Zelda-meets-capitalism simulator Moonlighter 2 delves into early access soon

2018's Moonlighter wasn't a perfect game at launch by any means, but its intelligent blend of dungeon crawler and tycoon sim had real potential. It even garnered a bit of a cult following, the demand for more of capeless crusader Will's day-night duality earning it a DLC, and now a full-fledged sequel. From what I've seen of Moonlighter 2 so far, Digital Sun's putting together something special, and the studio's announced during Gamescom Opening Night Live that it won't be long before we get to try it out for ourselves; Moonlighter 2 is coming to Steam Early Access this October.

In Moonlighter 2, Will's had a change of scenery; not of his own volition, mind you. At some point after the events of the original game, the plucky purveyor loses his home dimension, leaving him stranded in the land of Tresna. With nothing better to do in his newfound home, Will sets up shop, traveling across worlds gathering all manner of celestial curios to flog. Featuring a customizable shop, new ways to haggle, and more, Moonlighter 2 is making a case to feature on our best roguelike games list.

It's not only Will that's had a switch up of perspective. Moonlighter 2 is now rendered in three-dimensional form, with an isometric slant akin to something like Hades or cute fox-based Zelda-like Tunic. It's a massive change, and one which has certainly jarred some fans of the OG. But Digital Sun has done well to remain true to its roots through its familiar color palette. Will's following Link's cadence; more 'Wind Waker' than 'Minish Cap,' though still quintessentially Moonlighter.

One of the most exciting elements, for me at least, is that Moonlighter 2's being scored by none other than Hollow Knight composer Chris Larkin. If you've spent any amount of time in Hallownest, you'll know that Larkin cooks.

Moonlighter 2 drops into early access on October 23, 2025. You can wishlist it ahead of time on Steam here.

While there's often a sense of trepidation surrounding early access launches, the good news is Moonlighter 2 shouldn't be in this phase for too long. "The game is nearly complete," Digital Sun says in a press release, "but a few parts of the adventure still need polishing."

With a couple of months to kill before Will's grand return, spend some time reading Josh's glowing Moonlighter 2 preview, and kill the rest of it with some of the best RPGs from our list.

Will you be jumping into Moonlighter 2 as soon as it arrives? Join our community Discord server and let us know.