Remnant 2 The Dark Horizon DLC hands-off preview: A promising expansion, and a whole lot more

Remnant 2 The Dark Horizon has me more excited than I've ever been for a DLC, save for Shadow of the Erdtree. If that's not indicative of how promising the upcoming expansion is, then I don't know what is. Not only am I impressed with what Gunfire Games showed me, but I'm also in utter awe of what the developers were able to create in such a short timeframe.

Right from the onset, The Dark Horizon looks and feels like a much more "expansive" expansion (no pun intended) compared to the previous Remnant 2 DLCs. Not only is the new map much larger in scale compared to the base N'Erud, but it's also way more vertical. This is precisely what impressed me the most.

As the team guided me through all the new elements of the DLC, I felt like a child at a toy store, giddy with excitement. The expansion also coincides with the release of the "Horde Mode," which, let me tell you, is way more fleshed-out than what you might be expecting. All this combined left a very positive impression on me, despite the entire preview being hands-off.

---

Remnant 2 The Dark Horizon is as promising as it's breathtaking

The Warden - The perfect Archetype for newcomers, and a worthy alternative to the Handler

My preview session began with a first look at the new Warden Archetype that's coming to Remnant 2 with The Dark Horizon. The preview session was helmed by Ben Cureton, Principal Designer, and Cindy To, Principal Level Designer, at Gunfire Games. I did have a notion of how the Warden Archetype would play out judging from the DLC's official artwork.

The Warden Archetype in Remnant 2 The Dark Horizon (Image via Arc Games)

That said, seeing the Archetype in action completely caught me off-guard and surprised me. Gunfire Games has done a truly impressive job when it comes to the DLC Archetypes, with the Ritualist Archetype being my favorite. However, seeing the Warden and the tools it has access to, still ended up surprising me, in ways that I didn't anticipate.

The Warden is a hybrid Archetype, with access to both, offensive and defensive tools. Unlike the Ritualist or the Invoker Archetypes, which were primarily offensive, the Warden has access to some pretty powerful defensive perks as well. This is useful in both single-player and co-op sessions.

For weapons, the Warden has access to the Repair Gun, which serves as both, an offensive as well as a defensive tool. You see, firing the weapon at enemies, as usual, deals damage to them. However, if you fire the Repair Gun at an ally, say your co-op buddy or the Dog (if you have the Handler Archetype equipped), the Repair Gun instead, heals them.

Furthermore, there's also a Plasma Scythe that's coming to the game with the DLC, which has a very special moveset for its charged heavy attack. If you thought that's all, you're in for a surprise. The Warden has another powerful trick up its sleeve - the Drone.

The Warden comes with both, offensive and defensive tools (Image via Arc Games)

The Drone is fully automated and can both shield, heal, or inflict damage to enemies. Furthermore, it has its own set of active and passive perks that you can choose if you have Warden as your primary Archetype. And yes, you can have both, the Drone and the Dog as your companions (if you have Handler as your secondary Archetype).

The Warden also is the only Archetype that by default comes with a shield around its healthbar. The shield depletes over time as you take damage, but can be replenished via the Prime Perk - Dynamic. Furthermore, the Drone can also repair the Warden's shield, granted you have the Shield Drone skill equipped.

From what I saw, the Warden seems like the perfect Archetype for newcomers to Remnant 2. Given the depth of defensive (and healing) options available for the new Archetype, it also is a fitting choice for players who want a good primary Archetype for co-op. Moreover, it seems to be a great fit for the Summoner or the Handler playstyles, which I'm a fan of.

Remnant 2 The Dark Horizon will have you revisit N'Erud (Image via Arc Games)

My only concern is that Warden seems a bit too overpowered for the starting difficulty presets. Don't get me wrong, I do think in Apocalyptic, you'll still need to be strategic with Warden's abilities. However, for Survivor, I think Warden is a bit overturned, owing to its passive shield regen and healing capabilities.

---

Impressive verticality, and a new mode of traversal

Similar to the previous two DLCs for Remnant 2, The Dark Horizons expands on an already existing locale from the base game, that being N'Erud. While my personal favorite has always been Losomn, due to the Gothic architecture and thematic similarities to Bloodborne, I do enjoy revisiting N'Erud from time to time, simply for the bosses it inhabits.

A vertical slice of the incredible verticality of the new N'Erud map in Remnant 2 The Dark Horizon (Image via Arc Games)

The Dark Horizon massively expands N'Erud, giving players a look at the long-forgotten past of the sci-fi-inspired locale. While we have seen similar expansion of the existing locales with the previous two expansions, The Dark Horizons is a tad bit different, owing to its focus on verticality.

The new map is not only larger in terms of surface area compared to the base game N'Erud, but it's also way more vertical. Think of it like Elden Ring's Shadow Realm map contrasted against the base game's Lands Between. And to support the added verticality, Gunfire Games have added a new mode of getting around places - a Glider-drone.

There are designated glider posts across the entire map. You simply need to head over and interact with the Glider to start sailing through the skies. Furthermore, there's no set path for the Glider. Once you're in the air, you're free to choose your destination and travel to where you want.

Gunfire Games also confirmed that the Glider is one of the tools that you'll need to use to reach certain hidden locations across N'Erud, and of course, obtain hidden loot. I honestly can't wait to get my hands on the DLC simply to explore every nook and cranny of the new map of N'Erud, in search of secrets, new weapons, armor, and also the Warden Archetype.

Remnant 2's upcoming expansion is also packed with plenty of new threats of all shapes and sizes (Image via Arc Games)

The Glider also has an element of strategy to traversal. While you're free to choose your own path while gliding, you're also completely vulnerable while doing so. The Glider isn't a "get-out-of-jail-for-free" card, but instead, it's meant to be used only when you're out of harm's way or haven't alerted any nearby enemies.

Lastly, during my preview session, I got to see a new system that Gunfire Games is using to help guide players to their objectives. It's not a traditional map/objective marker. Instead, it's more like a beacon that will be visible on the map at all times but will require a bit of exploring and puzzle-solving. It's also connected to the story of the DLC, in a very interesting way.

---

Boss Rush mode and Prisms are the cherry on top of the final Remnant 2 expansion

Lastly, Ben and Cindy gave me a sneak peek at the upcoming Boss Rush mode, which will be available as a free update to all Remnant 2 players. I was honestly really stoked when I first heard about the dedicated "Boss Rush" mode for Remnant 2. As someone who's a fan of Darksiders 2 and 3's Crucible, I always dreamt of getting a similar mode in Remnant.

Prepare to revisit the challenging bosses from the base game in Remnant 2's new Boss Rush mode (Image via Arc Games)

You can access the Boss Rush mode the same way you start a New Adventure via the World Stone in Ward 13. However, unlike the main story regions, the Boss Rush mode is available right from the get-go, regardless of how far you've progressed in the story. This is a great thing in my opinion.

The Boss Rush mode being available from the start gives skilled players an incentive to start a fresh character to try out their mettle against the bosses, without any upgrades or end-game Archetype. Furthermore, the Boss Rush not being progression-gated lets newcomers test out their builds against bosses that they might face later in the story.

The Boss Rush has three tiers to choose from - Triple Threat (a three-boss run), Trial by Fire (a seven-boss run) and The Gauntlet (a nineteen-boss run). Completing the Boss Rush rewards you with exclusive rewards. Also, for players who like to min-max their builds, Boss Rush is a great option. Let me elaborate.

Ben and Cindy explained to me how the Boss Rush is designed in such a way that it prioritizes rewarding players with gear (Rings, upgrade resources, etc.) that they might've missed during their regular playthrough. As such, instead of having to grind multiple playthroughs for a single gear, players can simply hop into the Boss Rush mode to get that loot.

Boss Rush mode is an excellent way to revisit bosses from Remnant 2's base game, without having to reroll a campaign (Image via Arc Games)

There's also a small "rogue-like" element to the Boss Rush mode, where players can find special "power-ups" after defeating a boss or an Aberration. The Boss Rush mode works in a way that's very akin to the Horde Mode in Doom Eternal, for instance, albeit with much more bosses, and less filler.

Once you hop onto your chosen Boss Rush mode, you face a horde of regular mobs, which will vary depending on the locale you get. Also, if you own the DLCs and have them installed, enemies and bosses from the expansions will be available in the Boss Rush pool. Once you defeat the mob enemies, you'll face an Aberration, and then, ultimately, a boss.

Lastly, there's also a reworked Prisms system coming to the game, with the Boss Rush update. The Prism system essentially replaces the Fragments component of the game. Relic Fragments are arguably the most overlooked aspect of Remnant 2's progression system, something even veteran players rarely engage with.

That said, Gunfire Games have taken note of that, and have now completely reworked the Relics Fragments, making it much more effective toward build crafting. Instead of being tied to Relics, Fragments are now slotted in a completely separate menu of their own. This is also where you get access to Prisms.

Bosses from Remnant 2's DLCs will also show up in the Boss Rush (Image via Arc Games)

Prisms are essentially another way to obtain Relic Fragments. Once you gain enough XP, you can invest it into the Prisms, granted you bought one from the vendor at Ward 13. Leveling up the Prism grants you additional Fragment slots as well as random Fragments to slot into those. Furthermore, the Prism Fragments can be upgraded up to +10.

Gunfire Games have essentially taken the most mundane element of the build crafting system in Remnant 2 and reworked it to fit a completely new purpose. I'm genuinely impressed by how much thought has gone into reworking the entire Relic Fragments system, which mind you, isn't even gated behind the DLCs.

---

In conclusion

Remnant 2 is already an excellent action RPG. While the previous two DLCs for the game were also quite good, with the final expansion, Gunfire Games has gone all out with their creativity. Not only are they delivering what is easily one of the most impressive maps in Remnant 2, but also a new Archetype that's bound to become a new favorite among fans.

The Dark Horizon feels like peak Remnant 2, especially with the Boss Rush update (Image via Arc Games)

The Dark Horizons, from what I saw of it so far, looks like a proper evolution of not only the base game N'Erud but also Remnant 2's overall game design in general. With an increased emphasis on verticality, the fresh map, as well as the Warden Archetype, is bound to entice newcomers and veterans alike.

To top it all off, Gunfire Games have gone above and beyond with the Boss Rush mode. Instead of throwing in a generic boss gauntlet, they made it more like a Crucible, complete with exclusive rewards. Moreover, the Prism system not only fixes one of the weaker aspects of Remnant 2's build crafting - Relic Fragments - but improves it tenfold.

Overall I'm incredibly impressed at what Gunfire Games had to show for their upcoming new expansion as well as the free Boss Rush update. Honestly, I just can't wait to get my hands on Remnant 2 The Dark Horizon to start exploring the new map of N'Erud and take on The Gauntlet in the Boss Rush mode.