Risk of Rain 2 is in the works and looks very different

Developer Hopoo Games is working on a sequel to its well-received action roguelike Risk of Rain, and is making a bold departure from the original game’s pixelated 2D style. For Risk of Rain 2, Hopoo is going 3D.

Hopoo announced Risk of Rain 2 on the developer’s blog, emphasizing that the sequel is “very VERY early in development.”

“None of the systems, artstyles, assets, or game design choices will necessarily translate to the final game,” the developer wrote. “We’re learning as we go along — I hope that you guys find it as interesting to read as we do to develop.”

One design choice that seems unlikely change, based on Hopoo’s assessment of how the game is progressing, is the shift from 2D to 3D.

“Risk of Rain 2 is our first fully 3D project,” the developer said. “We think that 3D allows for much deeper design spaces and more possibilities for cool gameplay. Feelings of scale and atmosphere are also much stronger. We are really happy with the core of Risk of Rain — and we’re finding it plays even better in 3D.”

Here’s a look at Risk of Rain 2 in action, in animated GIF form:

Hopoo Games

More details (and GIFs) are available at the team’s development blog.

The first Risk of Rain was released in 2013 on Windows PC. The roguelike was later ported to Linux, Mac, PlayStation 4 and PlayStation Vita. For more on the game, read Polygon’s review of Risk of Rain.