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Out of all the games in my library, I can say I’ve proudly followed one since its beginning until the latest DLC, and that’s Remnant 2. Ever since I first stepped into N’Erud, my jaw dropped with the scale of the map, the randomness of every element, and the highly customizable gameplay options. Over a year after its release, I can firmly say that Remnant 2 has just raised the bar with each major DLC it launches. Now, with the launch of Remnant 2: The Dark Horizon, I can firmly say that this souls-like co-op shooter game will stand the test of time as one of the best and most memorable ones out there.
Back to N’Erud
Ever since I saw the announcement trailer for the DLC, nostalgia kicked in—I was finally going back to the first planet that introduced me to this game. So, excited as I was, I began the one-shot adventure and landed in the Agronomy Sector. It was during this moment that my jaw dropped once again on this planet, but not due to the sci-fi elements I’ve always loved. No. This time, I was impressed by the size of the map, which is the largest we’ve seen in Remnant 2.
While Remnant 2 has always struck a perfect balance between its linear and non-linear elements, The Dark Horizon emphasizes the latter. After you step into the DLC’s new area, you can grab your trusty space glider and fly wherever you want. If you spot a structure in the distance, chances are you might be able to land on it and explore it. Even if I greatly enjoyed the exploration of the previous DLC and its focus on verticality, The Dark Horizon is that but taken to a whole new level.
Furthermore, the overworld sprawling areas make way for some of the game’s most interesting and scariest fights. As I traversed through the space corn fields (I imagine that was space corn), enemies started popping out from the crops and shooting me left and right. Where base N’Erud stuck to an open and kind of “flat” area, this DLC fixes it by adding depth to everything it has. From the dilapidated and abandoned buildings to the secret facilities, you can only reach through gliding and even the crop fields. Exploring Remnant 2 has never been this fun, and I can’t imagine how Gunfire Games could raise the bar even higher after launching these new zones.
Not Your Usual Dungeons
Remnant 2 isn’t a stranger when it comes to adding intricate puzzles inside its dungeons. The last DLC had a platformer-like section, which is something I never expected to see inside a souls-like. However, The Dark Horizon has my favorite dungeons in all of Remnant 2.
For example, one of the first instances I encountered had two gimmicks. The first was an optional stealth section where you had to hide behind objects and avoid the gaze of killing robots. Getting spotted locked the room and I had to return to the nearest checkpoint to restart the challenge. The second gimmick involved poison—everyone’s favorite souls-like mechanic. To reach the dungeon’s end, I had to break containers with this noxious substance and run toward a safe spot while dodging enemies or fighting them if I had the chance. Again, this is only one dungeon, and many others in the DLC include challenges similar to these.
An Archetype to Support Them All
Another huge addition to The Dark Horizon is the Warden archetype, which might be one of the most overpowered classes in Remnant 2. Leaving spells to the side, the Warden leans more toward a supportive style. When and if you manage to unlock the class, you’ll get a Drone that will follow your Traveler around. Initially, the flying machine can only shield you depending on how much energy it has. Yet, once you level up the archetype, you can unlock a healing or DPS function. Through my journey, I finally switched to a more melee-oriented build where the Wardern’s shield came in handy. However, there are so many build possibilities that I can see players theorycrafting for days.
In addition, you can use the Drone on other people. Let’s say you have a friend who’s jumping into the game for the first time. You can put the Drone to follow your friend and have the machine shield, heal, or do damage for them. It is quite impressive how one mechanical companion can fit any role and do it perfectly. My only complaint is that the Drone disappears every time you use a checkpoint, but re-summoning it doesn’t take time, so it’s not a big deal.
Customization for Days
I already spoke about the Fragments and Prism system during my hands-off preview of the DLC, but I can dive deeper into it now. As someone who didn’t mind the old Fragments system, I think the new UI is miles better. When you fire up the DLC, you’ll see all fragments are in a new, well-put screen, and you can enable or disable them as you see fit. Besides that, you’ll see that there’s a big white crystal in the middle of the screen, which leads to the best and most dopamine-inducing system in Remnant 2: the Prism.
By defeating enemies or participating in the Boss Rush mode (more on that later), you can level up your Prism. This item is a completely new progression system that presents you with three random upgrade options during each level-up. Since these options are random, you have to think carefully about which one to pick. However, you can feed your Prism with Fragments to increase your chance of getting a particular stat. And don’t worry, you get more than one Prism as you play, so don’t feel like you’ll be stuck with one build forever.
After playing for a few hours, I noticed that grinding Boss Rush was the best way to level up my Prism, and frankly, I got hooked on that gameplay loop. I would do a quick Boss Rush, earn some experience, and start building my perfect Prism, favoring a ranged playstyle with a sprinkle of increased Skill damage. I felt this fit my Ritualist/Invoker build, but I imagine other players will play with their Prisms even further to create some wild builds.
Facing Your Past Demons
The one feature that will keep players around for months is the new Boss Rush mode. This one doesn’t come with The Dark Horizon DLC, which means any Remnant 2 player can dive into it. If you do, let me tell you that it isn’t a walk in the park.
When I did my first run, I steamrolled everything. Certain bosses that handed my Traveler butt to me didn’t even tickle me this time. However, when I moved on to the 19-boss challenge, I was flabbergasted. This game mode includes many roguelite systems that involve not giving you relic charges and randomizing certain buffs you can obtain after beating bosses. Yet, bosses and aberrations felt as if they got progressively harder, thus making me lose more than once. I did not finish the longest challenge, but I’m in the process of doing so, and you bet your scrap that I won’t quit.
In all seriousness, the Boss Rush mode is hands down the best feature Remnant 2 has included. Besides the quick rush of kicking butt and letting you have some frantic action with your friends, it is also the perfect playground to test your builds. Also, finishing a run will reward you with items you didn’t get when exploring the game, which means you can finally get that one ring that has eluded you for months.
A DLC That Puts a Bow on a Fantastic Game
Remnant 2 still remains one of my favorite games ever, and The Dark Horizon improves it even further. It is truly a game that keeps on giving. Whether you want quick co-op fun, in-depth character customization, or superb environmental storytelling, you can find that and more here. Plus, all those things I mentioned are even greater in this DLC because the story, exploration, and enemy encounters are some of the most memorable in the game.
It’s uncertain if there will be more content beyond The Dark Horizon, but if not, Remnant 2 deserves a standing ovation. It is truly an unforgettable game that any type of player should try. Even if you haven’t played a souls-like or co-op shooter before, you’ll be hooked by any of its aspects. And even if there are no more DLCs beyond this, dozens of hours of flawless content await you.
