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This sequel is vastly different from the original since it switched to 3D and added many features the fans wanted. There are several returning characters and a whole lot of newcomers in Risk of Rain 2, many of which have become crowd favorites and some not so much.
Updated on April 21st, 2022 by Hodey Johns: At this point, Risk of Rain 2 can probably stop calling itself a “cult classic” and just call itself a “classic.” Roguelike fans count Risk of Rain 2 to be up there with the likes of Hades and Slay the Spire when it comes to gameplay. The developers have not taken this honor for granted. Instead of moving on with the success and recognition, Risk of Rain 2 has been refined and patched. Most importantly, it’s got some new DLC: Survivors of the Void. This brought two new characters to the mix that deserved to be ranked with the original lineup. Read on to find exactly how the Railgunner and Void Fiend stack up against the rest of the roster.
14 The Commando
Unlock: N/A
The Commando is the character that is unlocked by default, which means everyone has to play him at least a bit to unlock other survivors. He’s an all-rounded character that wields dual pistols and can roll to avoid incoming damage. He’s a jack-of-all-trades but, sadly, a master of none.
This class is heavily outperformed by all the other classes and he doesn’t shine in any aspect of the game. Gamers who download an excellent character mod might be able to beef him up to where he needs to be.
13 The Artificer
Unlock: Pause.
The Artificer fits the role of a mage; she shoots powerful beams of fire that destroy her enemies whilst also freezing her way onto the hardest of stages. She isn’t particularly hard to get, players just need to get ten Lunar Coins into the Bazaar Between Time and the Newt will free her.
Not everything is a strength for this powerful sorcerer, however. Her cooldown times are massive and her mobility is very limited. A skilled player will make her shine on the battlefield, but most won’t be able to get past the second Teleporter. Overall, The Artificer is a glass cannon that should be handled with care, or she won’t get very far. Those who want a challenge should try using the Artifact of Glass or another powerful artifact to help bridge the gap between her and her colleagues.
12 The Heretic
Unlock: Collect Heresy Items
The Heretic is a secret survivor that was added to the game in early 2021. To unlock her, players will need to find all four lunar items of Heresy in a single run. Unfortunately, however, it’s not a permanent unlock, meaning that players will need to recollect the Heresy items every time they want to play as the Heretic.
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The Heretic is very different from the game’s other characters, as rather than her health regenerating, it will instead decrease over time. She makes up for this with very high base health, though, not to mention her high damage and excellent skills. Her builds tend to be over-the-top, but they are fun to play.
11 Acrid
Unlock: . . . To Be Left Alone
Acrid is a pestilent beast from the Void Fields. He is very complicated to unlock and players will need to have some level of game knowledge to complete the tasks required to play as this monster. Players must travel to the Void Fields through the Bazaar Between Time and activate nine different Void Cells.
Despite being hard to get, Acrid isn’t particularly great. His poison is awesome for melting bosses, but since it can’t really be lethal he struggles against the weakest enemies. His bulk and AoE are acceptable, but his lack of mobility for a melee fighter makes him vulnerable to most areas and difficult to complete the game with. For regular enemies, most players will want to download a solid mod to beef up his talents.
10 REX
Unlock: Power Plant
This little plant guy is somewhat hard to get, but in Drizzle difficulty it might not be that much trouble. He has the best Damage Per Second out of all the characters, but the skill required to play him properly is too high to make it worth it. To unlock him, players must grab the Fuel Array from the starting capsule and bring it to REX in the Abyssal Depths.
His high damage may make him feel promising at first but in the long run, it is difficult to stay alive when so many things are dealing damage at the same time. Some items may make him more capable to survive, but since it’s never reliable to get certain items, it’s not a viable strategy.
9 The Mercenary
Unlock: True Respite
This class is the most fun to play overall. Who doesn’t want to be a samurai that jumps around slicing his enemies in half? Sadly, The Mercenary’s ability kit is not very useful and somewhat lackluster. He has high damage and mobility but lacks the health necessary to make up for being a melee attacker.
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Certain items can make this character preposterously strong, but they are very situational and are a struggle to find within the real game. Mastering playing as The Mercenary will ensure a good time but players need a lot of skill to successfully finish a run with him. Despite not being good, players need to end a run completely after looping back to the beginning to unlock him.
8 The Huntress
Unlock: N/A
A returning survivor from the original Risk of Rain, The Huntress is the staple damage dealer of both games. She has a bow that fires homing arrows and a dash that teleports her away from all trouble. Her utility and secondary skills also deal very decent AoE damage to get her out of trouble.
It is important to know, however, that The Huntress is the character with the lowest base HP stat in the game. This means that she can easily get overwhelmed if enemies are allowed to rack up. Her good burst damage should be good against everything, and arming her with a Ukulele will make things way simpler for her.
7 The Engineer
Unlock: Engineering Perfection
Prior to patches, the Engineer was probably the best class in Risk of Rain 2. It has high damage and durability, can melt bosses, and can also have incredible sustain if equipped with some Bustling Fungus. His sentry turrets can damage foes without the player having to aim or focus on them, and they also proc any items The Engineer has, such as the previously mentioned mushroom.
All in all, Engineer is one of the best classes for Solo play, with its only con being that it has poor mobility. Its great DPS makes it amazing for boss busting and its utility makes him able to survive even the hardest fights. For those looking to challenge the Monsoon Difficulty, The Engineer is their best bet.
6 The Bandit
Unlock: Warrior
Though the Bandit could be found in the game’s files beforehand, it was not until the game’s Anniversary Update that he became playable. Players will first need to complete the Warrior challenge before they can check him out, but it’s definitely worth the effort to do so due to how strong a character he is.
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Though his stats don’t look all that impressive on paper, his Burst and Blast skills are incredibly effective when it comes to dishing out damage quickly, while his Backstab passive offers huge bonuses for attacking foes from behind. His Smoke Bomb utility can also come in handy during a pinch, turning him invisible while also splashing out some big damage.
5 The Railgunner
Unlock: Survivors of the Void DLC
Players that have been waiting for the ultimate sniping experience in Risk of Rain 2 will not be disappointed to have waited for the Railgunner. She’s got agility and jumping power thanks to her mines and can kill most enemies outright with a hit to the weak spot.
The only thing keeping her out of the top is how things go when opponents start to get overwhelming. She doesn’t have the area damage of some of the others and is forbidden from getting critic hits without zooming down her scope. Even so, a sniper who is lightning fast can potentially not be hindered by this restriction.
4 MUL-T
Unlock: Verified
This funky little robot man is the most versatile survivor in the game, and has way more pros than he has cons. He has a lot of potential for damage and can traverse the world quickly (an absolute benefit in a game in which the difficulty is always rising). MUL-T also has the highest health and attack rate, making him one of the overall best.
His nail gun can switch between quick-fire mode and single-shot mode, which serve as a machine gun and a sniper respectively. This gives MUL-T a way to deal with every enemy without too much trouble, plus his inherent bulk from his armor stat helps him soak up damage that would be fatal to any other survivor.
3 The Loader
Unlock: Guidance Offline
This lady has been outfitted with robot arms that pack a colossal punch. She’s mobile, tanky, and overall can decimate bosses more easily than anyone else in the game. Her kit allows her to be versatile but at the same time be focused on what she does best; dealing pure and unadulterated damage.
Unfortunately, there is one glaring weakness that all melee survivors share: flying enemies. The Loader is no exception; they have to spend their abilities just to get rid of one or two wisps but the screen will already be flooded with twelve more. This can pose a massive threat to Loader players if they’re not armed with the proper items.
2 The Captain
Unlock: Washed Away
The Captain was added to the game in October 2020 and is unlocked by killing the final boss and beating the game on any difficulty. His kit is very different from the other survivors, and so some players may find it confusing when they start playing as him. Once they get the hang of him, though, they’ll find him to be one of the very best characters in Risk of Rain 2.
His special and skills can be a little situational at times, but are incredibly effective in the right conditions. His abilities are perhaps a little more useful when playing multiplayer since he is more of a support kind of character, but in solo play, the Loader may present a slightly better option.
1 Void Fiend
Unlock: Beat the game with the Railgunner
The Void Fiend will likely be the last survivor unlocked in the game since it requires beating the game with the Railgunner (who can only be unlocked with purchased DLC). But the best has truly been saved for last as the Void Fiend, while tough to master, has the highest ceiling.
Need a slow? Got it. Limitless range? Got it. Area damage? Got it. Boss burst? Got it. Aside from just checking boxes, the Void Fiend can both heal and turn damage taken into damage dealt. After beating the game on the first run with the Void Fiend, it’s hard to argue for anybody else in the top spot.
Risk of Rain 2 was released on March 28th, 2019, and is available on PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, and PC.
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