The first "Rogue Legacy," a clever twist on the roguelike genre that both failed and progressed, won the hearts of many roguelike fans. Nearly a decade later, Cellar Door Games faces not only the weight of expectation that comes with creating a sequel, but also competition from a group of titles inspired by the roguelike formula. However, the developer has not succumbed to the pressure and has created a brilliant sequel that revitalizes the series with innovative ideas, while expanding on the elements that made the original so much fun.

Once again, you step into the shoes of a randomized hero tasked with navigating the levels of a procedurally generated castle. The castle is a grueling ordeal filled with formidable enemies to defeat, pesky obstacles to overcome, and precious gold to steal. Once your hero runs out of stamina, or more likely, you will soon step into the shoes of its offspring. The gold you took from the previous challenge can be used for permanent upgrades to give you a better edge in this challenge.

At the start of each play, you can choose three characters from the unlockable classes. Old favorites such as the Knight and Barbarian are back, mixed with new choices such as the high-speed gun-slinging Gunslinger and the spear-wielding Valkyrie. Each class has its own unique stats, weapons, talents, and passive abilities. The Barbarian, for example, has increased strength, while the talent Winter's Shout freezes enemies in place, making them more susceptible to devastating axe attacks.

One of the most unusual and fun new additions is the chef class. Not only can they cook stew to replenish their strength, but they can also use their trusty frying pan to inflict burn damage and deflect flying bullets for a deadly game of ping pong. However, some classes are considerably more effective than others, and after a few tries, we passed on the less useful ones. Due to the lack of multi-directional aiming in their spells, the mage class sat on the bench for most of my time playing Rogue Legacy 2.

Members of this family of heroes have all sorts of personality traits. The original players will remember these traits for the quirks, both good and bad, that they put into your character. Some, like methemoglobinemia, are only a distraction, like the hero's skin turning a handsome blue color. Others make the game unplayable, like the pacifist wielding a peaceful placard that does no damage to the enemy.

I opted for a knight with vertigo. I fully expected to get a little dizzy when faced with a high ledge. Needless to say, it was short-lived. This playful gimmick adds a layer of difficulty (or ease) and makes you feel different every time you try to conquer the castle. Even when your quest is hampered by the worst, they still add humor to the grind.

Each level has its own striking visual style. You start out in a traditional castle, and in later levels you will explore a beautiful snow-covered setting or an enchanting study filled with magical pedestals. Threatening your journey are hordes of relentless enemies. Enemies come in all shapes and sizes, just like you. Some enemies fill the screen with deadly bullets, while others have nothing better to do than smash you over the head with their powerful melee attacks.

It's not just the enemies you have to worry about. The levels are platform labyrinths filled with spiky pitfalls, fire traps, and other dangerous obstacles that require careful timing and patience to overcome. Later levels introduce original threats such as the Nightmare. Nightmares fire high-speed bullets if you try to attack them within the aura's spreading range. Despite being beaten down so many times, I couldn't wait to dive back in to play one more time.

The pixelated graphics of the original have been replaced with a crisper, hand-drawn style to represent the game's whimsical inhabitants. The most important addition to the family-friendly antics of "Rogue Legacy 2," however, are the heirlooms. Heirlooms unlock mobility abilities such as double jumps and aerial dashes, allowing the player to go to previously inaccessible places. In addition to adding a fun Metroidvania element to the game, this expanded moveset gives you more options when avoiding damage from enemies and other hazards.

Rogue Lights, by their very nature, are repetitive, but "Rogue Legacy 2" is designed to never feel boring. The upgrade system offers a wide variety of enhancements that do more than just buff status. Hard-earned gold can be used to unlock new classes and merchants, as well as game-changing upgrades such as Architect and Adoption Center. The Adoption Center allows you to spend a percentage of your gold to prevent the layout of the castle from being changed, while the Adoption Center increases the number of heirs you can choose from. I was looking forward to seeing what interesting upgrades were in store, and was often strangely excited at the prospect of my hero's demise.

Rogue Legacy 2 doesn't stray too far from the genre's overused conventions, but it does what any good rogue writer should do. After just one playthrough, you will find yourself unable to put down the controller after being presented with an all-too-familiar death screen. Instead, you choose another heir and promise yourself that this time you will conquer the castle.

Cellar Door Games' latest title is one of the best in the genre that the company helped create. The demanding and endlessly entertaining gameplay, fueled by a challenging progression system, is as engrossing as the first time you played it. Enhanced visuals, enhanced character options, and hilarious traversing abilities make this a sequel that not only rivals its predecessor, but easily surpasses it.