Discover the Stunning Sequel to My All-Time Favorite Xbox Game Pass Adventure!

Approximately two years have passed, and one of my best-performing pieces yet remains my spontaneously penned opinion piece about Citizen Sleeper – a hidden treasure often overlooked within the Xbox Game Pass library.

Once more, we find ourselves with a sequel for praise, this time penned by the skilled storyteller Gareth Damian Martin, the lone creator behind Jump Over the Age. Martin’s narrative style has grown and matured, as has their ability to craft worlds, with Citizen Sleeper 2: Starward Vector expanding upon the groundwork established by Citizen Sleeper.

The ideal gift for me was supposed to be a birthday present, but instead, I received a slightly delayed review for Citizen Sleeper 2. Surprisingly, Avowed’s review came first, pushing Citizen Sleeper 2 to the side. Yet, I couldn’t let this game slip away on my list of 185 games waiting to be played. Given Jump Over the Age’s commitment to Xbox Game Pass, it was simple to play this game across various platforms just like its predecessor. In fact, recommending it is even more straightforward because Citizen Sleeper 2: Starward Vector might end up among my favorite video game sequels of all time.

What is Citizen Sleeper 2: Starward Vector?

Citizen Sleeper 2 is the sequel to the dice-rolling RPG Citizen Sleeper.
A new tale in the same universe, you fill the shoes of a different Sleeper.

Citizen Sleeper signaled the launch of a fresh cosmic realm conceived by developer Gareth Damian Martin at studio Jump Over the Age, which they later grew through Starward Vector.

For millennia, unrestrained capitalism propelled humanity far into the cosmos, yet even our grandest and wealthiest colonies were brought low by prolonged corporate conflicts. Centuries later, following the downfall of one of the most powerful corporations, survivors in these areas are adapting to life using the fragments of technology that remain.

As a Sleeper, you’re a mechanical being with the spirit and consciousness of a human. Your original self yearned for a better existence and agreed to be put into suspended animation, in exchange agreeing to have their awareness transferred and implanted into a robotic body to work off debts accrued. Despite their sentience, Sleepers are essentially enslaved under the law. However, you managed to break free, encountering a potential rescuer who disabled your tracking device.

Instead of discovering that your rescuer was secretly your oppressor wearing a different disguise, you found out that the person who saved you was actually the very one enslaving you under a new mask. In a frantic bid to free yourself from the clutches of the drug that postpones your biological expiration date, you suffer mental collapse and memory loss. However, you manage to escape your captors. Now, you traverse the Belt in search of companionship, freedom, and the truth behind the strange transformations in your body – changes that should not be possible according to natural laws.

As an analyst, I’m thrilled to announce that the long-awaited sequel, Citizen Sleeper 2: Starward Vector, is now accessible on various platforms! You can now enjoy this captivating game on your Xbox Series X|S, Windows PC, PlayStation 5, and Nintendo Switch.

Moreover, it’s a delightful day one addition to Xbox Game Pass, PC Game Pass, and Xbox Cloud Gaming, allowing you seamless play across these platforms. And for those who own both Xbox and PC, this title supports Xbox Play Anywhere, ensuring a consistent gaming experience!

Citizen Sleeper 2 review: The good

The Citizen Sleeper games have some of the most beautiful writing.
The sequel is no exception, with excellent narrative and character direction.
The simple, dice-rolling RPG gameplay has also been refined.

The Citizen Sleeper games are relatively simple, drawing inspiration from traditional role-playing games (RPGs). Essentially, they can be thought of as interactive stories where you click through text rather than graphics. You won’t find many high-action scenes in these games. Instead, the challenges revolve around managing your time and resources effectively, not relying on quick reflexes or button combinations.

Among my all-time favorite games, some belong to this category due to their strengths in other aspects. For instance, Citizen Sleeper stands out with its eloquent and thought-provoking narrative, seamlessly combining emotional narration, vivid descriptions, and inventive comparisons to create a whole universe, develop compelling characters, and stir feelings of empathy for everything within it.

I decided to give the first game Citizen Sleeper a try spontaneously, and its compelling narrative structure, immersive worldbuilding, and striking visual design really resonated with me. This title, set in a bleak sci-fi setting and experienced from the perspective of a human-souled machine, encourages thoughtful conversations about themes such as life’s duality, the limits of a soul, the lasting impacts of the past on our present and future, and other profound topics.

In Citizen Sleeper 2, I truly believe Jump Over the Age significantly enhanced their skill in storytelling. The writing is vivid and emotional, yet always stops short of being overly pretentious or unnecessary; it’s just captivating, and the absence of spoken dialogue never discouraged me from exploring every line hidden within the game.

Absolutely, I found Starward Vector to be quite distinct from Citizen Sleeper. While Citizen Sleeper chronicles a Sleeper’s relentless pursuit for freedom from the company that manufactured them, ending with an emotional climax that challenges the very essence of humanity, Starward Vector dives right into the adventure of a Sleeper who has already managed to break free from Essen-Arp Corporation. Instead, it delves deep into the perils and hardships that ensue in this thrilling journey.

The opening scene of the first game unfolds gradually, culminating in an explosive finale, whereas the second game keeps its intensity level steady. If I were to choose which game left the deepest impression on me, the climax of Citizen Sleeper has etched a lasting image in my mind. However, I lean towards preferring the narrative arc of Citizen Sleeper 2, so it’s hard to pick just one as the ultimate favorite — both games exhibit exceptional storytelling.

Regarding gameplay, both versions of the series are quite similar. I can’t say one is more intricate or challenging than the other, but Starward Vector introduces some modifications to the gameplay that seem smoother and less frenetic compared to its previous version.

The two games share a similar playstyle: They allow you to traverse diverse locations offering distinct possibilities and undertakings, and both necessitate resources, actions, or a mix thereof to finish. Often, these opportunities carry risk, with the outcomes being positive, neutral, or negative. Your success in these endeavors will be determined by a blend of luck and skill.

As an analyst, I’d like to explain that each action you take is akin to rolling a six-sided die five times, resetting at the start of every cycle (day). The numbers on the die signify your odds for a favorable outcome; 6 means certain success, while a 3 indicates a 25% chance, with 50% being neutral and 25% unfavorable. However, your Sleeper’s unique abilities can influence these outcomes by granting bonuses or penalties up to -2 or +2.

In Starward Vector, unlike Citizen Sleeper, there’s no constant need to search for the drug Stabilizer, which is essential for Essen-Arp’s Sleepers. Instead, each of your dice has a durability, and as you take on contracts, they accumulate stress and get damaged. If too much damage occurs, the die becomes inoperable until it’s repaired. Also, a new status effect, Glitch, can build up, causing random effects that lock dice to either a 20% positive or an 80% negative outcome.

This system offers an intriguing and captivating experience, significantly enhancing the appeal of time-bound missions, yet simplifying daily tasks to reduce stress. Personally, I find Starward Vector’s gameplay more appealing due to its freedom to move between locations and accept new assignments. However, if you’re searching for an exhilarating adventure reminiscent of tabletop RPGs, either Citizen Sleeper would be a fantastic choice for you.

Citizen Sleeper 2 review: The bad

A wider space to explore means each location feels less deep.
There are some minor issues with subtitles and console controls.

In contrast to the initial Citizen Sleeper, the second installment, Starward Vector, introduces a significant change: instead of being confined to a single major location, you now possess your own spaceship. This allows you to traverse various destinations scattered across the Belt at will.

Compared to Citizen Sleeper, Starward Vector offers a more expansive gaming experience. After the three free DLCs were added post-launch, I needed additional playtime to fully discover all of Citizen Sleeper 2’s locations, characters, and objectives. Essentially, Starward Vector is larger in scope and scale. This setup suits a narrative-focused role-playing game that relies on choices, set within an intricately designed universe. However, this grandeur also brings one potential drawback.

In Citizen Sleeper, Erlin’s Eye seemed to conceal hidden mysteries that would often surprise you. You never knew when you’d stumble upon a new establishment, uncover a fresh prospect, or meet an enigmatic stranger with seemingly relevant information. Despite its limited scope, Citizen Sleeper was incredibly rich and multilayered.

In simpler terms, while Citizen Sleeper immerses you deeply within its central area, Starward Vector provides a broader exploration of the overall space it inhabits, making you curious about what lies beyond the core.

In Citizen Sleeper 2, no location appears slapped-together or hastily constructed; however, the chance to deeply cherish a single spot is fleeting as you’re quickly whisked away to explore new ones.

Beyond this point, it should be mentioned that although engaging, Citizen Sleeper 2: Starward Vector has areas needing refinement. For instance, I encountered text fragments that appeared incomplete due to missing words or punctuation, and secondly, there seem to be challenges with the controls.

Starward Vector’s interface is packed with options, which generally works well with a controller. However, certain aspects can be tricky to maneuver. To add to the frustration, my cursor frequently disappeared, leading me to panic and blindly press buttons in an attempt to get it back. Fortunately, I didn’t encounter any game-breaking bugs or crashes, but the control issues were annoying enough to bring up.

Citizen Sleeper 2 review: Final thoughts

You should play this if …

✅You loved the first Citizen Sleeper

This new tale takes place within a recognized cosmos, captivating you just as the original game did with its compelling writing and narrative prowess. Can anything be more enticing than that experience repeated?

✅You love slowly immersing yourself in a world

In these Citizen Sleeper games, there’s no hurry to set up the narrative or dictate your journey. Instead, the game allows the world and characters to unfold naturally, at a pace that feels comfortable to you, making each unexpected turn in the story even more impactful. It’s for those who cherish the immersive worlds they explore and lose themselves in.

You should not play this if …

❌You don’t have the patience or interest for text-based games

In Citizen Sleeper 2, the music could captivate you, yet there’s no voice acting to evoke emotions. Instead, expect more reading than listening or active controls. This style might not resonate with every gamer.

Amazingly, I didn’t expect my thoughts on Citizen Sleeper 2: Starward Vector to stretch out as they have, given it’s been several weeks since its release. Yet, here I am, brimming with ideas and unable to contain the torrent of words within me, eager to express them on paper. Truth be told, Citizen Sleeper is among my all-time favorite video games, and Starward Vector has proven to be a nearly flawless sequel that has met and surpassed my expectations.

In contrast to numerous contemporary video games prioritizing spectacular graphics or thrilling action, Citizen Sleeper immerses you in a cosmic world teeming with celestial bodies, encouraging you to traverse it. You represent but one thread within an intricate tapestry, yet your individual contributions are significant and meaningful, much like what a compelling RPG experience should offer.

Citizen Sleeper 2: Starward Vector has been released across various platforms, and it’s also included in Xbox Game Pass. If you haven’t already played Citizen Sleeper 1, you can find it as well on Xbox Game Pass.

2025-03-03 21:11