Frostpunk 2 Still Rips, But the Console Version Suffers From an Obvious Drawback (Review)

by

Frostpunk 2 is now available on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S, bringing the popular city-building game to consoles. Like the original, which launched on PC in 2024 and received positive reviews, Frostpunk 2 features a compelling story, intricate gameplay, and challenging moral decisions. This console version successfully adapts the game’s story and offers a solid experience for strategy fans who prefer playing on consoles.

Despite some challenges adapting the city-building and strategy elements to a controller, *Frostpunk 2*’s compelling story keeps players invested. The game’s rich world and meaningful choices allow for multiple campaign outcomes, creating a deeply engaging experience that’s hard to stop playing, even when the controls are tricky.

Rating: 4/5

Pros: Cons:
An engrossing storyline keeps players invested in a challenging campaign mode Clunky menu design and controls aren’t conducive to the console experience
The challenging campaign feeds naturally into the storytelling, integrating gameplay and worldbuilding to great effect Clunky menu design and controls aren’t conducive to an enjoyable console experience
Utopia Builder sets up a potentially endless sandbox for players to experiment with Minor glitches and hiccups can draw players out of the immersive experience

A Grim Tale Of Hope At The End Of The World Makes Frostpunk 2 Deeply Engrossing

Okay, so I’ve been playing *Frostpunk 2*, and honestly, what really grabs me isn’t just the strategy stuff, but the story. The best parts of building my city come from the tough choices you have to make when everything’s falling apart. This time around, it’s decades after the first game, and I’m the Steward of New London. Basically, I’m in charge of getting everyone through these brutal, never-ending storms called White Outs. That means building out into this frozen wasteland, trying to find enough resources, and just… exploring this huge, dangerous world. It’s a lot, but it feels really good when you start to build something from nothing.

What sets *Frostpunk 2* apart from games like *Civilization* is its strong focus on a dark, steampunk world and compelling story. The biggest threats to New London’s survival often come from within the city itself. Various political and religious groups clash, forcing you to use diplomacy and negotiation to keep things stable. The game avoids feeling overwhelming by carefully pacing events and emphasizing the bleak setting. Challenges feel like a natural consequence of your choices and city development, rather than artificial hurdles.

The game features clashing factions and interconnected global conflicts. Even establishing a democratic government demands cooperation, as failure can force players to start over – a frustrating but thematically fitting experience. Each setback feels significant, fueling a strong desire to succeed and encouraging players to experiment and carefully plan until they overcome challenges. This creates a deep connection to the game’s story and atmosphere, showcasing how gameplay and narrative can seamlessly blend together for a truly immersive experience.

Frostpunk 2 Can’t Solve A Seemingly Unfixable Problem

The main issue with *Frostpunk 2* on PlayStation 5, like with many strategy games on consoles, is that the genre generally feels more natural to play on a PC. It can be difficult to manage the large world of *Frostpunk 2* using a controller instead of a mouse and keyboard, especially as your city, New London, grows with many different areas. While *Frostpunk 2* handles this better than some other console strategy games, it can still be frustrating to navigate through numerous menus and button presses just to perform basic tasks.

The controls feel clunky compared to using a keyboard and mouse, often making even simple tasks more difficult. What usually makes console gaming enjoyable doesn’t quite work with a game like *Frostpunk 2*, which can be frustrating. Thankfully, the story is compelling enough to keep you hooked despite these issues, making it a great buy for strategy fans who don’t typically play on PC. I often found myself struggling with the menus, but quickly got pulled back into the important decisions about managing my explorers. *Frostpunk 2* deserves praise for how well it blends its story and world with the actual gameplay, which helps overcome the control challenges and demonstrates strong game design.

Frostpunk 2 Is All About Survival, No Matter The Cost

Frostpunk 2 presents players with incredibly difficult moral dilemmas. The game doesn’t shy away from harsh realities, forcing you to make tough choices – like rationing food and letting the elderly perish, abandoning settlements for the greater good, or using force to control conflict. Importantly, the game avoids judging your decisions; it simply shows you the consequences, putting you directly at the heart of the story and creating a compelling, personal narrative.

The challenging gameplay and the need to retry levels actually enhance the experience, with each failed attempt sticking with you as you try again. This is a remarkable achievement for the strategy game *Frostpunk 2*, showcasing the excellent worldbuilding and storytelling by 11 bit studios. Once you finish the main story, you unlock Utopia Mode, offering endless possibilities and letting you build and expand New London across a vast world.

Despite the difficulties of adapting a complex city-building strategy game to consoles, *Frostpunk 2* remains incredibly captivating. While players new to the game – especially those on consoles – might struggle with the controls at first, the compelling story and tough moral choices will keep them hooked. For strategy fans looking for a deep and immersive experience on console, *Frostpunk 2* is a dark, but rewarding, triumph.

ComicBook was provided a PS5 code for the purposes of this review.

What do you think? Leave a comment below and join the conversation now in the ComicBook Forum!

Read More

2025-09-19 01:40