Overview
Troublemaker 2: Beyond Dream is an open-world action-comedy beat-'em-up developed by Gamecom Team and published by indie.io. Released on September 15, 2025, for PC (Steam and Epic Games Store) and Nintendo Switch, it picks up two years after the original Troublemaker. The setting is South Jayakarta, a fictional Indonesian city with a distinct personality, and the story threads together two groups: the Beyond Dream band and the Parakacuk gang, all trying to figure out their futures while the city throws every obstacle it can at them.
The premise sounds simple enough, but the cast gives it real texture. Jordan leads Beyond Dream alongside Alex, Andira, and Halimawan, with the band's goal being to become the most popular act in the city. Running alongside that storyline is the Parakacuk gang: Budi is an MMA fighter, Boby is angling for academia, Rani works in city intelligence, and Zaenal pulls shifts at Kedan Coffee. These aren't blank action-game archetypes. They're characters with actual day-to-day lives that inform both the story and the tone.
Gameplay and mechanics: what does the combat actually feel like?
The short answer: it plays like a classic beat-'em-up that's been given room to breathe. Jordan fights as a street brawler, Budi as an MMA fighter, and the two styles feel meaningfully different in practice. The game hands you bare fists, weapons, items, combo chains, and finishers, then expects you to mix them up against a variety of enemy types.
Key combat elements include:
- Dual playable characters with distinct fighting styles
- Combo variations, weapons, and special techniques
- Finisher moves for high-impact takedowns
- Items and shop interactions that expand your options
- Enemy variety that pushes you to adapt your approach
The open-world structure supports this by scattering unique shops and NPCs across South Jayakarta that feed directly into combat preparation. Finding the right gear or technique for a tough encounter becomes part of the loop, not just a side activity.
What is there to do beyond the main story?
South Jayakarta is built to be explored. The city is packed with minigames and side activities that break up the brawling, and a collection of side stories lets players help out friends and strangers across the city. These aren't filler missions bolted onto the edges of the map. They tie into the same themes of friendship, ambition, and community that run through the main narrative.
The comedy-action tone keeps things from getting too heavy. There's drama and rivalry woven through the story, but the game leans into the absurdity of teenage life in a way that feels genuine rather than forced.
World and setting
South Jayakarta works as a setting because it's specific. Indonesian culture, city life, and the particular anxieties of young people trying to make something of themselves give Troublemaker 2 a sense of place that most beat-'em-ups don't bother with. The city isn't just a backdrop; it's the reason the characters are who they are.
The original Troublemaker built a foundation, and this sequel expands on it geographically and narratively. Returning players will recognize the tone while finding a city that feels larger and more lived-in.
Conclusion
Troublemaker 2: Beyond Dream is a beat-'em-up that uses its open-world structure to tell a story about friendship, ambition, and growing up in a city that doesn't always cooperate. The dual-character combat system gives the action mechanical variety, the South Jayakarta setting is specific enough to feel real, and the cast is fleshed out enough to make the drama land. For fans of action-adventure games with genuine personality, this one earns its place on the shelf.