While diving into Citizen Sleeper 2: Starward Vector, I couldn’t shake the haunting image of a “whale fall.” In nature, when a whale succumbs, it sinks to the ocean floor, its colossal body becoming a buffet for an entire marine ecosystem. The universe of Citizen Sleeper parallels this process. Set in a post-Solheim Corporation era—a once-unyielding corporate powerhouse that now lies in ruins—the narrative unfolds in a reality where everyone scavenges what’s left, living off the remnants of this fallen giant. Your Sleeper’s journey is just one among hundreds, all surviving on the echoes of a corporate collapse.
Now, I loved the original Citizen Sleeper. To me, it felt whole, with nothing left unsaid. So, why venture into a sequel? Well, apparently, there’s a lot more to explore, and I found myself drawn back into this gritty, yet stunning, transhumanist landscape. When the credits eventually rolled, it was bittersweet. Just like its predecessor, Citizen Sleeper 2 is a reflective, subversive journey that captivates from start to finish.
You’re stepping back into the shoes—or rather, into the synthetic body—of a Sleeper, a human consciousness housed within a mechanical, prosthetic shell of wires and metal. You awaken without short-term memories, and soon enough, you’re embroiled in a chaotic chase. While you’ve once managed to slip away from your creators, this time, a previous ally turned adversary is on your tail. Here, space gangsters aren’t fans of personal freedom.
Forced into a life on the run, every day is a gamble. You’ll find yourself surviving on gig work depicted through rich narrative text, with your Sleeper illustrating the sensory experiences around you. The game opens up through maps where only the exteriors of locations are visible—events unravel as you click on marked areas. In its core, Citizen Sleeper’s RPG mechanisms revolve around a dice-based system. Each cycle—or day—starts with rolling five dice that you assign to various actions and challenges, gradually completing tasks. High rolls spell success, and your hustle for energy and cash means every gig matters.
In the original game, your story unfolded in a single space station. You grew familiar with its nooks and crannies, knew where to grub a meal, or whom to trust. But in Citizen Sleeper 2, that familiarity is gone. Your Sleeper must constantly move from one location to another within The Belt—a complex network of satellites and stations. Linger too long, and risk capture.
This shift demands a nomadic vigilance and heightens the stakes, delivering a tension that the first game, in its comfort zones, lacked. You’ll find yourself perpetually teetering on the brink, trying to catch a relief that never seems to come. If the first game let you find peace too easily, rest assured, peace is a rarity here. I felt it viscerally on Day Two, stirred from sleep by my shipmate with an ominous “we’re in trouble.” This Sleeper—and by default, you—never gets a break.
Thrillingly intense, Citizen Sleeper 2 introduces fresh systems that add layers of excitement. Notably, Contracts introduce high-stakes missions that require assembling a crew to help you accomplish tasks under pressure. Choose wisely, as each crew member brings distinct skills and dice, crucial for these endeavors.
The possibility of failure looms large with Contracts, manifesting as stress. A failed skill check can increase stress; accumulate too much, and you risk losing crew members or having your Sleeper crack dice beyond use until repaired—a situation you want to avoid at all costs. Failed checks might also trigger an event crisis that must be navigated to keep missions on track.
Juggling dice, stress counters, event crises, and time limits in these Contracts is quite the thrill. Strategizing your crew’s dice distribution, making calculated risks, and responding to surprises turns each mission into a compelling puzzle. There were countless moments when I crossed my fingers against a 50% chance of negative outcomes, the adrenaline only making me chase riskier decisions. Bigger risks than I even considered in the first outing.
Selecting the right crew, anticipating potential pitfalls, and playing to your Sleeper’s strengths are crucial. Your powers grow RPG-style with each completed mission, but everyone has a blind spot—an unchangeable skill gap. This reliance on your team mimics real life intricately.
Facing a challenge beyond your crew’s skills? It can spell trouble. While the system might initially make you view these characters as mere stats, over time, you’ll uncover their personal narratives. Bond with them, and you can choose who becomes a permanent crew member. They transform from tools into companions, each revealing a deeper backstory. Your spacecraft metamorphoses into both sanctuary and home for these kindred wanderers.
You’ll also come across familiar faces in this journey. This Sleeper is distinct from the one in the first game, yet meeting these characters invokes comfort mixed with nostalgia. Some old friends have weathered hard times, changed by the corporate chaos that still grips their world.
The game’s soulful writing, much like its predecessor’s, is rich with imagery and genuine emotion. Gareth Damian Martin’s narrative breathes life into cityscapes and animates the mechanical. It’s evocative, and I found myself capturing screenshots of dialogues I never want to forget. Yet unlike simple photo mementos, these captures feel like cherished pages from a beloved book.
What happens when things go awry is often compelling, sometimes more so than a smooth run. Citizen Sleeper 2’s narrative decisions hinge not on dice but on honed skills. This design ensures that regardless of the outcome, the unfolding events remain dynamic. Whether drilling through an asteroid, bungling a ship mutiny, helping forge a colony, or having heart-to-heart talks with an ailing AI—the narrative rollercoaster is captivating.
One unforgettable moment I must highlight—without spoiling—is the introduction of Serafin. Early in your journey, Serafin emerges, and you learn that you share a history—except you can’t recall it due to amnesia. The pain of losing a friend lingers in Serafin, and as the Sleeper, you grapple with the disconnection. This deeply human drama resonates through both characters, encapsulating the game’s core themes.
Together, they attempt to rebuild what was lost. This microcosm reflects the broader theme of relentless transformation. In Citizen Sleeper’s universe, change isn’t an ending but a new beginning.
Soaked with musings of transhumanism, capitalism, and the interplay of power and technology, the heart of Citizen Sleeper 2 remains deeply human. Low-key stories of survival replace grandiose tales of space fantasy, offering a grounded narrative often missing in sci-fi. This isn’t the polished sheen of Starfield or the high-octane lawlessness of Cyberpunk 2077—this is a gritty narrative of ordinary people finding their way on the fringes. Ain’t that a fine start to 2025?
Citizen Sleeper 2: Starward Vector lands on PC, Xbox Game Pass, Xbox Series X|S, Nintendo Switch, and PlayStation 5 on January 31. This review was crafted using a PC version provided by the publisher.
