Remnant 2: The Forgotten Kingdom DLC Review – Stone Ocean

When I look at paid DLC for Remnant 2, I can’t help but be reminded of the least desirable Destiny DLC (stay with me, I swear there’s a point). Should you get it? Probably not. Does it add much to the experience? Not really. If you’re a fan of the base game, will you cave and pick it up anyway? Almost certainly. That was the case with The Awakened King, which had the excellent Ritualist Archetype to go with some new decent weapons and gear but little else.

The Forgotten Kingdom is nearly the same but seemingly swaps around the areas it lacks. If The Awakened King’s overall story, such as it was, drew you in, then this will leave you baffled at its sudden conclusion.

"There’s very little else going on narratively. It almost makes me yearn for answers to the base game’s ending. Maybe even more clues on theories surrounding the Dran’s Dream from The Awakened King."

However, if the former’s levels didn’t impress you, maybe one or two of the dungeons here will. Regardless, it’s yet another set of “possibilities” to an established biome with a few new enemies, some decent boss fights, an excellent new Archetype that totally won’t get nerfed down the line, some solid weapons and gear, and – you guessed it – little else.

From what I could gather about the DLC’s story, you wander into a glowy version of Yaesha and attempt to unravel the “lost history” of a tribe while combating the constructs of Lydusa. The latter is a stone spirit who yearns to be free and suitably curses you to achieve this. There is a charming new NPC, Walt, who is a little more involved, and eventually, you learn more about Lydusa’s motivations. However, there’s very little else going on narratively. It almost makes me yearn for answers to the base game’s ending. Maybe even more clues on theories surrounding the Dran’s Dream from The Awakened King.

As for the enemies, at least one enemy type carries over from the base game, except they’re no longer Root-infested. Lydusa’s stone constructs can range from intriguing to annoying, especially the winged creature who dive-bombs three times before emitting a piercing scream that stuns you. The other enemies are fine, though some of their arrangements are questionable.

Taking on several stone soldiers and a killer plant in an open space isn’t too rough, but exiting from the Bloodless Throne and attempting to walk the bridge while being attacked from all directions is no fun. Such moments are few and far between but all the more irritating when they occur.

"The dungeons did somewhat impress me since they offered new ways to play. The Proving Grounds is full of dart traps, and its claustrophobic confines can make for some tense encounters."

The new bosses include Cinderclad Monolith and its bullet hell-esque projectiles and lasers, which I didn’t mind much, though it’s not exactly the most involved boss fight. The Stonewarden was arguably the most challenging due to the sheer barrage of attacks and an area-of-effect attack that could almost one-shot you. Still, the utter spectacle of watching it summon rows of stone constructs and push them forward before exploding them all like some demented chess game was fun.

Lydusa felt somewhat of a step-down and failed to really match the spectacle of the base game’s world bosses. She still had some interesting mechanics, like that second phase with the rapidly approaching stone walls. There’s an alternate ending which provides a happier fate of sorts for her but ultimately skips the boss battle that I sadly didn’t unlock.

Other bosses like The Emissary to The Charred Sentry are essentially Elite versions of established enemies. They’re not particularly inventive with their mechanics but can spice things up now and again. At least the Protector of the Grove puts a neat spin on the seemingly harmless animals running around in Yaesa. There are more Elite foes here than in The Awakened King, for what it’s worth.

The dungeons did somewhat impress me since they offered new ways to play. The Proving Grounds is full of dart traps, and its claustrophobic confines can make for some tense encounters. The Earthen Coliseum challenges you to find the right path to progress, lest you fall into its watery lower level and face an overwhelming foe. Both are fresh directions – it’s a shame that the rest of the biome is the usual forests, jumping over gaps, running through tree villages and whatnot that Yaesha already has to offer.

"Aesthetically, Yaesha looks nice, though the base game’s version had a more memorable foreboding air owing to the Root’s infestation. Still, the interior architecture and attention to detail are striking."

As noted earlier, the new Archetype, Invoker, is very fun. It’s hilarious to summon a Tidal Wave and either instagib enemies or watch it rain lightning bolts to take out anyone nearby. Pairing this with the Ritualist’s Miasma made for some hilarity, as you could sit back and watch enemies and bosses alike suffer multiple statuses while taking extensive damage from lighting. Having two uses for Miasma and four for Eruption is similarly entertaining. Add new items like the amulet, Fragrant of Thorn, or the Token of Favor ring for even more extensive damage, which should help make up for the nerfs to Ritualist.

Unfortunately, unlocking the Invoker is equivalent to watching paint dry. It involves finding a room with quicksand, standing in one spot for several minutes, “dying” and waking up in another area. You collect an item, take that back to Ward 13 and boom, you have the new Archetype. While I’m not asking for an extensive series of steps, I feel like the process could have been more involved than going AFK.

As far as the new weapons, I only got the chance to try out the Monolith, obtained from the final boss, and enjoyed the sandy laser (which inflicts Exposed for more damage) and sandstorm, which seeks out other targets. There are other items, including the latest “hidden” weapon, the Polygun – but my set-up from the base game worked for most of the DLC.

Aesthetically, Yaesha looks nice, though the base game’s version had a more memorable foreboding air owing to the Root’s infestation. Still, the interior architecture and attention to detail are striking. I encountered one instance of iffy performance, but things were solid for the most part. The addition of an FOV modifier on PS5 is also appreciated.

"Time will tell if the third DLC provides a decent conclusion to this whole “dreaming” storyline in the background or more of the same, but for now, The Forgotten Kingdom should satisfy the more amicable hardcore players."

It again goes back to the start of this review – if you’re a fan of Remnant 2, owning The Forgotten Kingdom is pretty much a given. The new content is short, but it’s finding all the new rings, unlocking new weapon mods and unearthing all the little secrets that will keep you busy over the long term. Maybe some potent new combinations to go with the Invoker, especially given how crit builds have been nerfed.

Maybe I’m just expecting more from the DLC experience on a narrative level. However, even on its own, The Forgotten Kingdom’s narrative leaves something to be desired. It’s more of a one-shot than The Awakened King, which at least ties into Losomn’s story in some ways. And while I enjoyed the new items, dungeons and some new bosses, the overall experience is not all that engaging.

Don’t get me wrong – the combat is still satisfying, and you still face challenges, even when playing on lower difficulties. It just feels like Remnant 2 needs something more than these minor DLC packs to expand on its narrative themes and mechanics. Time will tell if the third DLC provides a decent conclusion to this whole “dreaming” storyline in the background or more of the same, but for now, The Forgotten Kingdom should satisfy the more amicable hardcore players.

This game was reviewed on PlayStation 5.