Publisher tinyBuild released "Graveyard Keeper 2," a medieval graveyard management simulator developed by Lazy Bear Games, on September 23, 2026, for PC (Steam, Epic Games Store, GOG.com), PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch 2, and Nintendo Switch on September 23, 2026.
This title is the sequel to *Graveyard Keeper*, which was released in 2018. Players take on the role of an inquisitor in a fantasy world, managing a graveyard, rebuilding the town, and dealing with the zombies that have overrun the world, all while unraveling the world’s mysteries.
A key feature of this game is the ability to resurrect corpses and use zombies as a labor force. Zombies play a vital role in various tasks, such as automating production by commanding multiple zombies or leading them into battle. Of course, just like in the previous game, you can enjoy interacting with quirky NPCs and exploring a wide variety of industrial activities.
In this article, we bring you a play report on the long-awaited sequel, *Graveyard Keeper 2*!
Will You Be Held Responsible for Destroying the World?
The story begins with the protagonist trapped in a dungeon. A mysterious fairy appears nearby and explains that the protagonist is “the one who spent eight years destroying the world” and is now destined to save it. Though the protagonist accepts this without fully understanding it and is freed from his chains, his situation—being imprisoned underground—remains unchanged.
Enter Larry, a talking skull, to help the protagonist. Like the protagonist, Larry has been imprisoned in the dungeon for nearly 10 years, and he teaches the basics of exploring and using items to escape. Following Larry’s advice, the protagonist successfully escapes the dungeon, only to find the surrounding town deserted, with no sign of life.
While exploring the town, the protagonist takes a break, and it is here that the story of his origins is revealed.This series is actually a “reincarnation” story: the protagonist, who was involved in an accident in the real world, has been transported to a bizarre medieval world. Furthermore, the protagonist was “split into two” by a mysterious red-eyed man. This part follows the storyline of the previous game and its DLC.
Later, just as the protagonist is about to be attacked by a horde of zombies, he is rescued and ends up fighting the zombies alongside a soldier. At some point, this world became overrun with zombies; towns that once flourished are now in ruins, and people live in villages separated by castle gates.
The protagonist is assigned the role of “Inquisitor” in this world and tasked with managing the cemetery on the outskirts of the village. And so, in this world shrouded in mystery, a new life begins for the protagonist and his partner, Larry.
Autopsies, Burials, and Grave Maintenance
One of the player’s main tasks is handling corpses and managing the cemetery. In the game, a talking donkey periodically brings corpses to the morgue, so you must properly process them and give them a proper burial. First, place the corpse on the autopsy table in the morgue and check its condition.
Each corpse is marked with either a “white skull” or a “red skull”; reducing the number of red skulls makes the corpse suitable for burial. To reduce the red skulls, you’ll need to perform procedures such as removing the corpse’s fat. You can also extract the brain or skull, but be careful—each task in this game has a skill level, and if your skill is too low, you’ll fail.
Once you’ve successfully reduced the red skulls, bury the body in the cemetery near the chapel. After burying it, cover it with soil, and finally erect a headstone to complete a dignified grave. Upon completing the burial, you’ll receive a “Burial Certificate,” which you can sell to the village chief at the tavern to earn money and reputation.
Rather than simply burying the bodies, you can improve the quality of the graveyard by building nice graves and installing benches and flower beds. Since the game sometimes requires a certain level of facility quality to progress through the story, it’s important to make gradual improvements whenever possible.
Additionally, the mortuary includes a “crematorium,” allowing you to dispose of bodies by burning them. A certificate is issued in this case as well, and you’ll receive ashes and salt as byproducts. However, since bodies that have been cremated cannot be buried, the cemetery’s rating won’t increase—so be sure to choose the appropriate method depending on the situation.
The Inquisitor Is Very Busy
The work of an Inquisitor, whose goal is to save the world, isn’t limited to managing the cemetery. In the game, quests are triggered by encountering various NPCs, and you’ll need to perform a variety of tasks to complete them.
For example, a nun who arrives in the village will initially ask you to revitalize a cathedral that’s practically in ruins.Once you’ve set up benches, confessionals, and other furnishings to restore the cathedral to a presentable state, you’ll be able to gather worshippers and hold “services.” During these services, you’ll earn “Faith”—a resource used for ability unlocking and crafting—which expands the range of activities available to you in the game.
Defeating zombies unlocks new areas. Your initial goal is to liberate the town; once you can access it, new encounters, quests, and systems will be unlocked. Since quests are tied to the main story, you’ll generally need to complete them as you go.
Of course, to complete these quests, you’ll need to develop your base. Gather wood and stone, learn new crafting recipes, clear blocked paths, and gradually expand the range of items you can craft and actions you can take. Unlocking the tech tree requires resources of three different colors, but these are easier to collect than in the previous game.
Note that certain facilities, events, and systems can only be accessed on specific days of the week. While there’s no time limit in the game, if you miss the timing, you won’t be able to proceed until the following week, so be sure to keep this in mind.
Enlist the help of zombies to get through the grueling workload!
For the first few hours of the game, you’ll be handling everything on your own, so you might feel overwhelmed at first. Once you’ve progressed a bit, you’ll be able to use zombies as laborers—and that’s when the game really begins.
Zombies were available in the previous game’s updates (and DLC), but they’re much easier to manage in this installment. Not only can they gather materials and craft items, but the clear concept of “carrying supplies” makes it possible to produce and deliver the resources needed for the town’s reconstruction—a key focus of this game. Once you set up the system, you can even create complex automation.
You can also deploy zombies as soldiers when fighting other zombies. Zombies have equipment slots—if you equip them with tools, they’ll work; if you equip them with weapons, they’ll fight. The more zombies you have, the more useful they are—and rest assured, as long as you have enough materials, you can create them by reviving the corpses that are delivered every week!
However, be careful not to hire too many zombies, or the local residents will start to look at you with suspicion. That’s only natural in a world plagued by zombie attacks. If this happens, the Faith you gain from ceremonies will decrease. There’s a specific day of the week set aside to resolve this issue, so be sure to prepare thoroughly (there are other solutions as well).
The zombies your protagonist can control are incredibly useful. If you set them to a queue, they’ll craft multiple types of items, and they’ll even serve as a choir in the cathedral. Since you can level up their skills too, you’ll want to experiment with different setups to create the best automated workflow possible!
There’s so much to do that there’s never enough time!
*Graveyard Keeper 2* has been significantly improved in many ways compared to its predecessor. While the ethical framework surrounding how to handle corpses has collapsed and the game’s core direction remains unchanged, the gameplay has become incredibly diverse based on the developers’ experience—meaning you’ll constantly need to stay active while playing.
As you progress, you can build large-scale factories, and it’s even possible to automate everything, including transportation. On top of that, there’s a lot to do each week, and—as is characteristic of this series—the story won’t advance unless you thoroughly complete most in-game elements, so it’s important to experience every task.
The fact that “there’s so much to do” naturally leads to “things you want to do,” so I think the pace of play will vary significantly from player to player. Of course, since it’s a game you can take your time with, there’s no need to rush, and I can feel improvements in playability and comfort in the finer details in this installment.
However, there are relatively few in-game explanations, so there are quite a few aspects that aren’t fully conveyed by the help menu alone. Since new systems are unlocked as you progress through the story, I think the game would be even more accessible if the help system were a bit clearer. Personally, I’d really like them to fix the issue where your position shifts due to produced goods, preventing continuous production…!
“Graveyard Keeper 2” offers even more gameplay elements than its predecessor. There’s still the same enduring fun in carefully developing your base and progressing through NPC quests while handling daily management and tasks, and I can definitely feel the improvements in playability. The series’ signature twisted sense of ethics has also been faithfully carried over.
On the other hand, the increased number of system options makes the game even busier than the previous one. While there are plenty of features designed to alleviate this, the lack of help makes some aspects difficult to understand—this is an area I’d like to see improved. Facilities can only be placed in specific locations, but in some spots, simply placing one blocks the protagonist’s path, which is frustrating and feels like a waste.
With many elements from the previous game and its DLCs incorporated, this is a truly substantial and engaging sequel.*Graveyard Keeper 2* is now available for PC (Steam/Epic Games Store/GOG.com), PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch 2, and Nintendo Switch.
