It’s been a long time since yesterday, so here’s a quick refresher: Legend of Grimrock 2 is already deep in alpha testing and well on its way to beta. Hurrah! I can’t wait to peel myself off the business end of an ogre’s club only to get re-crushed by a wicked tough puzzle. All of this seems to suggest that Grimrock 2: An Even Grimmer Rock is right around the corner, but apparently that’s only sort of the case. I got in touch with developer Almost Human about release plans and the possibility of an Early Access phase, and here’s what they told me.

First things first: Grimrock 2 will be out this year. Almost Human isn’t ready to narrow down a precise date yet, but expect the game in 2014. Oh, and expect it to be polished – a rarity in these knock-down, drag-out days of constant early access. Almost Human’s main influences are decidedly old-fashioned, as is their approach. So they told me:

“We are kind of old-fashioned and want to release the game in a polished condition, so Steam Early Access is not planned. We are going to have preorders though.”

Can’t argue with that. I don’t hate the concept of early access by any means, but I also don’t think it’s appropriate for all games. Ultimately it’s up to creators to decide, and I think Almost Human is making the right call here. You can only solve a puzzle and explore a world so many times, after all.

Who’s eagerly awaiting Grimrock 2? Is anybody at all upset by this news? If so, why?