Moonlighter, the 2018 merchant RPG that found its way into my library based on art style alone, is getting a sequel. Moonlighter 2: The Endless Vault was revealed during today's PC Gaming Show: Most Wanted, with plans to open up shop sometime in 2025.
If you've ever perused a Steam sale in search of another great indie RPG, there's no way you didn't at least pause for a moment on Moonlighter. In our 2018 review, editor Lauren Morton said that Moonlighter "cuts just beneath the surface of [dungeon crawlers and shop sims] to let [her] enjoy the flavor of a roguelike without a lifetime commitment." I've only played four, maybe five hours of Digital Sun's charming adventure (dropping it for no other reason than life), but I'm a sucker for pixel art, so of course it's in my eternal backlog.
Judging from tonight's reveal trailer, Moonlighter 2 ditches that signature art in favor of a new 3D style. I won't lie to you, I had to pause for a moment and mull over whether or not I'm willing to accept a Moonlighter without the charming 2D spritework. I think I am—I just had to mourn and rewatch the footage a few times. As far as I can tell, the RPG maintains all of its vibrant pops of color, and even if I miss those smushed little guys, The Endless Vault's characters are still pretty cute in 3D.
In the original, you played as Will—the type of RPG guy usually hanging out in the background and selling potions to heroes. He wanted a bit of the glory, though. So instead of falling by the wayside, Will chased after life as an adventurer. Moonlighter's actiony parts play more like 2D Zelda, but there's a whole other side to managing Will's life as a shopkeeper, and it's pretty involved. You do the obvious chores like setting prices and offering sales, along with more in-the-weeds bits like recruiting assistants and upgrading the shop.
From the looks of it, both of those things are still around, with trailer shots juggling between Moonlighter's old staples in its new style. There's definitely shopkeeping there, along with bits of dungeon diving and exploration. The few short glimpses at boss fights are kind of neat, too: I'm hoping some of those clean, telegraphed mechanics are teasing tight encounters that become a satisfying dance with some practice.
For now Moonlighter 2: The Endless Vault doesn't have a specific release date, though the studio aims to release it next year, in 2025. Until then, you can head to the Steam page for wishlisting and more details.
