As a lifelong gamer, I’ve managed hospitals, schools, railways, meteor-prone cities, communist countries, and even xenophobic space empires, which is why I thought managing graveyards was no fun. Boy, was I wrong. Dead wrong. Graveyard Keeper 2, like its predecessor, has proven to punch way above its weight, offering one of the freshest experiences in the cozy game/sim genre to date.
Graveyard Keeper 2 not only improves upon what made the first game a cult hit, but also introduces new and exciting systems along with an expansive world and a story that gives you plenty of motivation.
It speaks!
Speaking of the overarching story and plot, you’re plunged straight into the heart of a medieval zombie apocalypse which you (or perhaps someone who looks like you) might have caused. So it’s up to you to get to the bottom of it by digging graves and dealing with the dead, primarily. One of the many complaints about the first Graveyard Keeper is gone here; the game is now fully-voice acted, which was nice touch since it drew me in straight away.
And while the developers were thoughtful enough to add the classic mumbling vocals for purists, I have to say you’d be missing out on a lot of the game’s emotional hooks and added charm by opting for the mumbling instead of the voice-acting. You can feel the dead-ication, sorry, dedication they had to the story and the worldbuilding, though it’s not that big of a deal if you prefer the old style since you can choose that.
Definitely not bare-bones
Where Graveyard Keeper 2 truly shines is in its myriad of gameplay choices. It’s not just about keeping graveyards (d’oh), as you also get the standard cozy RPG/sandbox choices popularized by Stardew Valley, such as combat, exploration, production optimization, crafting, a bit of farming, fishing, commerce, and even questing. But now you get to put the dead to better use and squeeze what’s left of their dignity by reanimating them and turning them into your army.
This way, you can practically launch reclamation skirmishes or defense missions to take back some parts of a city crawling with other zombies instead of just relegating the zombies to work duty, though you can still do that. It’s a welcome new horizon for the series, as now the game actually feels more epic, with huge zombie vs. zombie clashes that let you determine the fate of the world.
Humerus approach
While it might sound more serious this time, with all the talk about saving the world, they’re more of a tongue-in-cheek and 4th-wall-breaking running joke with the series. The game has no shortage of cheekiness and irreverence to keep the atmosphere still cozy and light despite the ongoing zombie apocalypse around you.
It’s a game you can approach at your leisure, and there’s little to no pressure apart from any dire situation you put yourself in. Graveyard Keeper 2‘s own brand of light dark humor (can’t believe I’m saying that) lends much to the game’s atmosphere and makes you feel right at home, regardless of whether you’re a series veteran or a newbie to the franchise. Heck, even the talking skull guy is back and giving you instructions on how to play the game or directions on where to go next.
A bone to pick
Of corpse, er, of course, the game is not without its own set of shortcomings and shortsightedness. Graveyard Keeper 2 still suffers from the typical cozy sandbox pitfall of poorly explained game mechanics. There’s certainly a learning curve here.
One could say that’s one of the downsides of having too many complex systems and moving parts, but seeing as the game was made more approachable for a wider audience by including voice acting, perhaps risking turning them off soon after with obscure systems might not be the best for the game’s health. It doesn’t help that the user interface can be vague sometimes, especially in explaining currencies or tabs.
It also appears that the game only saves when you sleep, similar to its predecessors and other cozy titles like Stardew Valley. While that does encourage perseverance and provides a challenge, it feels more like an outdated system that doesn’t belong in modern gaming and especially in a cozy sim game.
Keeping it ghoul
Despite those minor blemishes, Graveyard Keeper 2 is still a keeper. It’s a game that revels in its own macabre take on the cozy game genre and cleverly knows how to utilize its peculiar premise. But just like disemboweling a cadaver the first time in your life without any instruction, you sometimes have to dig deeper in Graveyard Keeper 2 to get a feel for it while you figure out how to do it well.
The good news is that the game still lets you have fun no matter what direction you go or how many dead bodies you haphazardly desecrate out of neglect. It’s a cozy game that lets you be dead serious or chill as a corpse.
Graveyard Keeper 2 (PC Reviewed)
Anyone who wants a more complete sequel with a more immersive story and more epic gameplay opportunities will crave for what Graveyard Keeper 2 has to offer.
Pros
- Voice acting adds personality
- Interesting story and premise
- Staggering gameplay variety
Cons
- User interface could be more helpful
- Old cozy game mechanics that need updating
