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.
| Component | Positive | Quality (0-100) | Weight (pseudo-reviews) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Press reviews (OpenCritic) | – | 88 | 101 |
| All-time Steam reviews | 95% | 90 | 1000 |
| Metacritic user ratings | – | 82 | 36 |
| Post-patch Steam reviews (trust-weighted) | 92% | 87 | 769 |
| Calibration prior (typical game) | – | 72 | 50 |
Scoring window: since the last significant patch (Mar 19, 2026) · 300 reviews sampled · 769 total reviews in window · weighted 231.9 up / 19 down · computed 2h ago · full methodology →
Press & Creators reviews (56)
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.
- 95
“Monster Train 2 is a masterclass in sequel design. It retains the soul of its predecessor while expanding on every front, mechanics, content, and accessibility. It’s chaotic, strategic, and endlessly replayable. One of the greatest roguelike deckbuilders of all time just got even better. And yeah, Lazarus League for life, bay bee.”
read full review ↗ - 90
“Monster Train 2 isn't very beginner-friendly and doesn't lead you by the hand - you have to figure out a lot on your own. So your first few runs might not be the most exciting - when you're reading through every card, you'll waste a lot of time. But once you get a better grasp of everything, find interesting synergies, unlock bonus cards and start increasing the difficulty, it's hard to put down.”
read full review ↗ - 95
“Monster Train 2 is a prime example of a sequel that builds on the strong foundation laid by its predecessor. It doesn’t try to radically change a concept that worked, but instead expands and refines it. The result is a deep and extremely addictive strategy game that offers a vast array of different gameplay scenarios. The variety of clans, deck-building options, and fast-paced battles create a combination that can easily keep you engrossed for hours on end.”
read full review ↗ - 90
“I’m writing this right now while thinking about what I’m going to do in my next run and how long it’ll be until I can play Monster Train 2 again. I don’t know that I can give a game a better endorsement than that.”
read full review ↗ - 88
“It may not reinvent the wheel, but Monster Train 2’s clever modifications ensure this train keeps chugging along smoothly.”
read full review ↗ - 80
“If you’re not really a fan of deckbuilders, this game is not going to change your mind. But if you like them but often find them kind of disappointing, I think Monster Train 2 is going to be a real winner. It doesn’t do anything I’ve never seen before, but all the things it does that I have seen before are things it does really well. And that’s worthy of praise.”
read full review ↗ - 95
“Monster Train 2 is a worthy successor to one of the best roguelites of recent years, seemlessly blending tower-defense elements with a deeply engaging deck-building core. This sequel builds upon a sold base, pretty much doubling the number of available clans and cards to deliver a more faceded experience, adding a deeper story, endless mode and a good number of challenge runs.”
read full review ↗ - 80
“Monster Train 2 is a truly enjoyable experience that feels like the developers have successfully built upon it upon its predecessor’s foundation. Even though it took me a few runs to really get a handle on all the systems at play, once I did I was ‘full-steam ahead’ (these train puns doing it for you?). The new clans, strategic depth, and progression system are all a reason for any fan of the rogue-like deck-builders to try this game. Not to mention the banging soundtrack, some bright and colorful art for the cards and enemies and Monster Train 2 feels like a perfectly blended match made in heaven.”
read full review ↗ - 88
“Monster Train 2 is a well-crafted roguelike deck-building game that, even at launch, already provides a solid foundation for delivering the kind of gameplay fantasy most players are looking for. While the genre might not appeal to everyone and could be challenging for some, the game boasts an impressive level of polish and quality.”
read full review ↗ - 90
“I love Monster Train 2 now, and I suspect I’ll love it even more after putting 50 to 100 hours into it. Shiny Shoe did a fantastic job of keeping everything important in Monster Train, not disrespecting the original experience in any way, and implementing new Clans, card types, encounters, and mechanics that keep it challenging in a manageable way. Even the addition of a story is fascinating, considering the original only featured hints at the series’ lore. I love what the team did here, and Monster Train 2 ended up becoming as essential an entry in an roguelike library as the original.”
read full review ↗ - 90
“Monster Train 2 is pretty much everything a sequel should be: bigger, better, more refined, and more fun to play. Some of the mechanical changes are more akin to sideways upgrades, but even then, I preferred the new way once I got used to it. There's so much genuine enjoyment to be had with the game that I could barely put it down and stop playing. If I didn't have other titles to move on to, I would probably still be playing Monster Train 2. Fans of the original or fans of roguelike deck-builders will find a lot to love, and it's easily a must-play for fans of the genre.”
read full review ↗ - 90
“Monster Train 2 is a roguelike deckbuilder par excellence. Its design makes it clear that developer Shiny Shoe has a deep understanding and love of what is so enthralling about this particular subgenre and doubles down. It’s carriage after carriage of big numbers, satisfying combos, dizzying synergies and new tactical possibilities that have kept me tied to the tracks for dozens of hours already, and will likely haul away dozens more in my future.”
read full review ↗
TheBigBois
3DNews
Gaming Professors
Seasoned Gaming
Paste Magazine
Gamer Escape
Gamesource Italia
ZTGD
INVEN
Siliconera
Worth Playing
Checkpoint Gaming…and 44 more tracked reviews.
Patch history
- Patch Notes 2.2.1Apr 2, 2026
- Destiny of the Railforged Patch 2.2Mar 19, 2026significant · resets scoring window
- Destiny of the Railforged Patch 2.1Feb 12, 2026significant · resets scoring window
- Destiny of the Railforged Hotfix 2.0.4Feb 9, 2026
- Destiny of the Railforged Hotfix 2.0.3Feb 5, 2026
- Destiny of the Railforged Hotfix 2.0.2Feb 4, 2026
- Destiny of the Railforged Hotfix 2.0.1Feb 3, 2026
- Destiny of the Railforged is now LIVE! And the Wurmkin clan returns!Feb 2, 2026significant · resets scoring window
- Echoes from the Void Patch 1.3.1Nov 11, 2025significant · resets scoring window
- Echoes from the Void Adds New Bosses, Artifacts, and More to Monster Train 2Nov 5, 2025significant · resets scoring window
- Lost Arsenal Patch 1.2.3Sep 24, 2025significant · resets scoring window
- Lost Arsenal Patch 1.2.2Sep 16, 2025significant · resets scoring window
- Lost Arsenal Patch 1.2.1Sep 12, 2025significant · resets scoring window
- Lost Arsenal Free Content Update Out Now!Sep 10, 2025significant · resets scoring window
- Arsenal Preview 5: A First Look at Two New Lost Arsenal Cards!Sep 8, 2025significant · resets scoring window
- Content Roadmap and a Heartfelt Thank youJul 2, 2025significant · resets scoring window
- Patch Notes 1.1.3Jun 11, 2025
- Patch Notes 1.1.2Jun 5, 2025significant · resets scoring window
- Patch Notes May 28May 28, 2025