Summary
Risk of Rain Returnsseems to be every bit the perfect remake/remaster thatRoR fans always wanted it to be and it seems to have improved on the original 2013 game in almost every conceivable way. That said, there do seem to be some pretty noticeable differences in gameplay, with more enemies and a higher base difficulty, some Survivors feel a bit different than they did all the way back then.
These are all microscopic differences, and for the most part, all the Survivors inRisk of Rain Returnshave only gotten stronger, but here are the few characters that feel at least a little different or even worse.
Disclaimer:Survivors, for the most part, have received massive buffs betweenRisk of Rain (2013)andRisk of Rain Returns. We’re just pointing out the minuscule differences that may make some characters feel a bit worse to play overall compared to the original game.
114 (+36 per level)
0.60 (+0.24 per level)
12 (+3 per level)
0 (+3 per level)
First up is Acrid, who was incredibly strong with his hit-and-run gameplay loop back in the originalRisk of Rain. However, inRisk of Rain Returns, the greater number of enemies, flying enemies,and new itemsdo actually hamper him a bit more than help him.
Granted, walking through a group of enemies and having them follow Acrid while treading through his trail of deadly poison is still as satisfying as it ever was, but it’s not quite as strong as it was back in 2013. Additionally, Acrid did lose some base Armor between the 2013 version of the game and 2023’sRisk of Rain Returns. In the original, Acrid had a base 15 Armor (+3 per level), while in Returns he starts at 0 (still gets +3 per level).
110 (+32 per level)
0.60 (+0.12 per level)
0 (+2 per level)
Once they integrate the mouse directional aiming patch intoRisk of Rain Returns, Commando is going to feel a lot better. Not that he feels bad now, but now that everyone can fire while walking backward, Commando’s rapid-fast fire rate doesn’t feel quite as strong as it did before.
Plus, compared to how absurd this character can get inRisk of Rain 2with the right build,Risk of Rain Return’sCommando doesn’t quite stack up. Commando inRisk of Rain Returnsis simply a victim of power creep, as all the other Survivors (secret one included) either play way differently, got a lot stronger, or have new gimmicks while Commando is mostly the same.
Here’s an interesting inclusion. Artificer is a character that wasn’t in the originalRisk of Rain. Artificer was a new character added inRisk of Rain 2and is actually very similar to Pilot in that both characters are designed around the concept of aerial combat.
And inRisk of Rain Returns, they’ve done a fantastic job translating Artificer’s kit from a 3D to a 2D format, but sadly she’s still a lot worse inReturnsthan inRoR2. Of course, comparing a 3D game to a 2D one, even in the same franchise, is still a bit ridiculous, so players should absolutely make their own judgments on Artificer.
120 (+44 per level)
1.80 (+0.18 per level)
13 (+3 per level)
Next up is Han-D, a character who has a very unique playstyle compared to the other Survivors. Han-D seems to have some very dedicated fans who love it while there’s another subsection of players who just never clicked with its playstyle.
InRisk of Rain Returns, Han-D has just become a bit of a victim in regard to the game’s new creatures, increased spawns, and higher difficulty overall. It’s already hard enough to manage hordes as this character, but add flying enemies and more elites into the mix, and it’s even tougher for players,let alone beginners, to make real progress with Han-D. Han-D is still absolutely strong, but it did feel easier to get a run going with this character back in 2013.
120 (+34 per level)
0.90 (+0.18 per level)
In a lot of ways, Engineer is actually a lot stronger inRisk of Rain Returns. For example, the turrets nowinherit all of the Engineer’s itemslike inRoR2instead of just scaling with Attack Speed like inRisk of Rain (2013). But, in exchange, the base health of the turrets seems to be lower and the Engineer alsohas 5 fewer mines to use as well.
It’s a bit of a half-buff half-nerf situation but at the very least Engineer feels different than before. Statistically, Engineer is also one of the few characters to actually have his default stats nerfed from the 2013 version of the game. In the original, Engineer would gain a good amount more Health Regen per level compared to now, which may seem small but it is noticeable once you know about it.
115 (+40 per level)
2.40 (+0.30 per level)
10 (+3 per level)
Last up is Loader, and this is another one that’s an example of a Survivor whose mechanics in theirRisk of Rain 2version were sort of integrated into theirRisk of Rain Returnsiteration. Obviously, it’s more based on the originalRisk of Rain’sLoader, but considering how absurdly strong the Loader is inRisk of Rain 2with things like Kjaro’s Bands and Crowbars theRoRRversion still isn’t nearly as strong.
It’s also worth noting that in the original game, Loader’s Hydraulic Gauntlet could only be sent straight forward, not diagonally like it can be inRisk of Rain Returns. Yet somehow, it feels more finicky to grapple Loader up onto ledges now than it ever did in the original. Loader is also another one who has been (very slightly) nerfed between games. In the originalRisk of Rain, Loader would gain 42 HP per level, while now she only gains 40. However, in exchange, Loader has 4 times as much base Health Regen, so the trade-off is more than worth it, especiallyfor those who like to play solo.
