Cardinal Quest 2 Review

Cardinal Quest 2 Review Screenshot 1

Cardinal Quest 2 is a turn-based Rogue-like game and is a sequel to Cardinal Quest in 2012. The game has been out for a while on smartphones, but I got to play it on the PC.

The game starts with you selecting your character. At the start you can choose from 3 characters – The Fighter, The Warrior and The Wizard. I chose to go with the Wizard, as I like to use ranged attacks. You do unlock more characters as you progress. There’s no real story here apart from the odd line of dialogue, but I like that sometimes in games like these as it means you can develop your own story if you want to. The game starts and I found that I died quite a few times before starting to get the knack of things.

After you die, you are put back again into the world with nothing once again. If you return to the main menu after you die and start a new game, you will have the ability to unlock one of the new characters. These include a thief, ranger, paladin and a pugilist. The first level you start in is The Village. Each time you jump back into the level it will be the same basic stage, but things do mix up a bit. The game is all about planning your movement around the map and exploring every corner of each zone. As you make your way through the level you will face enemies and gather loot. The loot you collect can be things like spells, equipment and other very useful items. The enemies you come across are varied and possess different attacks and abilities. The bad guys range from Bandits, Goblins and even Minotaur’s. Like many games there’s a boss to defeat and this takes place at the end of the act. When you meet a scavenger you can buy items in exchange for gold. The premise of the game is very simple, you have to simply use your equipment and skills to reach the exit to each area before moving into the next one.

Cardinal Quest 2 Review Screenshot 2

I have played a couple of games like this over the past year, and what makes them appealing is how you can either play them for long periods of time or short sessions. The gameplay and character movement is simple, but works really well. You have to really consider and plan your movement through the levels if you wish to succeed. Also the items and skills you use are vital to helping you on your adventure. The game has good replayability, as each class have different stats and ways in which to play the game. The fighter is stronger than say the Wizard, who has powerful ranged attacks like fireballs. The thing I liked about the game was how I could create a character that I enjoyed playing. I also love looting in games and this has plenty of it.

When you have finished the main acts, which doesn’t take too long, you unlock The Tower. This mode is basically a never ending dungeon, where you attempt to last as long as possible. Many games offer this type of mode, whether its an endless free runner or horde mode. Its nice that the game has it, and it does offer some replayability, but I’m starting to find that in games that have these modes they feel a bit tacked on. If you like to compete and compare your scores to other players, there’s the online leaderboards.

Cardinal Quest 2 Review Screenshot 3

The presentation of the game is great. The game uses pixel art and has a vibrant colour scheme that works well against the grey colored dungeons. I like how the character revealed the map as you move through it. The style of the game reminded me of A Link to The Past. I also enjoyed the variety and design of the characters. The sound design is also very nice, which suits the game well.

Overall Cardinal Quest 2 is a decent little game which I enjoyed playing through. The gameplay is simple, but requires some thought and consideration when taking on enemies. The game can get quite tricky at times, but I enjoyed the challenge. I certainly died a lot in this game and had to make sure I used my equipment and skills efficiently in each area in order to succeed. If you like rogue-like games that look good, requires thought and offers a challenge then I would recommend this game.

7

REVIEW CODE: A complimentary PC code was provided to Brash Games for this review. Please send all review code enquiries to editor@brashgames.co.uk.

Subscribe to our mailing list

Get the latest game reviews, news, features, and more straight to your inbox