Moonlighter 2 Early Access Review – Is It Worth A Try?

News & ReviewsWorth A Try?
Written By Sticks

Moonlighter 2 Early Access – Worth A Try?

My full impressions after 7 hours in the Vault

Moonlighter 2 Worth A Try thumbnail from OnThaSticks

Disclosure: I received a free review copy of this product via Keymailer.

First Impressions From The Vault

Moonlighter 2: The Endless Vault is finally here in Early Access, and after spending around 7 hours with this build, I can say one thing: the loop grabbed me way harder than I expected.

Between the dungeon crawling, the relic juggling chaos, and the surprisingly relaxing shopkeeping, this is exactly the kind of game where you tell yourself "one more run" and suddenly a couple of hours have disappeared.

The wild part is that I did not even play the first Moonlighter, so I am coming into this completely fresh. This is my Worth A Try? breakdown of the Early Access version – what works already, what still needs time, and whether you should jump in now or wait for 1.0.

The Core Loop Is Instantly Addictive

The biggest surprise for me is how quickly the core loop hits. Every run is a simple but satisfying cycle:

  • Head into a dimension and clear rooms.
  • Grab relics while managing curses and backpack space.
  • Decide whether to push deeper or bail out to protect your haul.
  • Sell everything in your shop back in Tresna.
  • Use the profit to upgrade gear, potions, and the shop itself.

The relic management is honestly some of the most fun I have had in a dungeon crawler this year. Curses force you to think about where you place items in your backpack, how much Quality you are risking, and whether a relic is worth bringing home if it might destroy something else.

Combat In Kalina: Chaotic But Fun

The first big dimension I spent time in is Kalina – a kind of desert ruin filled with burning hazards, armored enemies, and environmental traps. Combat feels frantic and sometimes overwhelming, but in a fun way. There are moments where there are so many enemy types and attack patterns happening that you are scrambling to keep up.

My favorite weapon so far has been the Short Sword. It feels quick and responsive, and every four basic attacks trigger a Finisher for bonus damage. Landing that Finisher in the middle of all the chaos never stops being satisfying.

I had a couple of "almost died" moments where I got greedy, tried to grab just one more relic, and ended up cornered between burning tiles and enemies. When you are low on health with a full backpack, every decision to keep pushing or warp out gets tense fast.

Shopkeeping Might Be The Best Part

I expected to enjoy the combat. What I did not expect is that running the shop would quietly become my favorite part of the game.

The moment I realized I had been selling rare relics way too cheap, I instantly became hooked on experimenting with prices, reading customer reactions, and slowly dialing in that perfect number. Customers react in four main ways:

  • Cheap – too low, good for tips but bad for profit.
  • Perfect – the ideal price where sales feel smooth and satisfying.
  • Expensive – they might still buy, but they hesitate.
  • Overpriced – they shake their head and walk away.

Once I started finding those Perfect prices and watching gold roll in, the merchant side completely clicked. I also unlocked an extra potion upgrade early on, which helped and hurt at the same time. Having more healing made it easier to push deeper, but I noticed I started playing more reckless, which meant I still felt like I was always one potion away from finishing a run.

The Vault Keeps Throwing New Goals At You

At first I assumed new dimensions would only unlock after beating bosses. That changed once I met the first big milestone set by the Vault itself.

After earning 10,000 gold, the Vault rewarded me with a new material called the Merchant Grimoire and revealed that there are six more major treasures for me to discover. It also unlocked a new dimension on my map.

That told me two things:

  • Progression is not just about combat. Your success as a merchant matters too.
  • There are multiple ways to expand your options, not only by beating bosses but also by hitting economic goals and story beats.

For an Early Access launch, that kind of layered progression feels promising and gives the game room to grow in interesting directions.

Relics, Curses, And The Joy Of A Full Backpack

The relic system deserves its own shout out. Every relic has a Quality score that affects how much gold it sells for, and many of them come with curses. Some curses limit where the relic can be placed, some interact with other relics, and some outright destroy or transform what is next to them.

I had a lot of fun hitting that point in a run where my backpack was full and I had to make tough choices. Do I keep the cursed relic that might destroy another item but sells for a lot? Do I drop a lower Quality relic to make room for something rare? Do I rearrange my entire bag so one curse turns into a benefit instead of a punishment?

Figuring out that puzzle mid run adds a layer of strategy that goes beyond just dodging attacks and hitting enemies.

Early Access Rough Edges

The developers included a list of known issues with this build, and I did bump into a few small problems. Things like minor UI misalignment, missing or vague descriptions, the occasional visual hiccup, and performance feeling a bit uneven over long sessions are all present.

Nothing I saw was truly game breaking, but you should go in knowing that this is still Early Access. Steam Deck in particular will need more optimization, and some systems are clearly not finished yet.

How It Lines Up With Other Early Impressions

After playing, I checked out a few other early reviews and impressions from outlets like GamesRadar, Destructoid, Checkpoint Gaming, 3DJuegos, and Finger Guns. Across the board, there is a pretty consistent theme:

  • The loop is stronger and more ambitious than the first game.
  • The new relic and curse systems are a standout feature.
  • Shopkeeping is deeper and more strategic than it first appears.
  • There is still polish work to be done, but the core foundation feels solid.

From where I am standing after a few hours, that lines up almost perfectly with my own experience.

So, Is Moonlighter 2 Worth A Try Right Now?

If you enjoy dungeon crawlers, roguelike loops, inventory management, and games where you bounce between risky runs and cozy town upgrades, Moonlighter 2: The Endless Vault is already in a pretty compelling spot.

The combat is frantic but fun, the relic system is cleverly designed, and the shopkeeping is way more addictive than it has any right to be. There are definitely Early Access rough edges, but nothing that stopped me from wanting to queue up "just one more" run.

If you want a completely polished experience with every system locked in, you may want to wait for the full launch. If you are down to ride the journey, give feedback, and watch the Vault evolve over time, then yes – right now, I would say Moonlighter 2 is absolutely worth a try.

Watch The Full Worth A Try Episode

For full gameplay footage and more detail on my time with the Early Access build, check out the full video on YouTube:

Moonlighter 2: The Endless Vault – Worth A Try Early Access Review

Stay Connected With OnThaSticks

Sticks
Next

Where Winds Meet Looks Like A Different Kind Of Open World RPG