A brand-new game called Graveyard Keeper 2, which has frequently been compared to Stardew Valley, has finally launched on multiple platforms, earning incredibly positive reviews across most of them. Stardew Valley fans are no strangers to games being described as a “replacement” for ConcernedApe’s popular farming sim. But Graveyard Keeper 2 might be the closest any indie game has come to deserving that title in recent months, with its user reviews being phenomenal.
Graveyard Keeper puts a dark twist on Stardew Valley‘s bubbly gameplay by making cemetery management its core mechanic. The game takes place in a post-apocalyptic town riddled with zombies, where the protagonist is tasked with clearing dead bodies and restoring the city. But one reason its sequel has received so much attention is that the game goes beyond that premise, essentially becoming one of those games in which players need to manage an entire life.
Graveyard Keeper 2 Has Incredibly Positive Reviews Across Multiple Platforms
- PS5 User Score: 4.34 out of 5
- Xbox User Score: 4 out of 5
- Steam User Score: 86% Positive
On September 24, roughly 48 hours after Graveyard Keeper 2‘s release, the game had an average user score of 4 out of 5 on consoles and a “Very Positive” rating on Steam. Things are not much different when it comes to critics’ reviews, with the latest data from review aggregator OpenCritic showing that Graveyard Keeper 2 has an average top critic score of 83 out of 100. Additionally, the game has reached an impressive milestone in terms of player count, with SteamDB data showing that it reached nearly 55,000 concurrent players shortly after launch, and that’s only on one platform.
One of the areas Graveyard Keeper 2 is receiving praise for is its improved automation mechanics. Similar to the first game, players can use “good zombies” as free and tireless workers to take care of mundane tasks. But this time around, zombies can also be used in combat, another feature that has proven popular with fans. Combat in Graveyard Keeper 2 takes a more purposeful approach, and at times, it feels like a tower defense game. Many are also complimenting GK2 for the wealth of content it offers, with some users claiming they have already invested tens of hours in the game without even scratching the surface.
The first Graveyard Keeper has also been popular among fans of life sims and Stardew Valley-inspired games. If the sequel follows a similar path, it could similarly receive multiple expansions in the coming months. After all, the first game received four DLC bundles that expanded the story and added new features. The same scenario could unfold for Graveyard Keeper 2, potentially offering even more content for fans to explore with future updates.
There are still more Stardew Valley-esque games set to release in 2026. Fans of the genre have titles like Witchbrook to look forward to, which adds magic and a wizardry school to the cozy life sim formula. There are also games like Starsand Island, which recently left early access and launched its full version on both PC and consoles. In other words, once players have had their fill of Graveyard Keeper 2, there are already a few other releases on the horizon.
- Released
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September 22, 2026
- ESRB
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Teen / Blood, Suggestive Themes, Use of Drugs and Alcohol, Violence
- Developer(s)
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Lazy Bear Games
- Publisher(s)
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tinyBuild
