-What is it?-Story and characters-Gameplay and features-Visuals and audio-Accessibility and approachability-Should you play it?
The coal mines are running dry.
The last outpost shipment arrived a week ago, and it’s already been exhausted.
Frostpunk 2 is a true sequel, and it pushes the scope of the setting hard.
The new housing districts are crowded.
Hundreds are dying, crying out for the Steward to act.
This review was made possible thanks to a review code provided by 11 bit studios.
The company did not see the contents of this review before publishing.
What is Frostpunk 2?
If you don’t have enough food, people starve.
If you don’t have enough fuel, they’ll go cold.
Starve and freeze for too long, and people will die…if they don’t oust you first.
Where Frostpunk 2 differs wildly from the first game is in its sheer scale.
Laws have consequences, both good and bad. An educated child may not be working, but they dream of a new future.
Frostpunk 2
The city must survive, but it’s grown in scale significantly.
Where once hundreds called New London home, thousands now look to the Steward for leadership.
That won’t be easy, as New London’s population has grown exponentially.
Swaying delegates can make a vote pass with ease, but there’s always a price.
These people are forming new communities, factions, and traditions to pass on.
By far the biggest difference here is in passing laws to get things done.
The primary method of getting votes for deals will be through bargaining.
Being trusted is key, but it’s almost impossible to keep everyone equally happy.
Carefully fulfilling these deals across the different factions builds up your Trust.
Fail to fulfill your end of the bargain, and they’ll push you out.
Over time, these factions become more and more radicalized.
Frostpunk 2 is fast-paced, but you can always zoom in for a quiet moment.
A group that views you favorably after a year might hold rallies in your support down the line.
The game takes a moment to compile shaders each time you boot it up, which never took long.
I did note that the load times got longer the further I played through the story mode.
There’s a dark mode UI, but it’s not finalized at launch.
Maybe you’d prefer the opposite.
Should you play Frostpunk 2?
It’s a huge leap, and one that 11 bit studios (mostly) handles with aplomb.
You’re going to love Frostpunk 2
It’s also included inXbox Game Pass.
Deluxe Edition owners can begin playing early on September 17.
In Frostpunk 2, survival isn’t the endgame anymore.
Now, you have to lead your city to conquer the ice or embrace it.
