2 
0 Frostpunk 2 is an innovative city builder developed and published by 11 bit studios. This second instalment of the Frostpunk series puts you in the shoes of a steward that has to overcome social and economical challenges in a cold dystopian society. The captain is dead. It is now up to you to make sure the city survives. The extreme cold is the least of your worries now, remember to keep everyone happy, or it will be your downfall!
The game is available now through advanced access with the Deluxe edition and fully releases for £37.99 on Steam on the 20th of September.
It will also be available on PlayStation 5, macOS, Xbox Series X and Series S.
The city must not fall!
Gameplay
The gameplay of Frostpunk 2 has been massively improved upon when comparing it to its predecessor. These changes are very welcomed by a veteran Frostpunk player like myself! I spent hours playing the first game and getting absolutely lost within the city and it’s town folk. It is very difficult to go into the second instalment and not compare it to the first. However, in this case it’s a good thing! The core gameplay is that of a city builder but with much more depth. Develop districts and make sure the cold is kept at bay in each zone. Ensure to keep a good stock of coal or oil and materials to keep your city running. Keep all your factions happy or you will soon find out how the folk can turn against you!
Frostpunk 2 has introduced new elements to the game, such as factions and decision making systems. Any decision affecting the city has to go through a council. This puts a huge strain on you in your role as the steward, as all factions have different outlooks on the way the city has to be run. Everything has to be carefully thought about before passing a new law or building a new factory. The amount of times I upset one faction to appease another and things ending in a riot happened very often, but that’s on me!
Ease of Access
The one downside I would say is the fact the game does literally chuck you in the freezer that is Frostpunk 2. This game is not for the casual gamers as it requires a lot of time and dedication. The tutorial could do with some work. New players within the Frostpunk universe may get easily overwhelmed with all the terms and things you have to look out for. The games does offer an encyclopaedia of sort but for a new player this will be very difficult to understand. For someone that is coming from many hours of Frostpunk the resource management came very naturally. I do dread to think going into this with absolutely 0% knowledge on how the game works.
The UI is the biggest and possibly only downfall of Frostpunk 2 as it can sometimes seem very clunky and crowded. Some of the UI can also sometimes be hard to see due to the colours they used and tends to blend into the background. I will however say the developers are working on a Dark Mode for the UI to make this easier. I for one would appreciate a Dark Mode for when it’s 2am and I’m postponing going to bed because I can’t step away from the game but my eyes are struggling to stay open! Ahem.
Graphics & Audio
The soundtrack is beyond beautiful at every single point of the game. It does make for quite a chilling atmosphere. Whether this at the point of glory when your city is at its best or when the city is having to face a difficult – but needed – decision. The main menu music is very similar to the first game and embellishes a more sinister and haunting atmosphere. This really seals the deal on this Frostpunk instalment. The game being improved in every single possible way was a fantastic call by 11 Bit Studios but when it comes to the soundtrack? If it’s not broken, don’t fix it!
Longevity
Frostpunk 2 has hours of replayability across endless mode and scenarios. The story allows players to pick different decision trees which aid your cities survival. I have spent way over 10 hours on this game and can’t wait to sink more in. In endless mode you can build your city from scratch so you’ll end up spending hours placing everything perfectly. You can choose maps in various sizes and difficulty. You can throw yourself into the deep end and fight for survival or work your way up slowly from the easier options. Either way, you can easily lose track of time in the frozen wilderness. 11 bit studios are also including a Frostkit on release. This will allow you to mod the game and make it completely your own by making personalised maps and scenarios. I’m sure the community will band together to make some cracking new maps and challenges!
Final Thoughts
Frostpunk offers everything I need from a city builder; a great story that will clench your heart and an absolute rocker of a soundtrack to engross you in their universe. The complexity of the game will also keep you on your toes. It does a fantastic job at keeping me coming back for more. I always want to pass one more law, build one more building or annoy one more faction. The fun never stops!
Frostpunk 2 has a specific way of making you feel urgency, all the time. The stress I felt when the death and illness count was rising in my city was beyond terrifying. Knowing your city is on the brink of collapse isn’t the end through. There is a reward for playing again. You start a new game now knowing the outcome of your actions. It helps you become a better leader and this is reward enough.
I will absolutely be playing more of this game. I won’t be surprised if I beat my record time spent on Frostpunk with this one!
With the game being a huge improvement from the already gripping original formula, I will be awarding Frostpunk 2 the Thumb Culture Gold Award!
If you enjoyed this review, check out my previous one here.
Disclaimer: A code was received in order to write this review.
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