As I delved into Citizen Sleeper 2: Starward Vector, the idea of a “whale fall” couldn’t escape my mind. When a whale dies, its vast body descends into the sea’s depths, providing sustenance to a host of deep-sea creatures. In a similar vein, Citizen Sleeper paints a picture of a world thriving in the aftermath of a corporate collapse. This futuristic tale unfolds against the backdrop of the fallen Solheim corporation, and in its wake, a new way of living has emerged. Anyone and everyone clings to whatever remnants they can scavenge from this once mighty behemoth, feeding off its remains and bones. The Sleeper’s journey is but one of countless narratives, all thriving off the carcass of a tremendous fallen giant.
Having fallen in love with the first Citizen Sleeper game, I initially felt there was nothing more to explore in that world. It seemed complete, with no loose ends. However, Citizen Sleeper 2 proved me wrong, reeling me back into its unforgiving yet mesmerizing transhumanist setting. As the credits rolled, a tinge of sadness swept over me. Just like the original, this sequel is a deep, thought-provoking, and incredibly engaging sci-fi adventure.
In this new chapter, you step back into the shoes of a Sleeper – a human consciousness housed within a prosthetic body composed of wires, skeletal metal, and synthetic flesh. You awaken as an amnesiac, clinging to long-term memories while short-term recollections slip away. Amidst panic and quick-thinking action, you find yourself on the run once more. Having managed to escape your corporate overlords, you now face a new adversary—a former “friend” turned formidable foe. It seems that space mobsters aren’t too keen on you exercising autonomy over your own body.
The life of a fugitive beckons, as you scrape by with gig work and chance. The game weaves its tale through vivid text, with your Sleeper narrating the sights, sounds, and scents around you. The visual aspect is minimalist—you see the exteriors of locations only, clicking on map markers to trigger events. Citizen Sleeper’s RPG mechanics revolve around a dice economy. You roll five dice at the dawn of each day, or cycle, using the dice to perform tasks and advance toward your goals. Higher rolls yield better results, making resources like energy and money crucial, thereby mandating regular gig work.
While the first game was confined to a single space station, allowing you to become familiar with the landscape and its friendly faces, Citizen Sleeper 2 casts off this anchor. The safety and comfort from before have evaporated. Now you must hop between varied locations, dodging discovery at every juncture. As your Sleeper zigzags through The Belt, an expanded network of stations and satellites, the tension of the chase heightens with every move.
This new-found nomadism introduces a refreshing tension to Citizen Sleeper 2. The game propels the pressures of life on the run to thrilling extremes. Unlike its predecessor, which allowed players to easily attain comfort, this installment keeps you on edge. The very first cycle shocks you into the reality of your situation, with a shipmate shaking you awake, declaring, “we’re in trouble.” The Sleeper can’t catch a break, meaning you can’t either.
The intensity is palpable, yet exhilarating. With a host of fresh mechanics, Citizen Sleeper 2 ups the ante considerably. Among the most notable are Contracts—high-risk, high-reward missions requiring you to dash to a locale and accomplish a task under tight time constraints. Assembling a crew for these adventures is essential, each member offering unique skills and dice to assign.
There’s much that can go awry with Contracts, not least of which are stress levels. A botched skill check increases a character’s stress counter, and too much stress sidelines them from the mission. If your Sleeper’s stress becomes too high, cracked dice render them unusable until repaired—definitely a bad situation. Failed checks might also trigger crisis events that demand resolution to keep the mission afloat.
The thrill of these Contracts lies in their unpredictability. Assigning your crew’s dice judiciously, strategizing over numbers and symbols, and taking chances with risky moves feels like handling a delicate mechanism poised to combust. Countless times, I found myself muttering invocations to some space deity as I gambled on a dice roll. That anticipation became a craving, urging me to take risks—far greater than any I had dared in the first game.
Choosing your crew becomes crucial. Planning to counter every conceivable mishap, acknowledging your Sleeper’s limitations, and leaning on others is courageously necessary. Your Sleeper belongs to a specific RPG class with upgradable abilities but has one entirely inaccessible skill—further necessitating reliance on your crewmates’ strengths, much like real life.
At times, you might encounter situations demanding skills your crew lacks proficiency in, spelling potential disaster. Although initially, these characters may seem like mere dice with legs, they gradually reveal themselves to be fellow survivors, each with a story in upheaval. As you invite some to stay aboard their journey, you come to comprehend their skills and significance, transforming them into something more than mere tools—they become companions. The Sleeper’s ship morphs into a sanctuary for wanderers of The Belt.
Familiar faces may surface during your escapades. While your current Sleeper varies from the one in the previous game, rediscovering them induces a bittersweet warmth. The intervening years have altered them – toughened, perhaps – underscoring capitalism’s sharp claws on one’s existence.
The striking narrative of Citizen Sleeper 2 owes its resonance to its writing, as sharp and expressive as before. Gareth Damian Martin channels heart into sprawling cities and animates mechanical constructs with ease. So compelling is the prose that my screenshots folder became an anthology of quotes too impactful to forget—much like earmarking a beloved book’s passages.
When turmoil hits, this rich writing ensures the unfolding story remains gripping, if not more so, than when progress is routine. Citizen Sleeper 2’s non-dice-dependent story decisions are based on intuition and existing skills, presenting opportunities as unpredictable as drilling into a frozen asteroid or engaging a decaying AI in conversation.
One narrative thread worth exploring, free of spoilers, involves Serafin, who greets you as the game begins. As you discover your shared past with him, you grapple with the void your amnesia has left. Erasing all recollection of your friendship, the Sleeper faces a poignant dilemma, as does Serafin who mourns the lost camaraderie. This heartfelt narrative is a testament to the game’s exploration of rebuilding amid change—an eloquent reflection of the broader world rebuilding from ruins.
Within Citizen Sleeper 2’s exploration of transhumanism, corporate capitalism, and technology lies a tapestry of human stories focusing on real people. The adventures steer clear of space epics, shootouts, and grandiose heroism, spotlighting instead the daily grind faced by ordinary individuals striving to make it through. It offers a grounded take on sci-fi, one that could replace the glossy allure of Starfield, Star Wars Outlaws, or Cyberpunk 2077 with authentic tales about ordinary folk. Citizen Sleeper 2 tells gritty, vivid stories of nobodies—a refreshing and remarkable way to kick off 2025.
Citizen Sleeper 2: Starward Vector launches on January 31 for PC, Xbox Game Pass, Xbox Series X|S, Nintendo Switch, and PlayStation 5. This review is based on a PC version provided by the publisher.
