Frostpunk 2 Review – Rich, Deep, Bigger and Better

Frostpunk 2 is a society survival game set in an extremely cold post-apocalyptic world and launches on September 21. This sequel to 11 bit studios’ 2018 release of Frostpunk is set 30 years beyond events and is bigger and better in a number of aspects. You take on the role of a steward and lead a struggling society where you must navigate the harsh realities of a frozen wasteland. You will be tasked with expanding the city districts of New London while dealing with difficult moral choices and swaying council votes so that you can shape the fate of your people. There are multiple difficulty sliders to cater the experience to your skills, though once you start the story campaign it cannot be changed.

The rich story is driven by a series of events and challenges that threaten the survival of your city. The extreme cold provides a constant struggle against the harsh elements, requiring you to balance resource management, city building, and the well-being of your citizens. Your main generator, powered by coal and materials, provides heat to your people. Building housing districts around it keeps them somewhat warm, but you also need a steady flow of food and must earn and maintain their trust. The well-being of your citizens is paramount in Frostpunk 2. There is also a Utopia Builder mode which is a sandbox mode with various biomes and allows you to build your city your way without the story, however 11 bit studios recommends finishing the story campaign first to get the full experience.

You’ll often face difficult choices, such as sending elders on dangerous missions due to their experience, even at the risk of their lives. Decisions made now can affect your society’s future, requiring a delicate balance between keeping people warm and happy or making sacrifices for the long-term health of the city. While citizen deaths are inevitable, the greater goals must be balanced, and efficient resource management is crucial for survival. Building and maintaining supply chains, as well as exploring technological advancements, can impact your city’s sustainability. In order to start expanding your city’s districts, you need to frostbreak a path to resources and ensuring you have cleared enough room around resource nodes. You can also expand these and add district add-ons which can increase production and other bonuses.

Frostpunk 2 offers a larger and more diverse world than the original game, with different zones that you need to explore with Frostland Teams to obtain resources not found in the main city. I found some similarities here with Ixion where you send out scouting missions, though exploration also bought the risk of uprisings and opposing factions to form. These new areas can require additional researched technologies to reach and can net varying rewards and presented unique challenges and opportunities. You gain additional Frostland Teams by having more logistics districts or constructing special buildings. There is also the option to establish an outpost, and you can then transfer resources to the city. The transfer capacity can be expanded with skyways, so the world is much more expansive making the gameplay deep if you’re willing to dive all in.

Another excellent addition is faction relations and council voting. Each decision you make and research you conduct will gain or lose favour with the different groups within New London. These factions represent various interests and ideologies, and their influence can significantly impact the city’s development and stability. Like moral choices, you must carefully manage relationships at regular council votes to ensure their support and avoid conflict. The Council votes on important decisions that affect the city’s future, such as resource allocation, policy changes, and the direction of the city’s development.

The game’s graphics are a significant improvement, featuring more detailed environments, realistic lighting, and impressive particle effects. The game’s environmental hazards, such as blizzards and extreme temperatures, can pose significant challenges. Exploration and discovery play a vital role in finding new resources and expanding your territory. The atmospheric elements, including music, sound design, and visuals, contribute to the game’s immersive experience.

Overall, Frostpunk 2 is a big step up from the original in several ways that offers a more in-depth, challenging and rewarding experience. Its blend of city-building, resource management, and moral dilemmas creates a unique and immersive gameplay loop. Fans of the original Frostpunk and those looking for a challenging and engaging survival strategy game will find much to enjoy in this sequel.

This review utilised a key provided by Evolve PR and Frostpunk 2 launches on Steam, GOG, Epic Games Store, and Mac, with early access already commenced.

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