Graveyard Keeper 2 is a continuation of the witty sim game by Lazy Bear Games (Graveyard Keeper). With publishing by tinyBuild, escape from confinement to take up the role again while crafting, harvesting and building up services and sermons. It releases on September 22nd for PC, PlayStation, Xbox and Nintendo.
Keeping Up with Keeper Duties
Though I don’t recall much of the first Graveyard Keeper, I do remember spending a fair amount of time streaming it back in the day. I also recall it being full of witty nonsense, management, and a fun time. Graveyard Keeper 2 is looking like a continuation on that great gaming so I figured it was worth a look. Let me tell you about it in the review below!
Gameplay
Graveyard Keeper 2 is a tongue-in-cheek graveyard and life management sim. It’s also so much more than that though. If you’ve played the original Graveyard Keeper or similar life management sim games such as Stardew Valley or Animal Crossing, you’ll find many similar mechanics of the genre here as well. But an intriguing storyline sets it clearly apart from the others.
Returning to the role of keeper after being released from eternal confinement, you’ll take up the helm again while expanding operations above and below ground. Earn favor of the local village and town by providing goods and services to increase your influence as the local inquisitor as well. There’s no wrong path to take, but you’ll at least need to dip your toe into all the different areas of industry to keep moving the story along.
It’s easy to get caught up in the various different things you can do around the graveyard. In addition to sprucing the place up, you’ll need to produce a number of craft materials, complete quests, and increase perks, mastery, and recipes in pursuit of greater standing among the townsfolk. Graveyard Keeper two has so many mechanics that with over 20 hours in I’m still encountering new tutorials!
Tips Getting Started
Unfortunately, still encountering tutorials with so many hours in can be contributed to me running around aimlessly. There are times that it isn’t quite clear what you’re supposed to be doing or focusing on. Therefore I thought I’d throw in some tips for others before embarking on adventures of your own in Graveyard Keeper 2.
Pay close attention to the tools you are using and upgrade them as soon as you can after unlocking new ones. I didn’t notice right away that they have a direct influence on your ability to gather l, process and craft more advanced goods. Trying to gain mastery through inspiration unlocks alone is tedious and takes some precise planning. Using up as much food to regain energy before your character is actually tired will also keep your sanity in check.
Another tip for getting started in Graveyard Keeper 2 is to check your quest log regularly. With all of the different things you can spend time doing, it’s easy to lose track of the specific things you should be doing to advance the story and encounter different mechanics. I spent more time than I’d like to admit not knowing that I had a quest I could turn in that was holding me back from advancing the story and unlocking more areas to explore.
Graphics & Audio
I have been playing Graveyard Keeper 2 on PC, going back and forth pretty evenly between my tower and Steam Deck. The game features a pixel art style much like the original game that translates well across platforms. The day/night cycles also keep you aware of the passing of time, since your character isn’t dependent on making it home before a certain time.
To my delight and also surprise, the gameplay features full voice acting for all of the dialogue between characters. If you prefer a more classic mumbling experience, there’s an option to switch that over too. I’m really enjoying the background music and subtle audio cues throughout too.
Longevity
Graveyard Keeper 2 features an immense amount of depth. As I mention above, I’m still encountering mechanics that I have yet to fully explore and have already spent as much time as anyone could ask. I don’t know how much replayability it will have when the story is said and done but I do know that I’ll proceed through the beginning quite differently if I go for another round. The fact you aren’t constrained and required to frequently return home to sleep also keeps that “one more day” style of gameplay moving.
Final Thoughts
I can’t wait to spend more time with Graveyard Keeper 2. It truly feels like a natural continuation of the original game with additional mechanics (I didn’t even mention the battle events!) alongside familiar ones. Make sure you say hi to Larry the Skull and the Donkey too! A beautiful life sim game with an insane amount of depth, it couldn’t be anything less than the Thumb Culture Platinum Award.
Disclaimer: A code was received in order to write this review.
If you enjoy this review, be sure to check out my other reviews here.
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