Summary
Breathing life into the somewhat stagnant zombie shooter genre,No More Room In Hell 2is an excellent title for those who want to play through ahigh-stakes, horror-focusedzombie game either solo or with friends. There’s a visceral brutality to the action in this game, far more focused on utility and survival than looking flashy, which is perfect for those wanting a more tactical horror game with more deliberate goals.
The game’s high quality didn’t simply come out of thin air, however. The philosophy to move away from games likeCall of Duty: Zombiesand into a more strategic theme was first pioneered by the original game in this series. Much of what makesNo More Room in Hell 2so engaging and compelling is born from the lessons this game learned from its predecessor, and here are the best improvements this game has over the original title.
8Better Graphics
This Game Is Glossy And Refined
No More Room In Hell 2has the very clear advantage of all the boons that come with being made years after its predecessor. Namely, in the sense that the game runs better, feels smoother, and most importantly, looks better.
Like many gameswith impressive graphics, this game immerses players with graphics that aren’t just high fidelity but coherent with the game’s aesthetic. It would obviously be concerning if the much older first game in the series trumped this one’s graphics, but it’s worth mentioning nonetheless.
7Revamped Character Progression
Players Have More To Do And Work Towards
Progression in this game is tied to both the player’s account overall and the specific character they’re playing. This game does a great job of rewarding players who do well on multiple runs in a row. There area lot of factorsto progression but in essence, doing well on maps nets a character more xp to assign to skills.
These skills make a character substantially more viable and useful in the game, but they also present a double-edged sword. Getting a better and more skilled character means there’s more to lose should they go down to zombies.
6More Enemy Types
Zombies Are More Diverse Than Ever
There’s a slewof planned featuresfor this game that sound incredible and very exciting, but what’s already present in the game has taken things in a great direction from theoriginalNoMore Room In Hell.
Namely, there is a greater variety of zombie types for players to encounter, and more coming along the way. Many of these zombies are diegetic to the environment, i.e. plant worker and firefighter zombies, as the game is set in a powerplant map.
5Permadeath
The Stakes Are Incredibly High In This Game
As mentioned before, one of the great things about the progression in this game is that players can earn skills for their characters - who themselves are class archetypes with unique benefits - after each run.
The risk here is that if a character dies on a run, that’s it. It’s game over for them. Players will need to pick a new character and start again at level 1. This makes the tension and stakes in the game feel real.
4Larger Maps
The Power Plant Is Maze-Like And Deadly
While in its early access state, there is only one map available, the intricacy and detail within the powerplant map should leave players salivating at the thought of multiple maps with this much stuff to do.
There are different approaches that can be taken in the huge surrounding area, and a large map means plenty of placesto temporarily fortifywhile looting or waiting for allies to regroup with. The size of this map is far bigger than anything from the first game.
3More Zombie Aggression
Survival And Smart Thinking Is Essential
The permadeath mechanic is made that much more intense by the sheer aggression from the zombies in this game. Advances in AI and pathfinding since the first title mean that zombies are now able to circle players and use whatever cunning their moldy brains have left.
This is especially pertinent given this game’s focus on extraction, as players can’t just find a nice place to camp and clear an area of zombies, they will keep coming until the characters have either beeneaten or extracted.
2Increased Player Count
Maps Can Hold Up To Eight Players
This game has greatly expanded the number of players available on a map, another perk of the maps being so much larger. Players can join with up toseven other friendsto work together on completing mission objectives and extracting.
There’s a great level of tactical depth that comes with playing in such a large group. Do you split up to complete goals more efficiently? Or stick together for safety, but face a progressively more aggressive horde as objectives are completed?
1More Gear And Loot
Gear Presents An Opportunity To Progress
This game comes with far more loot and gear than its predecessor. One particular area of improvement is in the customization of guns, which now have a plethora of additional attachments to make them more effective.
The delicious twist to this increase in gear and loot is that - similar to the skill progression - a character with a great and custom-built weapon has that much more to lose should the horde overwhelm them.