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I am amazed at how each of Remnant 2‘s DLC not only adds to the base content but also makes the gameplay experience ever so deeper. While the vanilla game is already intricate enough with the procedurally generated areas, I couldn’t help but wonder: “Can the devs top this up?” The Forgotten Kingdom is the expansion that made me realize Gunfire Games can raise the bar and break that ceiling. As someone fortunate enough to play before launch, I must say that while Remnant 2 stayed away from my radar for a while, it’s returned with full force, and I don’t see myself putting the controller down soon.
If These Walls Could Talk
Remnant 2 masters the difficult art of environmental storytelling so well that you hardly ever need an NPC’s explanation to be intrigued or surprised. In The Forgotten Kingdom, you travel to Yaesha to uncover the mystery behind the Pan civilization. Holding your hand all the way is Walt, who is there searching for answers to what happened to his people. At first, I thought the story would be quite simple, and I was more excited about the gameplay. However, this DLC brings a plot that makes you question the morals of many characters and perfectly explains the state of Yaesha.
While you’ll learn most of the new area’s story through notes and item descriptions in a souls-like fashion, that doesn’t mean Walt is just there to decorate the landscape and provide exposition. My favorite thing about the plot is watching Walt’s personality change after every minor and major discovery. He goes from being an explorer with a spark in his eyes, or rather, mask, ready for adventure to, well, something you wouldn’t expect. Still, my favorite part was watching his progress. It felt as if both of us were descending into madness. Me, for dying too much, and Walt for discovering things he shouldn’t.
The way The Forgotten Kingdom handles its narrative is extremely immersive. As a player and a character, it makes you feel thoroughly involved. I actively searched for any clue or piece of paper lying on the ground, just to try to understand Lydusa’s grudge and to decide whose side I’d take in the adventure. Oddly enough, I was eagerly waiting for the DLC’s new additions to the gameplay, but I fell in love with this expansion’s lore.
One with Nature
Speaking of gameplay, let me tell you what my favorite fantasy class is: Druid. Well, Remnant 2: The Forgotten Kingdom was a fan-service-filled adventure for me, not only because of its story but also because of the new Invoker archetype. Whoever tells you a nature-based class can’t hurt hasn’t seen a wave smacking an opponent’s face followed by lightning crashing down from every direction. And this is just the first skill. This new archetype is every druid fan’s dream, and for meta players, it is a class that fits into any build.
While my build isn’t deep enough yet, I can already see enemies will have a hard time taking me down — that is, if I don’t have to face another boss with heavy traversal mechanics. I ran my playthrough with a combination of Invoker and Handler, and in the overworld, I felt untouchable. This is me with the worst gear for Invoker and still learning the ropes of it. Imagine what I’ll do once I learn how to squeeze this archetype. And that’s only for me. Players can go wild with theorycrafting and make some crazy builds. I bet if I had the Ritualist archetype, I would be the Gandalf of this game.
Furthermore, the new weapons and accessories made me value other archetypes I had even more. For example, I never tried to rely too much on melee attacks, but there’s one staff member in the DLC who summons lightning with each melee hit, and I was Remnant 2′s Thor at times. If that wasn’t enough, you also have a Daryl Dixon-worthy crossbow ready to pierce the hardest stone enemy. So yes, regarding ways to kill enemies, The Forgotten Kingdom gives you plenty of options.
Welcome Back to Yaesha, Paxultek
For me, The Forgotten Kingdom threw the house out of the window with its visual style. This DLC thrusts you into a new adventure that sees you, the Traveler, uncovering the mysteries of some of Yaesha’s most abandoned locales. While I loved the original Yaesha areas, the glittering flowers adorning the rocky structures of this zone made me feel like Indiana Jones at every turn. Despite my five playthroughs, it was a real treasure-seeking, mystery-solving journey that I still think about today.
Besides the colorful, almost fairy-like overworld of the expansion, I have to mention two unique locations: Earthen Coliseum and Proving Grounds. The folk at Gunfire Games aren’t strangers when it comes to making exploration enjoyable, but I wasn’t ready for these two places. The former puts you in a fight arena surrounded by living statues. The latter is the equivalent of all the hardest Mario Bros. platformer levels put into a souls-like experience. Both made me want to pull my hair at times, but like any other Remnant 2 staple, beating its challenges is extremely rewarding.
After the many puzzles and boss fights I had in those dungeons, I was surprised to see The Forgotten Kingdom had two more magnificent places to reveal. I won’t go into detail because it spoils much of the game’s plot. One tells you the tragic, almost Romeo and Juliet-like story of the DLC’s baddie, and the other will bring PTSD to every Remnant player. Overall, my tour through Yaesha’s perilous jungles was a visual delight and the most memorable in Remnant 2 so far.
A Whole New World
Although Yaesha is not my favorite dimension of Remnant 2, I did get caught up in the world, thanks to The Forgotten Kingdom. It’s funny because the same thing happened with Losomn back when The Awakened King was released. The way the developers use a previous world, add memorable things to it, and make us fall in love with the previous area is one type of magic I’ll never understand but one I welcome wholeheartedly.
Ultimately, I feel The Forgotten Kingdom is a must-buy for every Remnant 2 player. While I wouldn’t have recommended the previous expansion as a day-one purchase, this one definitely is. It has everything for the lore enthusiasts, the meta gamers, and those just wanting to delve into some procedurally generated worlds. I know I won’t stop playing this expansion until I see everything hidden behind the vines of Yaesha, and frankly, I can’t wait to see what else the studio is cooking for this breathtaking experience.
