Frostpunk 2 is one of the most anticipated games of this year. The success of the first chapter was such that many couldn’t wait for the release of this second chapter. But was the wait worth it? In this Frostpunk 2 review, we will tell you all our impressions about it.
11 bit studios is a publisher that in the last year has released a myriad of different games, all very good (The Invincible, The Thaumaturge, Indika, Creatures of Ava). And it is also for this reason, therefore, that the expectations for Frostpunk 2 are really high.
“Steward, Steward!”
Frostpunk 2 is indeed a city-survival game, but that doesn’t mean that there isn’t a plot that ties it all together. The game is divided into several chapters, each with different objectives to achieve in order to advance in the story.
Your role is that of the Steward, or the one who has the reins of the game (in every sense). Thanks to your planning and the laws you decide to adopt, you will have to ensure that the remaining population is able to rebuild its community to defeat the main danger of the game: the cold.
Yes, as you can understand from the title of the game and as anyone who played its predecessor will know, the most fearsome enemy in Frostpunk 2 is definitely the cold. You will have to be able to build buildings and structures of various kinds to deal with this problem, if you want to continue in the game and be able to continue your adventure.
In fact, although Frostpunk 2 has a plot that punctuates the various chapters, don’t forget that game over is always around the corner. If you are unable to meet the requirements or if the people no longer trust you, it will be a direct game over. Obviously, you will not have to start the game from the beginning, but you can choose to start from any of the previous saves you have at your disposal.
As you progress with your adventure, however, there are several things that you will have to take into account. You will have the opportunity to meet factions from other places, and establish colonies that will be useful to you as you continue. In addition, you will also be called upon to maintain order among the population, trying to gut the urban riots.
Deep Gameplay Mechanics
As we wanted to deliberately emphasize in this subtitle, Frostpunk 2 is equipped with some really deep gameplay mechanics. There are a myriad of different aspects that you will have to take into account, and succeeding in this is absolutely not an easy thing to do. Especially if you are not familiar with this type of game.
For example, in addition to the cold, there are several dangers that you must take into account. Many things in Frostpunk 2 can lead to failure. Among them, there are the danger of diseases, the growing tensions between the various communities, the scarcity of food and resources, a legislative system that can improve but also worsen things… In short, nothing in Frostpunk 2 is left to chance.
The first thing you will have to learn to manage is the problem related to the cold. You will have to build extraction structures to obtain oil, so that you can activate the generators and heat your outposts. Of course, you must absolutely not forget about the buildings that allow you to create food, materials and goods of all kinds. Finally, it is also important that you learn how to manage housing well. Without housing, your citizens will die.
All of this extends to the game map, which allows you to create different colonies in different places. In fact, at the beginning you will only have to manage a small outpost, but then you will be called upon to increase your population and manage a real city. And that is why expeditions play a very important role. In fact, they are crucial to being able to continue living in the frozen lands of Frostpunk 2.
Last but not least, we cannot fail to mention the legislative system. Thanks to the Council, in fact, you will be able to advance proposals of law that can be accepted or not. The legislative system that the developers decided to create for the game is not at all simple, and represents a gameplay system in itself. It is so well done that it could almost be a game in itself.
Sandbox Mode
Everything we have told you so far we have thought taking into consideration only the story mode of Frostpunk 2, but the developers have also decided to include the Utopia Builder mode in the game. This is nothing more than a sandbox mode in which you can give vent to your imagination and show off your skills as a Steward.
In fact, even though the story mode of Frostpunk 2 is not very long (in 10-15 hours you should be able to finish it), this does not mean that you will have nothing else to play. In fact, in addition to the fact that you can decide to approach the story of the game with different modes, you can decide to use the sandbox mode to be able to complete what can be considered challenges.
There are different scenarios available and you have the possibility of being able to achieve different objectives, chosen by you or you can decide to rely on chance. The sandbox mode is practically a game within the game: the possibilities are endless and you can really spend a lot of time there, which increases the longevity and playability of the game enormously.
Frostpunk 2 Review – 9.5/10
Frostpunk 2 had a heavy burden on its shoulders: repeating itself and trying to do even better than its predecessor. As far as we’re concerned, the developers succeeded in their intent and undoubtedly hit the mark. Everything that was good in the first chapter has been taken and made even better, being able to create an exceptional gaming experience.
A gaming experience that is made even better not only by the well-studied and balanced game mechanics that we described previously, but also by the game design. Frostpunk 2, in short, is also beautiful to look at. We are faced with an exceptional game from all points of view. The sense of decadence and suffering has been rendered to perfection by the developers, who have done an excellent job in the various departments of the game.
We can only be satisfied with the work done by 11 bit studios, which has once again proven to be a guarantee. If we really want to find a small flaw in what can be considered one of the best games released this year, it is that of a campaign that is not so long-lasting, especially if you are doing what you are doing. But, obviously, it is not a flaw at all.
Ultimately, we can say that Frostpunk 2 has raised the bar even further, providing players with a game that could keep them busy for hundreds of hours trying different approaches to the conclusion of the campaign or because they are engaged in the sandbox mode. Even if you are not a fan of this genre, we suggest you give it a chance, because Frostpunk 2 will surely amaze you.