Developer: 11 bit studios
Publisher: 11 bit studios
Platform: PC, PS5, Xbox Series X/S
Tested on: PS5
Frostpunk 2 (PS5) – Review
It’s been nearly a year since we reviewed the PC version of Frostpunk 2, the sequel to 2018’s Frostpunk. We loved the sequel, and while some new items were added to the mix, it felt like a proper continuation of the events from the first game. Now, a year after the sequel’s release, the console version of Frostpunk 2 has been released. As always with these follow-up reviews, we’ll be taking a closer look at the quality of the port, rather than focusing on a full review. For those wanting to learn more about Frostpunk 2, you can read our review by clicking here.
The console port of Frostpunk 2 is the same as the PC version, namely a city-builder where you try to survive an end-of-the-world scenario. It’s your goal to survive (as long as possible) while making very hard decisions when offered different options that could expand the colony’s life. This could involve sending your elderly inhabitants into the cold to make sure your food supplies don’t run out, or you have to do the exact opposite, namely, consume all food sources, hoping you’ll find new stockpiles soon. It’s an interesting system, and even your impromptu government is looking for excuses to take over power in the wonky post-apocalyptic settlement. The same can be said about the graphics and the sound design, as virtually nothing changed here compared to the PC version. The menus have, of course, been adjusted to cater to controller support, and it does so rather well. We only found the game’s text font to be way too small, especially when you’re not sitting very close to your TV.
Most importantly, for a port such as this, the controller support makes or breaks a title like this. We can state that 11 bit studios did a formidable job making sure that everything feels accessible and easy to navigate. We found that the game perhaps even felt a bit more polished on console compared to our first encounter(s) with the game on PC. Of course, navigating certain menus and performing specific actions is still easier with a mouse and keyboard setup.
Conclusion
If you’re a console player and you enjoyed the original Frostpunk, then picking up the console version of Frostpunk 2 is a no-brainer. You’ll be treated to an even more intense experience than the first installment, where choices and actions seem to bear even more consequences. It’s easy to say that the game is no walk in the park, but it’s exciting to see how long you can hold on, and if you can make a city that could withstand everything an end-of-the-world scenario throws at you. If you’re looking for a consequence-based city-builder, then this one’s certainly worth checking out.
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