Reus 2 Review: A Brilliant Game That Rewards Creative Planet Building and Strategic Thinking (PC)

Reus 2 is a game about control. You’re handed godlike power over an entire planet, and it’s up to you how to use it. Three elemental giants under your command can reshape terrain, plant life, and guide civilizations through different eras. The catch? Humanity doesn’t always cooperate with your grand plans, and sometimes the best-laid designs crumble under the weight of their own ambition.

Released on May 28, 2024, Reus 2 from Abbey Games takes what the original did well and doubles down on it with deeper mechanics, more synergies, and a surprising amount of strategic depth. If you’ve ever wondered what it would be like to play god without the actual divine responsibility, this is probably as close as you’re going to get.

The thing that impressed me most wasn’t the complexity or the visuals, though both are solid. It was how approachable the game makes itself despite all that complexity. Reus 2 respects your intelligence enough to gradually introduce mechanics without dumping everything on you at once. Whether you’re new to god games or a veteran looking for something fresh, there’s plenty here to sink into.

Reus 2 is available on Steam for $24.99. It’s also available on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and Nintendo Switch with additional DLC expansions, including the Ice Age and Everglades content packs.

1. The Core Concept: Shaping Worlds from Scratch

1.1 What It Means to Be a Godly Titan

Unlike traditional strategy games where you control armies or manage budgets, Reus 2 puts you in the role of a silent architect. You don’t directly command humans or wage wars. Instead, you shape the planet itself, and humanity responds to what you’ve created.

The premise is straightforward: you’re given a barren planet and three elemental giants representing different biomes. Your job is to terraform the landscape, place plants, animals, and minerals (called Biotica), and guide the human civilizations that settle there through different eras. Think of it as ecosystem design, puzzle-solving, and city simulation.

You don’t get to micromanage every little human decision. They’re autonomous enough to make their own choices about expansion, warfare, and development. Your role is to provide the resources and opportunities they need to thrive, or, if you want to play as chaos incarnate, to watch what happens when you give them contradicting needs and limited options.

Choosing a Human Spirit.

1.2 The Three Giants and Their Biomes

Each of Reus 2‘s three giants controls a specific biome. There’s a giant for forests and greenery, another for swamps and wetlands, and a third for rocky, arid environments. Each brings its own unique collection of plants, animals, and minerals to work with.

The biomes matter because different human civilizations have different preferences. One might thrive in forest environments, while another prefers swamps. Part of the strategy is figuring out which giants and which biomes suit your chosen human spirits and the goals you’re trying to accomplish.

You pick which three giants you want to work with before starting a planet, so every playthrough feels different. The same goes for human spirits, which are essentially the civilizations you’ll be guiding. Each has unique traits that affect what they need and how they develop.

Prologue and Tutorial in Reus 2.

2. Gameplay: Building Ecosystems Through Synergy

2.1 The Biotica Puzzle

The real meat of Reus 2 is figuring out which Biotica to place where. You’ve got limited space on each planet, so every placement matters. An ostrich gives you food and wealth, but it offers even more wealth if placed near specific plants. A clownfish provides gold, but only if you also place an anemone nearby.

These synergies aren’t random or hidden. The game tells you exactly how things interact, which means planning becomes the core skill. You’re essentially solving a puzzle where each solution reveals new possibilities. Place the right combination of Biotica, and you can get massive bonuses. Make poor choices, and you’ll struggle to meet the demands of your human civilization.

What surprised me is how this transforms the experience from “just place things and see what happens” into actual strategic problem-solving. You can’t just throw random elements on a planet and expect everything to work out. You need to think several steps ahead, consider what each civilization requires, and make deliberate choices about what to prioritize.

2.2 Managing Civilization Needs

Humans need four things: food, science, gold, and prosperity. Each civilization favors different resources, and they’ll request them through quests. Your job is to shape the planet so you can fulfill these requests without creating massive imbalances.

This is where the strategy gets interesting. You could flood the planet with food sources to make one civilization wealthy and well-fed, but then their science research stalls, and rebellion starts brewing. Balance is key, but it’s not just about making everyone equally happy. Different eras have different goals, and sometimes you need to prioritize specific civilizations or resources to meet those era objectives.

The satisfaction comes from solving these overlapping problems. You’re juggling multiple civilizations’ needs, era goals, draft token opportunities, and Biotica synergies simultaneously. It’s complex, but the game gives you the tools to understand everything that’s happening.

Inspirations in Reus 2.

2.3 The Eras and Progression System

Each planet runs through multiple eras, and your performance in one era unlocks new options for the next. This is how Reus 2 gates its complexity. You won’t deal with terraforming or advanced mechanics on your first planet. They’re gradually introduced as you prove you can handle what you already have.

This progression system is brilliant because it means new players never feel lost or overwhelmed. You’re always working with a manageable number of options, and each new feature is introduced when you’re ready. By the time you’ve completed a few planets, you’ll have the full arsenal of tools available, and that’s when you can really start getting creative.

Completing era goals earns you a planetary rating, which appeals to the collector side of your brain. There’s always the question of “can I do better on this planet,” which encourages replays and experimentation.

3. The Difficulty Curve and Customization

3.1 Learning at Your Own Pace

Here’s what the game does really well: it respects that players learn at different speeds. When you create a new planet, you can customize difficulty modifiers before starting. Want an easier experience to remember? Turn down the challenge. Ready to test yourself? Crank up the difficulty.

Even better, the game includes a sandbox mode where you can build whatever you want without worrying about objectives or survival. It’s a free space to experiment and discover synergies without fear of failure.

The learning difficulty curve is gentle but present. Early planets feel manageable, but as you unlock new Biotica and mechanics, things get more complex. There’s a real sense of growing from “I barely understand what’s happening” to “I have a clear vision for this planet and I’m executing it perfectly.”

3.2 Optional Challenges for Veterans

Once you’ve gotten comfortable with the basics, Reus 2 offers optional challenge modifiers. You can limit your draft tokens (which you use to place Biotica), restrict which Biotica you can access, or set specific goals that must be met. These aren’t forced on you, but they’re there for players who want to test their skills.

The fact that these challenges are optional is essential. The game doesn’t gatekeep difficulty behind mandatory walls. It respects your time and lets you choose how challenging you want each experience to be.

Revolutions in Reus 2 will give you big boons.

4. The Visual and Audio Experience

4.1 Art Direction That Feels Intentional

Reus 2‘s art style is cartoony and inviting, which might seem to undercut the strategic depth, but it actually complements it perfectly. Each biome has a distinct visual identity. A taiga environment looks different from a rainforest, and human civilizations change their appearance depending on the resources they use and the era they’re in.

The animations weigh them. When a giant places Biotica, you see the effort in the movement. Cities grow and expand visibly as you fulfill their needs. The 2D slice-of-the-planet perspective keeps everything readable while maintaining that god’s-eye view feeling.

The game can get visually cluttered when you’ve filled a planet with lots of Biotica, especially with the UI visible, but that’s a minor complaint for something this dense. For the most part, the visual presentation does precisely what it needs to do: let you see what’s happening and enjoy the creative process.

Northerndale Stables in Reus 2.

4.2 Sound Design That Enhances Without Intruding

The soundtrack is soothing without being boring. You’ve got wind effects, ambient music that fits each biome, and satisfying sound effects when you place elements or complete objectives. It’s the kind of audio that makes long play sessions feel natural rather than draining.

The lack of voice acting means each character’s personality comes through their design rather than their voice. This might sound like a limitation, but it actually works in the game’s favor. Every giant and human spirit is recognizable by their visual design, and their preferences and quirks are communicated through their appearance and behavior.

5. How It Feels to Play

5.1 Meditative Yet Engaging

There’s a zen-like quality to Reus 2 when you’re in the groove. You’re placing elements, watching synergies activate, seeing your civilizations grow. It’s almost like a puzzle you’re solving in real time. But it’s not mindless either. You need to consider your choices and actively plan several steps.

A whole planet run typically takes around 30 minutes to an hour, depending on how deep you want to go and whether you’re chasing specific goals. That length is perfect for the experience. It’s long enough to feel substantial but short enough that you can play multiple planets in a session without it feeling like a time commitment.

Reus 2’s Playstyle Selections.

5.2 Replayability Through Iteration

The real appeal of Reus 2 is in replaying planets to do better. Maybe you want to boost your prosperity score on an earlier planet. Perhaps you want to try a completely different approach with different giants or different human spirits. Maybe you want to see what happens if you ignore one civilization’s needs and focus entirely on another.

With hundreds of possible Biotica combinations and the ability to customize nearly everything about a planet before you start, Reus 2 has genuine replayability built in. You’re not forcing yourself through repetitive content. You’re exploring different possibilities because the system encourages experimentation.

Completing a Planet.

6. Final Verdict

Reus 2 is a smart, well-designed god game that manages to be both approachable and deep. It respects your intelligence enough to gradually introduce complexity without overwhelming you, and it trusts you enough to let you customize your experience however you want.

If you enjoy strategy games, puzzle-like design, or just the creative process of building and experimenting, Reus 2 delivers. The synergy system is engaging, the progression is satisfying, and the overall package feels like a product that was thoroughly thought through.

The game does have a moderate learning curve, and it’s not for everyone. If you need constant action, direct narrative, or traditional gameplay beats, look elsewhere. But if you want to spend hours shaping planets, experimenting with combinations, and watching the consequences of your choices unfold, Reus 2 is absolutely worth your time and money.

And that’s the complete PC review for Reus 2. Huge thanks to JF Games PR for providing us with the review key.