I HAVE THE POWER
It’s been a long time since I have played a good ‘God’ game. If you have no idea what I’m talking about, I wouldn’t blame you. The genre has been all but dead since the highs of releases like Black and White, Populous and a few others. Well, the developers over at Abbey Games aim to help in a resurgence with their sequel to Reus. Reus 2 isn’t about conquest and domination like Black and White 2, instead it’s a game that highlights the players creativity and rewards their curiosity.
The pitch is a simple one: control elemental giants, terraform planets, and guide evolving civilizations. But the magic is in how those systems interact. Every decision matters. Where you place a biome or resource ripples outward, influencing how people grow, trade, and survive. You’re not just shaping land in Reus 2; no, you’re shaping history.
MSRP: $24.99
Platforms: Xbox (reviewed), PlayStation, Switch, PC
Price I’d Pay: $24.99
Reus 2 trades the single-planet focus of the original for a full solar system playground, and that change makes a huge difference. Hopping between worlds feels empowering, and experimenting with different ecosystems keeps things fresh. On Xbox, performance is smooth enough, the colors pop, and the art style looks crisp and lively in 4K. Watching your worlds come alive on a big TV is exactly the kind of quiet satisfaction that strategy fans crave.
Reus 2 hits a rare balance between calm and complexity. Players can take their time; no ticking clock pushing you forward but the layers of interaction between your giants, resources, and humans are deeper than you’d expect. Figuring out the perfect combination of flora, fauna, and minerals to nudge your civilizations toward prosperity feels rewarding in a way few strategy games manage. I also appreciate that Abbey Games built in solid progression. Even when you finish a session, you’re unlocking new perks and systems to use on your next planet. It keeps you coming back for “just one more world.”
As much as I love the concept, the console interface could use a little polish. It’s clear this game was designed with a mouse in mind. Menu navigation with a controller sometimes feels like wrestling a giant who just discovered buttons. It’s functional, just not as smooth as it could be. The tutorial also leans a bit light; most players will figure out the core systems fast enough but understanding how to really optimize your worlds takes some trial and error. And while I dig the chill pacing, it won’t be for everyone. Players looking for fast action might bounce off its slow-burn rhythm.
Reus 2 is a rare gem; a god-game that encourages creativity and patience instead of chaos and destruction. It’s a strategy title that rewards thoughtfulness, experimentation, and curiosity. Abbey Games clearly learned from the first outing and refined it into something both deeper and more approachable. The Xbox version looks great, runs smooth, the only real wrinkle is the controls feel clumsy with a controller. Hopefully we can see a patch or two that will address this, but even with that issue players on Xbox will find more to love than hate with Reus 2.
Review copy of game provided by publisher.
