any way you like with friends, strangers, or just alone against CPU opponents on your lunch break, the game finds its footing equally with the cartoony graphics, responsive touch controls, and quick game rounds. The Game of Life 2 doesn’t disappoint for really any age group to dive in and see where life takes them.

    read full review ↗
  • 50
    trust 61Apr 26, 2021

    The Game of Life 2 fails to build meaningfully upon a classic title, instead opting for superfluous DLC and an inflated price point, making for a final product that feels, ironically enough, lifeless and bland.

    read full review ↗
  • 60
    trust 61Mar 30, 2021

    Had The Game of Life 2 been sub-£20, it’d be easier to recommend. But its asking price of £30 feels far too steep for what’s included here. One game will last only around 30 minutes, and since you’ll see the same random opportunities and job titles come up again and again, you’re probably not likely to want to keep playing. Unless you’re a die-hard fan of the board game, wait until it’s on sale. It’s enjoyable in small doses, but not at RRP.

    read full review ↗
  • 80
    trust 59Apr 8, 2021

    As the title suggests, The Game of Life 2 is the video game adaptation of the Hasbro board game, The Game of Life. Aside from a few changes (more on that below) the game is exactly the same as its real-world counterpart.

    read full review ↗
  • 75
    trust 56Jun 24, 2022

    The Game of Life 2 is a colorful, vibrant, and very competent adaptation of the traditional board title of the same name for the digital universe, with basic mechanics for any type of player to enjoy. However, because it relies heavily on the random factor, something it inherited from the original work, it can frustrate or bore the most experienced.

    read full review ↗
  • 50
    trust 54Apr 14, 2021

    Even more than Monopoly, The Game of Life is a board game from a bygone era. Once upon a time, the nice, meandering journey through suburban life and expectations thereof that the game depicted was considered a representation of a happy, wholesome life experience, but in 2021 lionising that seems incredibly passe. Sticking a "2" next to the title while not doing much to address this dissonance doesn't paper over the fact that very few people actually want to play The Game of Life these days.

    read full review ↗
  • 45
    trust 49Mar 30, 2021

    It's fun for a game or two, but when you realise how much less The Game of Life 2 costs on mobile you'll want to spin again.

    read full review ↗
  • 75
    trust 47Jun 29, 2022

    A classic and nostalgic board game, The Game of Life 2 is just like real life–it is short, sweet, and you might get paid decently but your taxes are insanely high. It’s a fun game to play with family and friends without having to purchase additional equipment. Plus, bonus points for being easy to understand. Sadly, I found it hard to buy a house. But as I said, this is just like real life.

    read full review ↗
  • 56
    trust 45Mar 29, 2021

    Unless you're a hardcore fan of the original board game or you're looking a simple game to play with your kids, it's hard to wholeheartedly recommend The Game of Life 2. That being said, it does have some lovely graphics and fun themes.

    read full review ↗

Patch history