Frostpunk 2 is the sequel to the 2018 game and that was well received. The first Frostpunk was a harsh city builder and had survival mechanics in play. The game is about the end of the world with the land being covered in snow. The job of the player is simple, keep the city warm and safe in the frozen hell all around. The original game was challenging and harsh. It was interesting to see where the developers will go with the series. It was a new concept that was different than any other strategy game.
Frostpunk 2 is different and it caught me off guard. Instead of adding stuff to the concept, they have changed it to a great degree. The game is much bigger on multiple fronts. If you are coming at it, and expecting something similar to the first game then you are in for a shake-up. If you liked the first game and are looking for an extra flavor then it’s going to satisfy that urge. It is a game that adds a lot of new stuff which alters the gameplay.
Instead of going in with the tested ideas, the game takes the best ideas and does something else with them. The only thing that hasn’t been changed is the challenge that it offers. It is the type of game that alters things and makes drastic changes that result in a different experience. All this makes you wonder Is Frostpunk 2 worth It? Let’s find out.
The Background
The game leans more into strategy, think of it like a Frostpunk with more Civilization type elements. That’s the best way to surmise the game. The scope of things is now bigger and players will be forced to explore way more frostland. There are options to establish more interconnected cities and establish satellite outposts.
Frostpunk 2 has two different modes which are story and utopia mode You change settings, pick the environment, parameters, and difficulty. In the free utopia mode, you start from scratch. Story mode on the other hand is challenging and moves at its own pace.
The story mode introduces players to different mechanics throughout the play through. It does a great job of teaching you stuff and learn the ropes. The story mode also has difficult modes. Even though the story is not too extensive, it is however divided into different chapters which have their own set of challenges. These challenges include surviving an incoming storm, getting fuel, and establishing sub colonies among other things.
Different Than the First One
Frostpunk 2 will hit you with how different it is from the first game soon after the prologue. From the beginning, you will get a small city. The city you get will already have some technological advancements. As you take charge of the city you will be tasked with establishing districts for housing, facility building, council buildings, research buildings, and stuff like that.
You will also need the workforce to make more space by clearing the area. The map now has tiles so you have to clear tiles to build more room for districts and other facilities. It means that you can put food production tiles near food storage and stuff like that.
As you build more stuff, you will see your city spreading to the area around you. More skyways, railroads, and roads will appear as you expand. It’s not a round city anymore because you can now expand whichever side you desire. You can tuck buildings in natural formation for bonuses such as protection against wind and stuff like that. It feels good to watch your city grow.
Problems and Solutions
The cold management is not as harsh as it was in the first game. You won’t constantly be staring at the temperature map. You still have to keep an eye on the generator and worry about overdrive when it gets really cold. In the end, it is mostly about resources in Frostpunk 2. You have to increase the sources of resources and production to survive.
Mismanagement or taking shortcuts on food can cause problems such as sickness or unhappiness. Even too many production facilities near houses can cause issues. Just like the first game, every placement and decision you make will have a reaction that you eventually have to deal with.
Everything won’t stay perfect there will be issues that you have to manage. Weather will get worse people will rebel, there will be multiple problems that you have to deal with. You have to manage it with careful decisions and balance out different resources in Frostpunk 2. There are a lot of things to keep an eye on. Decision-making is an important part of the game it is good to see how well it is implemented.
Factions and Decisions
There is even a faction system in the game. There are different factions in the city with each having its own belief system. They will come to you and ask you for things so you have to consider their beliefs when making a decision. Each faction has an affinity level and there is an overall tension level for the city as well. If you don’t manage it properly things can fall apart which results in chaos.
You have to be careful with everything to avoid mistakes. Not enough resources, people getting poorer increase in crime rates all of these things are tied to another thing. Different decisions overlap which results in different issues in Frostpunk 2. You can help these factions or even bribe them.
Council
One of the major mechanics is the council. The council meets from time to time and votes for the city rules. How you survive, grow food, the work shift you give to workers, how you handle civil unrest or disease outbreaks, all of it has to be decided with a vote.
Representatives from all the factions will vote so if you want to pass your resolution then you would need to secure the votes of these representatives by doing good to their faction and city. You can just roll the dice or carefully work with different groups to sway them so they can vote in your favor. If you don’t fulfill the promise that you made to the council members then they can turn on you.
It can get out of hand as well and unpredictable especially near the end of the game. Factions will have friction with each other that you have to deal with. A faction that you are cool with might become too demanding or a faction that you neglect will turn against you. It is a stressful system but it is interesting. The stakes are high in Frostpunk 2 so unlike Frostpunk you are more like a president and less like a mayor. Politics are major mechanics of the game it is executed in a good manner.
Politics Goes Deeper
The research tree also has an impact on the politics. The research tree works like a skill tree that unlocks technologies and policies. Different factions will have their own use for different opportunities. One faction might want to go out and make a new facility while another will want more heat to be distributed to an area. Every problem has a different solution and the research tree is part of that mechanism.
That’s when the council negotiation comes into play. To get votes you might need to prioritize some research over the other. All of it adds more complexity to the game. There is a lot going on in Frostpunk 2.
Expand Beyond The City
To get resources you have to turn to the map to find an old mine or outpost. You then have to set up the supply line to get to that resource. If you find a new type of resource like oil then you have to establish a sub-city on that newly discovered oil. Now you have multiple cities to manage in Frostpunk 2. Each city will have its own needs and threats. That’s when its difficulty kicks in which can make the game really hard.
Once external threats come into play the game can get difficult. It can push you to the limit when you are looking for solutions to keep things going. You will be looking for resources sending resources to a small outpost city, and making new trade routes so explorers can go further to bring resources. All the while, things will fall apart, and people will be cold and hungry. Frostpunk 2 does a good job of tying different aspects together for an outcome.
The world map is good and has a decent size. The good thing is that you can instantly switch between the cities. Looking at it from a technical standpoint, that’s impressive since there is a lot of stuff happening in the background with detailed cities.
Verdict (Is Frostpunk 2 Worth It?)
Frostpunk 2 is a new experience as a video game and we see few games of this type. Just like the first one this one is as brutal if not more so. There is a lot to think about whenever you make a decision. This is a bigger game with surviving, building, and Civilization type gameplay thrown in the mix. All these elements combine together which results in a good experience. There is a replay value to the game with different types of lands. The depth of its political system acts as a cherry on top.
It can be hard for some players and there is no sugarcoating it. You might want to turn the difficulty down a notch. The way it throws problems at you and then expects you to find solutions to these problems is what makes it such a good experience. Building, survival, and politics mix up to make it more than a strategy game with building mechanics. Frostpunk 2 is a good game for the type of game it is and that is as simple as it can get.
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