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Updated daily · 20 Oct 2026

Player reception, side by side

Graveyard Keeper 2 vs Graveyard Keeper

The sequel fixes many of the chores that wore players down in the first game, then adds limits of its own.

In short

As of 20 October, 75% of 9,483 player reviews recommend Graveyard Keeper 2, and 86% of 40,164 recommend Graveyard Keeper. Players who know the first game find Graveyard Keeper 2’s opening far smoother, and its later grind comes from new places. The original is still the better-loved game, cheaper and full of the dark humour players love, if you’re fine tracking quests in a wiki.

Graveyard Keeper 2: recommend it

75%of 9,483 reviews, as of 20 October13

Graveyard Keeper: recommend it

86%of 40,164 reviews, as of 20 October161

Side by side

The two games at a glance.

Game
Graveyard Keeper 2
Graveyard Keeper
Released
14
161
Price at launch
$24.99
$19.99
Developer
Lazy Bear Games
Lazy Bear Games
Publisher
tinyBuild
tinyBuild
Players recommend it
75% of 9,483 reviews
86% of 40,164 reviews
Our reading
launch-week reviews, read 25 September
80 most helpful and 40 latest reviews, read 20 October

What players praise

What players like most.

Graveyard Keeper 2

  • It fixes the first game’s worst chores, at first.

    Most players who compare the two say the sequel removes the chores that wore them down the first time.

Graveyard Keeper

  • Pixel art and music set a cozy mood.

    Players single out rainy evenings, foggy mornings and a soundtrack they can play to for hours.

  • The dark humour lands.

    Players enjoy the morbid jokes and the odd cast, from a talking skull to a donkey that keeps delivering bodies.

  • Automation rewards patience.

    Zombie workers take over chores later, and a deep tech tree keeps players unlocking things for dozens of hours.

What players criticise

What players complain about.

Graveyard Keeper 2

  • New friction arrives later.

    Furnaces stop after every small batch until you collect by hand, and a weekly faith currency gates skills and fast travel.

  • Buildings stay where you put them.

    They can’t be moved once placed, and storage only works within one zone.

  • Players want any AI use disclosed.

    Players who suspect AI point to still images in the cutscenes, and most object that the store page doesn’t say. The studio’s co-founder has said the game uses no AI.

Graveyard Keeper

  • Progression drags.

    Long crafting chains ask for more materials at every step, while money comes in slowly.

  • Recipes and quests are hard to track.

    There’s no quest log, so many players keep a wiki open or take notes.

  • Days go to walking.

    The character walks slowly, the energy bar empties fast, and sprinting and teleports arrive late.

  • Key characters keep office hours.

    Story characters appear once a week, so one missed item can cost a whole in-game week.

Which to pick

Which one is for you.

Graveyard Keeper 2

Pick Graveyard Keeper 2 if you loved the first game’s dark humour and want a smoother start, and you can live with new limits later on.

More on Graveyard Keeper 2

Graveyard Keeper

Pick Graveyard Keeper if you want the original’s humour and deep crafting at a lower price, and don’t mind keeping a wiki open.

Questions

Graveyard Keeper 2 vs Graveyard Keeper, in short.

Is Graveyard Keeper 2 better than the first game?

Players who compare them say it fixes the first game’s worst chores, though new limits arrive later. As of 20 October, 75% of Graveyard Keeper 2’s 9,483 reviews recommend it, against 86% of the first game’s 40,164.13161

Do you need to play Graveyard Keeper before 2?

Players don’t say it’s needed. Those who played the first game notice the changes most, both the fixed chores and the new limits.13

How long is Graveyard Keeper?

Players who reached 100 percent report about 68 to 111 hours.161

Does Graveyard Keeper 2 use AI art?

Some players suspect it in the cutscenes’ still images and want it disclosed. Before launch, a Lazy Bear Games co-founder said the game uses no AI.13

How much do Graveyard Keeper and Graveyard Keeper 2 cost?

Graveyard Keeper lists at $19.99 and Graveyard Keeper 2 at $24.99.13161

Each game’s figure is the share of all its player reviews that recommend it, counted daily. Praise and complaints come from our own reading of its reviews, each judged from what the player wrote.

Sources

  1. 13Steam: Graveyard Keeper 2, user reviews and review history (opens in a new tab) Accessed 25 Sept 2026
  2. 14Lazy Bear Games on Steam: Graveyard Keeper 2 launches 22 September (opens in a new tab) Accessed 25 Sept 2026
  3. 161Steam: Graveyard Keeper, store page and user reviews (opens in a new tab) Accessed 20 Oct 2026
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