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As a seasoned gamer with years of experience under my belt, I must admit that I was initially skeptical about Frostpunk 2. The first game didn’t leave a lasting impression on me, and I wasn’t particularly eager for a sequel. However, I was pleasantly surprised by the polished diamond that 11 bit Studios has delivered.
Frostpunk 2 Game review
11bit Studios has taken their time to deliver a follow-up to Frostpunk, with five years seeing numerous city-building games emerge in the market, each exploring diverse eras and environments. The challenge for the Polish developers was significant: they could either stick to a direct sequel, enhance the gameplay, or dare to innovate beyond expectations.
A risk that paid off
If you’ve been following Frostpunk 2 updates, you’ll recognize that a new direction has been selected for the game. Building upon the groundwork laid in 2018, it was decided to enhance the mechanics that drive the gameplay experience. Instead of merely offering more and improved elements as seen in many sequels, the focus is being shifted towards interpersonal interactions and the contrasting ideologies among the factions within the game. This change may involve a slight increase in management requirements typical of this genre, but it does not imply a simplification of the gameplay. In fact, Frostpunk 2 promises to be more challenging than the original due to the complex faction conflicts that must be skillfully navigated to prevent your city from being destroyed during riots.
We negotiate with different groups, try to win over their leaders, make promises to pass laws for their backing… Essentially, we are just ordinary politicians in a game. At first, I found this part of the game unnecessary and reacted accordingly based on the events that unfolded. However, as my city grew larger by accepting people from Frostland, I began to notice the ideological disagreements between two out of four factions, which eventually led to civil war. It’s unclear if I could have prevented it, but ignoring their requests definitely didn’t help me manage the ensuing conflict.
Instead of taking the most straightforward route to triumph, which involves ignoring moral quandaries and choosing actions that might result in casualties en route to your objective, it’s beneficial to provide town residents with more dialogue options and make them react to our decisions. This way, we may find ourselves pausing occasionally before making a choice presented by the game due to being entangled in the town hall disagreements.
Instead of houses, whole neighborhoods
In the initial version of Frostpunk, we operated on a small scale, constructing individual buildings with size restrictions that hindered city growth. However, in Frostpunk 2, the focus has shifted to a broader perspective. Now, instead of single structures, we build entire districts, and these areas interact with each other. We can expand these districts by adding more hexes, which grants us the opportunity to construct additional facilities that enhance or slightly alter our city’s characteristics, such as reducing waste or improving residential sanitation levels. Some improvements must be developed beforehand, and their implementation may depend on the direction in which our town is evolving.
Some might perceive this as an overly simplified approach and believe that developers are restricting our input on urban development. On the contrary, we prioritize efficiency by focusing on larger aspects rather than minutiae. In my view, managing districts instead of individual buildings gives us a sense of constructing a vast, real city, where we can provide shelter to those we encounter in desolate landscapes.
Expeditions take on greater importance now, as overlooking them might lead to quick failure, particularly for novice gamers. Gathering resources from distant sources is crucial for preserving our city against harsh temperatures. The subsequent decisions regarding trade networks give off a sense of pioneering anew in altered circumstances. It’s unfortunate that in the concluding phase, there wasn’t much left to discover. I could easily disregard this game feature.
As a gamer, I find it crucial to navigate the bustling metropolis in Frostpunk 2 efficiently. The intricate game mechanics are scattered across numerous windows, making it essential for me to work smartly. An active pause gives me the chance to think clearly, whether I’m strategizing the city’s growth or supervising the expansion of our colonies. Without this pause feature, Frostpunk 2 would be an overwhelming and exhausting game.
- the evolution of gameplay;
- despite the increase in the scale of the entire city, its management has hardly changed;
- a tutorial that finally has a purpose;
- impressive visuals that don’t put too much strain on your PC.
CONS:
- not much content for more experienced player.
A diamond
In my earlier assessment of the initial release of Frostpunk, I voiced concerns over the limited number of launch day scenarios and a tutorial that seemed insufficiently thorough. However, this time around, while the starting scenario remains much the same, leaving us somewhat underwhelmed, the tutorial has shown marked improvement and now offers clear explanations of the game mechanics, as well as a concise introduction. Newcomers to the series will find it easier to comprehend the gameplay and even grasp more complex mechanisms more quickly.
Five years ago, I didn’t envision a sequel for Frostpunk, as I felt there wasn’t much in the original gameplay to enhance. However, the developers have proven me wrong by refining and enhancing the core elements, resulting in a highly successful game that I find flawless, even from a technical standpoint.
In the new installment of “Frostpunk 2,” they’ve opted to run on the Unreal Engine 5. The developers explained this shift from their own engine by expressing a need for more development flexibility and simpler integration of fan-made modifications, aiming to extend the game’s life. Previously, UE5 had been associated with persistent issues and random freezes. However, in the case of “Frostpunk 2,” it only crashed once due to an Unreal scripting error. The transition to Epic’s engine has significantly enhanced visuals, creating a visually appealing game regardless of the camera angle, thanks to its impressive artistic layer. Not only does it look good, but it also performs well.
May such cold never surprise us
Frostpunk 2 is proving to be a standout title in the latter part of this year. Given its genre, it may not vie for the highest accolades at gaming events. However, 11bit Studios’ game doesn’t rely on such recognition to feel secure amidst competition. Instead, we’re dealing with an exceptional game that has effectively quelled any doubts I had prior to evaluating the project.
11 Bit Studios’ game is likely to attract not just building and planning aficionados, but also those who value deep narratives and a thoughtful portrayal of factions and characters within the game. If the main campaign doesn’t satisfy, there’s an additional game mode on offer with fewer limitations and less guidance – something that many players might find adequate for the initial release.
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2024-09-17 20:02