Minecraft Dungeons II

Minecraft Dungeons II is an action RPG about defeating enemies, collecting gear, and developing a hero. Made by Mojang Studios and Double Eleven, it can be played alone or in a party of up to four[1][2]. It launched on September 29 and joined Game Pass on day one[3]. You can start without having played the first game[4].

Co-op is the biggest change this time. Mojang Studios has made online and offline play entirely separate modes, citing the prevention of cheating[2]. That decision broadens the options for playing together, but it also underlies the complaint that attracted the most helpful votes among negative reviews on the game's second day. This review draws on the Steam store, official posts from Mojang Studios and Xbox, and Kotaku's hands-on impressions, as of September 30, 2026.

A hub to explore beyond the small plaza

According to Kotaku's hands-on report, the new hub, Brave Haven, moves beyond the first game's small plaza, where players teleported into missions[5]. You walk across a larger map, pick up quests, and look for secret areas and chests. A tram takes you farther afield[5]. The story picks up after the first game: the Illager High Council has opened portals along the Squid Coast, and the heroes flee to build a new home in Brave Haven[5]. Brave Haven is also where players enter the longer dungeons and find the rifts that lead into the Sift[5].

There is also more to do with your equipment. Armor now drops as four separate pieces: helmets, chestplates, leggings, and boots[5]. You buy items from rescued merchants, apply enchantments using collected spellbooks, and take gear to the blacksmith for upgrades. Special skills occupy up to three slots[5].

Kotaku saw the game as geared toward adults and children playing together. The interface is simple, and difficulty settings let players adjust enemy strength[5]. Its assessment of the new dimension, the Sift, was more reserved: stepping through rifts for short combat sections still felt closer to a taster[5]. The Sift will also come to Minecraft Java and Bedrock editions in 2027[3]. Xbox Wire describes it as the first new dimension in Minecraft in more than 14 years, with new biomes that include the Meadows and the Carapace[3].

Friends on the couch and farther away, in one party

Mojang Studios' co-op guide says both online and offline modes support couch co-op, with several people playing on the same device[2]. In the first game, couch co-op was limited to offline play. This time, players can take a couch session online and invite remote friends into the same four-player party[2].

Getting together is straightforward. Enter an 8-character party code made up of letters and numbers to join a friend's party, regardless of platform[2]. Matchmaking considers quest progress, region, and power level, and can place players in sessions already under way[2].

Online hero data is stored on Mojang Studios' servers. If the platform supports it, you can sign in with your own account on a friend's device and continue with the same hero[2]. Linking platform accounts to the same Microsoft account also lets you use that hero across platforms[2]. Where the first game relied on the party leader's device to host a session, the sequel uses dedicated servers[2].

The cost of separating the modes

Technical director Stefan Annell explained that separating the modes gives the team more control over what happens online, making it easier to prevent cheating[2]. Players have viewed the decision differently. A negative review marked helpful by 276 people complained that it was impossible to create a character usable both online and offline[6]. It also claimed that inactivity causes disconnections, leaving players waiting even when playing alone[6].

Steam's overall rating is "Mixed." As of September 30 at 7:26 p.m. KST, 1,956 of 3,444 reviews were positive, or roughly 57%[6]. We also counted terms in roughly 1,500 negative reviews at the same point in time. There were 90 reviews containing both "offline" and "online," and 25 that mentioned pausing[6].

Complaints about the PC experience were more numerous. Linux, Steam Deck, or Proton appeared in 332 negative reviews, while 216 mentioned WASD keyboard movement[6]. Windows is the only operating system listed on the Steam store[1]. The listed minimum is 64-bit Windows 10 (version 1703 or later), an Intel Core i3-8100 or AMD Ryzen 3 2200G, 8 GB of RAM and a GeForce GTX 1050 or Radeon RX 560 with 2 GB of video memory. The recommended tier asks for 16 GB of RAM and a GTX 1060 or RX 580 with 6 GB. The store also lists cross-platform multiplayer, Remote Play Together and partial controller support[1]. These keyword counts indicate where complaints cluster; they do not establish that every player encounters the same problems.

KRW 34,800 in Korea, Game Pass, and console online subscriptions

The game costs KRW 34,800 on the Korean Steam store, while the Deluxe Edition costs KRW 59,800[1]. Deluxe includes four hero skins, the Soul cape, the Blub pet, and DLC 1 and 2. Upgrading the base game to Deluxe costs KRW 25,000 on the Korean Steam store. The DLC will be available as it is released[1]. The North American rating is E10+, with an in-game purchases notice[1].

On Xbox, Game Pass and Xbox Play Anywhere let players move between console and PC at no additional cost[3]. Online co-op on consoles does, however, require a separate online subscription for the relevant platform[3]. Players who used the same Microsoft account to play the first game receive a Hero cape, which can also be worn in Minecraft Java and Bedrock editions[4]. The FAQ adds that playing the first game through Game Pass or Steam counts too, as long as it was the same Microsoft account[4]. English is supported with full audio, while Korean covers the interface and subtitles only[1].

If you subscribe to Game Pass, download the game without buying it separately and decide whether to create your first hero online or offline. If, as the reviews report, heroes cannot move between the two modes, that initial choice will shape subsequent progress for anyone planning to play with friends.

Sources

[1] Valve. Minecraft Dungeons II Steam store page. App information from the Korean store, accessed September 30, 2026.

[2] Mojang Studios. Better together in Dungeons II. Minecraft.net, September 29, 2026, accessed September 30, 2026.

[3] Joe Skrebels. Minecraft Dungeons II's New Dimension Coming to Minecraft Java & Bedrock Edition. Xbox Wire, September 26, 2026, accessed September 30, 2026.

[4] Mojang Studios. Minecraft Dungeons II official page, including FAQ. accessed September 30, 2026.

[5] Kotaku. Minecraft Dungeons 2 Is An Excellent Step Forward For An Already Great Cozy Action-RPG Formula. September 29, 2026, accessed September 30, 2026.

[6] Valve. Minecraft Dungeons II Steam user review summary. All-language reviews queried and keywords counted directly in negative review text, accessed September 30, 2026, at 7:26 p.m. KST.