Curious Expedition 2 is the sequel to the 2016 Curious Expedition, developed by Maschinen-Mensch. The game had a quiet but very successful run on Steam, gaining over 2,000 Very Positive reviews.
Curious Expedition 2 enters early access today and launched with a quirky trailer that shows off the weird and wonderful world of the game. The player joins the Explorer Clubs to venture out to fantastical locations on the hunt for treasure, fame and secrets.
In the past few years, the previous game has continued to receive DLC, extra language support and a port to Switch and PlayStation. Content updates have always been free and it recently received a multiplayer addition, Curious Expedition Rivals.
Curious Expedition 2 has been in Closed Alpha for the past 6 months. Maschinen-Mensch has teamed up with a Swedish publisher Thunderful to bring new talent to the production of the game, with 8 members now working on the sequel.
It’s a procedural adventure and exploration game where you head into uncharted lands and try to discover fame and glory. There are terrifying monsters, such as giant rats and sandworms, and plenty of other challenges in the wilds.
While the first Curious Expedition game was rendered in a pixel art style, the newer game has been updated with a comic-style art that compliments the bizarre landscapes you uncover. All the resources are presented in 4k, which brings the game popping to life on the right set-up.
The overworld map has also received a sizable update, with a mix of hand-drawn 2D elements and 3D landscapes to allow the player to interact with the landscape like never before. Yes, volcanoes erupt, and you can dynamite your way through entire mountains.
In terms of backstory, you’re a member of an Explorer Club set up in Paris. A lot more effort has been undertaken to introduce backstories and world-building into Curious Expedition 2, with unique characters and stories to discover.
Gameplay-wise, Curious Expedition 2 has tuned back some of the more hardcore rogue-like elements from the first game. This is to focus more widely on the overall story campaign and allow for more flexibility in the way players engage with the game.
Each unique Explorer Club allows for different characters and items that offer replayability beyond that of the original game. The more you play, the more you progress with each club. Recruits and items are themed to the individual Explorer Clubs.
Curious Expedition 2 has just entered Early Access on Steam June 17th.