Pirates Outlaws 2: Heritage | PC Early Access Review

After hearing glowing praise for years, I finally played Slay the Spire this past summer. As a roguelite (run-based randomizer) deckbuilder from 2017, I did not expect to enjoy it. While waiting for the sequel to come out in 2026, I needed another deckbuilder to scratch that itch. So I had to jump at the opportunity to review the early access version of Pirates Outlaws 2: Heritage from Fabled Game Studios. Although I had not played Pirates Outlaws, I was excited to check out this sequel.

Weigh Anchor

In Pirates Outlaws 2: Heritage, your character is Gabi, a young pirate who sets out to carry on her family’s legacy of becoming a reputed pirate. She must battle across islands, gaining loot, defeating epic enemies, battling other pirates in the Arena as well as the Kraken. While light on story content, the overall feel of becoming a pirate is very much present. Besides, you typically do not play a deckbuilder for its story but for its gameplay.

Avast Ye

Just like many roguelite deckbuilders, every run has you start with a small deck of cards that resets each time. Some cards will be different depending on the class you select; there are currently four unlockable classes during early access. You can also upgrade cards either by spending gold earned during a run or by collecting three of the same card. There are also relics that you can unlock and equip to give advantages for each run, such as increased attack damage or starting with more coins. These help make each run feel fresh.

Battles are very similar to games such as Slay the Spire. Obviously, the deckbuilding gameplay is there, but also the animation style of attacks show its inspiration. However, some variations make it refreshing. Each battle starts with drawing a set of cards, some meant for attacking, others for defense, or even spells. What makes Pirates Outlaws 2: Heritage unique is that you do not have a set number of moves before your turn is complete. Instead, there are two variables you have to consider during battle: 1) how much ammo you have, and 2) how much time before your enemy’s next attack.

Ranged attacks and shields require ammo to be used. Unless you have an upgrade or relic that increases your ammo, you start with three bullets. How strong the ranged attack is can affect how much ammo is required. Once you run out of ammo, you need cards that can reload your ammo, which are scattered throughout your deck. Not every attack requires ammo (like melee attacks) but these are typically less powerful and can only be used on the closest enemy.

You need to be cognizant of other numbers besides your ammo. Instead of an energy bar that indicates the end of your turn, you can play as many cards as you have available. However, each card played will decrease the timer under each enemy, indicating how many moves you can make before their next move. If you have only cards that require ammo, you may have to discard and redraw, which might cost many moves and leave you exposed. It presents a nice challenge to balance your ammo and your enemies’ next turn. 

Captain! Me Thinks We’ve Been Here Before!

Some roguelites will provide a branching path that will eventually lead to a final boss to complete a run. But in Pirates Outlaws 2: Heritage, each area offers a random, nearly circular path during your runs. You can choose which way you’d like to travel, but you will visit a location multiple times during a run. Each area will have a market for buying relics and upgrades, where there will also be a tavern, where you can heal and gain rations. Rations are what are needed to get around the area to complete the run, so you have to be aware of how many rations you have and how many are required to sail. I never had issues getting back to a tavern to purchase more rations, however.

Hornswoggle

I played on my Steam Deck without crashes or stuttering. The default control scheme uses the right gyro to move around/drag cards and the triggers to select. I prefer a joystick and button layout, but it was easy to learn and get used to.

The only issue I had was that the game wouldn’t save for me after a run, so I had to restart from scratch. This is an issue multiple players have experienced, so hopefully it gets addressed soon, and I can continue my swashbuckling adventure.

Pirates Outlaws 2: Heritage Final Verdict

Pirates Outlaws 2: Heritage feels like a roguelite deckbuilder that scratches that itch for those who love games like Slay the Spire. It provides enough gameplay uniqueness to make it feel fresh and have that remarkable pirate flair. Even with the issue of not saving, at $14.99, this game provides a lot of content in its early access and will assuredly receive updates and bug fixes, making it well worth it for those who love this genre.

To hear me talk more about Pirates Outlaws 2: Heritage, be sure to listen to the December 24th, 2025 episode of The Gaming Outsider Podcast around the 43:25 time stamp.

This review is based on an Early Access PC copy of Pirates Outlaws 2: Heritage provided by Pirate PR for coverage purposes. As of this writing, it is exclusive to that platform.