Between all of the critically acclaimed titles of final 12 months, invariably kneecapping 2024 out of the gate on amount and high quality, I had a gentle spot for Remnant 2. Then The Woke up King arrived and jogged my memory that the extra issues modified, the extra they stayed the identical for Gunfire Video games’ strategy to DLC. The Forgotten Kingdom didn’t do a lot to reignite my ardour, even when it delivered a robust Archetype within the Invoker and the overpowered Monolith.
With Yaesha and Losomn out of the way in which, it’s time to return to N’Erud, maybe my favourite location from the bottom sport regardless of criticisms of flatness. The Darkish Horizon takes place in an unknown part of the Drzyr’s forlorn assemble centered on agriculture, which both failed given the rotting and discolored nature of the crops or succeeded based mostly on the sheer yield of those abominations. Regardless, not even a couple of minutes into the DLC, it hit me with one of many unintentionally greatest set-ups for a plotline – discovering the perpetrator behind my destroyed elevate.
“Gunfire Video games shakes issues up by separating some places into floating landmasses, accessible solely by glider.”
I used to be to retrieve a prototype droid’s head, traipse throughout literal darkish horizons and battle N’Erud horrors whose existence solely simply got here to mild… simply due to a bumpy fall. This isn’t the perfect set-up for a DLC storyline, particularly when it culminates in a space-defying battle. However rattling, if the sheer madness of the premise didn’t make me chuckle.
To the writing crew’s credit score, the interactions have been fairly enjoyable. The enemy is satisfied they may wipe me out, pushing the telepathic dialog to the possibly aneurysm-inducing brink, citing Cass and the way I relegated her to the service provider life again in Ward 13 initially.
In the meantime, I’m mocking it for lacking out on the human expertise of struggling, sentimentality and inevitable futility whereas additionally threatening a beatdown. For all of the emotional attachment that the remainder of his new space impressed, this made for some tremendous banter.
The earlier DLC was content material to maintain you comparatively grounded when battling enemies in fancy hallways, trap-filled ruins, and low cost Yharnam. Gunfire Video games shakes issues up by separating some places into floating landmasses, accessible solely by glider. Air drafts propel the participant upward. Not solely would you must think about unexplored areas, but in addition how excessive mentioned drafts might take you earlier than the inevitable drift into the deathly sea of ooze beneath. Veer an excessive amount of off target, and enemies will shoot you out of the air.
“Maybe the worst new occasion includes breaking via lethal fuel canisters and progressing via rooms earlier than it might probably totally envelop them…”
In comparison with N’Erud’s base desolate wastes, this can be a respectable change of tempo for the exploration. The expired vegetation introduces a wrinkle or two, particularly in occasions the place activating a terminal would trigger enemies to spawn, considerably hid within the weeds.
Having to drop down beneath to achieve sure places or navigating the crevasses and cliffs off to the perimeters additionally brought about a rethink when desperately making an attempt to fill within the map. Making an attempt to navigate all this whereas progressing or exploring new areas can really feel tedious with out precise instructions (and isn’t breaking any large new floor mechanically). Moreover, there are harrowing walkways and slender corridors to uncover, identical to within the base sport’s model of N’Erud.
At instances, sure sections can really feel straight-up reused – the endlessly spiraling towers with desolate backgrounds evoke an odd sense of deja vu. Nonetheless, among the mechanics of those places can really feel distinctive. A stealth part includes avoiding detection by robots to bypass the door forward (the place Hunter’s Mark is helpful since it might probably sense them via partitions).
One other facilities on reaching the highest of a spire whereas battling enemies, with platforms ascending and descending at transient intervals and enemies continuously spawning. Maybe the worst of it includes breaking via lethal fuel canisters and progressing via rooms earlier than it might probably totally envelop them – not solely is it troublesome to see via the fumes, however your motion is severely restricted. Hold round an excessive amount of in it, and also you die, with the checkpoints feeling too unforgiving.
“There’s a powerful array of Amulets and Rings to mess around with, particularly when mixed with the brand new Warden Archetype…”
On the intense aspect, enemy design is on level, particularly the brand new foes. The Gardener is a grasshopper-like robotic that may make large jumps, slamming down and unleashing poisonous gases earlier than detonating them. One other new foe can both assault up shut with blades and a barrier or cling again from afar to snipe you (breaking its defend will stagger it, offering a quick window of assault).
There’s additionally a hulking foe that bashes you with its mutated arm when it’s not making an attempt to suck you in with an odd black gap assault. Some unbalanced spawn logic can nonetheless happen, leading to overwhelming ambushes when making an attempt to go away a selected space. Fortunately, these are fewer and farther between than earlier DLC, with the brand new enemies feeling pleasant to battle total – not full pushovers however manageable sufficient with their patterns and harm.
Some can seem as mid-bosses with modifiers and some recent assaults, as is custom. The distinctive bosses can really feel a bit on the low aspect. I haven’t found many weapons, however the Black Greatsword is enjoyable with its cost mechanic. There’s a powerful array of Amulets and Rings to mess around with, particularly when mixed with the brand new Warden Archetype (which nonetheless feels annoying to unlock however considerably much less so than The Forgotten Kingdom’s Invoker).
The latter’s drone would thrive in group play however offers some intensive synergy for a number of builds, whether or not you’re making a set-up that stacks obstacles and buffs you after they’re energetic or offers fixed therapeutic to make up for well being drain in alternate for harm.
“Wanting again on The Darkish Horizon, I nonetheless really feel considerably whelmed over what might have been in post-launch story-telling. Nonetheless, it left me feeling considerably extra happy than the opposite DLC. “
It could not essentially be the flashiest when it comes to harm, however the utility and survivability really feel outright damaged generally. Within the new Boss Rush mode, obtainable to all gamers without cost, it felt like I used to be lifeless to rights on a number of events however saved by the sheer quantity of obstacles supplied, even with one thing so simple as activating the Ritualist’s Miasma in the midst of a crowd of enemies.
By way of presentation, N’Erud’s aesthetic remains to be as interesting as it’s somber, with the skyboxes and big buildings making you are feeling much more insignificant than ever (the dour colour palette doesn’t assist). There wasn’t an excessive amount of noteworthy in regards to the soundtrack, however the sound results and sheer desolation of the ambiance added to its immersion.
Wanting again on The Darkish Horizon, I nonetheless really feel considerably whelmed over what might have been in post-launch story-telling. Nonetheless, it left me feeling considerably extra happy than the opposite DLC. Possibly it was simply with the ability to revisit N’Erud and see it in a brand new mild, full with new threats and challenges, even when one of many occasions is probably the worst presently within the sport or the palette of latest bosses doesn’t really feel sufficient.
The DLC’s totally ridiculous premise can’t be ignored, however I felt extra happy than exasperated when it was throughout. There was extra enthusiasm to trawl via and uncover new secrets and techniques or equipment to tweak my construct. If that is how Remnant 2’s DLC journey begins, then so be it, however no less than it’s going out on a considerably constructive be aware with The Darkish Horizon.
This sport was reviewed on PlayStation 5.
