At XBOX Video games Showcase earlier this 12 months, we performed a Minecraft Dungeons II demo that took us to the hacking/slashing/looting/capturing coronary heart of this upcoming ARPG sequel – however in the present day at gamescom 2026, I received to play a brand new model that confirmed us rather more of what’s going to encompass that core mechanical expertise.
In a 30 minute runthrough, I started my demo within the sport’s bucolic hub city, Courageous Haven, taking within the sights, attending to grips with among the new choices I’ll have entry to, earlier than utilizing a minecart quick journey system to take me straight to a bruising boss combat – and sampling among the smaller modifications alongside the way in which.
Let me take you thru among the greatest new parts I discovered about in the present day:
Blacksmith and Enchantsmith
On the coronary heart of Courageous Haven, you’ll discover two smiths – one acquainted, and the opposite somewhat… much less so. The Blacksmith is simple sufficient, however I can instantly see how I’ll be utilizing it for your complete sport’s size.
Any piece of kit you personal will be opened up right here and, for a modest price, upgraded to the best energy stage at present out there to you. It’s a easy answer to a knotty drawback in any sport constructed round loot – in the event you’ve fallen in love with a selected sword, bow, or piece of armor, you gained’t be confronted with having to unequip it merely since you discovered one thing extra highly effective. The Blacksmith additionally solves one other subject – possibly you have got a chunk of kit that appears nice, however its in-built buffs aren’t fairly proper on your construct. Right here, you may re-roll so as to add a model new buff instead, hopefully ending up with the proper merchandise for you.
If the Blacksmith is a means of tweaking and refining your gear, the Enchantsmith is the place you can also make these objects act in completely new methods. Alongside your journey, you’ll discover Enchant Books – objects that give you new methods so as to add results to your weapons. Carry them again to the Enchantsmith and, with a down fee of forex dropped by new Soul Corrupted enemies, you may add these enchantments to your objects.
Even in a brief demo, and with a restricted variety of enchantments to look at, the probabilities for buildcraft listed below are immediately tantalizing. Wanting over the record of choices, I noticed methods to extend how typically I might use a dodge roll potential. However subsequent to that? A capability to shoot arrows with each dodge roll. And what if I then added an enchantment so as to add a hearth impact to all my arrows? Within the area of a single menu, I’ve successfully created a whole new potential synergy for my character.
Assembly the Copper Monstrosity
After I’d completed refining my construct (a particularly succesful ranged DPS character, with the flexibility to drop bombs and buff themselves in a few useful methods), I set off for a showdown. With a full Overworld map to journey throughout this time round, I took a minecart from Courageous Haven to the cease nearest my vacation spot, however nonetheless contended with dozens of mobs who blocked my path.
It was a fantastic reminder of how speedy and gratifying the fight in Dungeons II is feeling – each combat requires me to fireside my bow, end off enemies with the sword, and make a number of makes use of of my Artifacts (the objects that supply me additional talents). However at the identical time, cooldowns are mercifully temporary, that means I really feel like I’m continually preventing at full energy, reasonably than merely spending my time turtling, ready for the following potential to pop up once more. It feels odd to say a few Minecraft sport, however Dungeons II feels constructed round aggression, rewarding you for taking over enemies as relentlessly as you may.
As soon as I reached my vacation spot (and getting ambushed by waves of more and more powerful enemies), I ultimately ascended a tower to fulfill the Copper Monstrosity, a model new boss being launched with this demo. A hulking mass of, you guessed it, copper, the Monstrosity initially offered as a straight tank, with hefty punches that require cautious dodging (or, in my case, liberal swigs of well being potion). However shortly it launched lightning AOE assaults, sending sparks crawling beneath my toes earlier than activating, and full-arena dashes that took me abruptly.
It’s a single combat that reveals the variety of fight, and an actual sense of problem – identical to the mobs, I felt inspired to utilize all my talents at as soon as, however now with a real sense of risk-reward, with the Monstrosity capable of shave large sections of my well being off in seconds if I didn’t apply some thought to how I reacted. Dungeons II could also be an ARPG constructed for all expertise ranges – however that doesn’t imply it needs to be good about it on a regular basis…
High quality of Life Upgrades
Alongside my quick journey, I received to see among the smaller parts which might be including as much as make for a real sequel to the unique Dungeons. One small however essential change comes within the type of an onscreen stock possibility – press up on the D-pad and also you’ll be taken to the default stock menu. However maintain that button and a miniature model of the menu will pop up onscreen, permitting for fast swaps. It’s an answer designed for sofa co-op gamers particularly – now not will entire groups utilizing a single display screen want to attend for every particular person participant to kind their objects, as all of them can deliver up their very own mini-menu concurrently.
For many who need to spend longer in these menus, although, there’s the surprisingly compelling “Results and Enchantments” menu, which boils down each single impact out of your weapons, armor, and talismans right into a single record. Should you’re going to get closely into buildcraft, this might be the place you spend a lot of time. It enables you to establish precisely how your objects are affecting your construct, which of them would possibly must be tweaked, and the place you would possibly have the ability to enhance it.
As a lot as the large mechanical modifications, it’s these sorts of little tweaks from the primary sport that present how Mojang is pushing this sequel a lot additional. By bettering the expertise for sofa gamers or hardcore style fans alike, they’re delivering on the promise of being an ARPG not only for everybody, however for anybody.
Minecraft Dungeons II launches September 29 for XBOX Collection X|S, XBOX on PC, cloud, and might be included with Sport Cross. Play it on each console and PC at no further price with XBOX Play Wherever. Additionally out there on Steam, PlayStation 5, Nintendo Change and Nintendo Change 2.