I never played the first Citizen Sleeper. It wasn’t due to a lack of interest—I simply hadn’t heard of the game when it was released. Over the years, I saw it receive high praise, particularly from Kinda Funny’s Andy Cortez, who spoke highly of the original. When the sequel was announced, I knew I had to check it out. Now that I’ve played it, I have a lot of thoughts—some great, some concerning. So, should you play Citizen Sleeper 2: Starward Vector? Who is this game for? And is it friendly to newcomers who haven’t experienced the first one?
A Narrative-Driven, Text-Heavy Experience
Citizen Sleeper 2 is an incredibly text-heavy game. While RPGs naturally lean toward storytelling and dialogue, this game borders on the visual novel genre, requiring players to spend significant time reading non-voiced text. Narrative choices shape your journey, making every decision feel weighty and meaningful. The depth of the writing, combined with the themes it explores, ensures an engrossing experience for those who enjoy detailed storytelling.
In this game, you play as a Sleeper, a humanoid consciousness embedded in an artificial body, fleeing from the corporate entity that created and seeks to control you. After being freed by someone else trapped under corporate rule, your goal is to stay ahead of your pursuers. Managing your spaceship, known as your Rig, is a crucial aspect of survival, requiring you to take on contracts, recruit a capable crew, and secure resources like fuel, food, and Cryo—the in-game currency. The overarching narrative centers around staying on the move, making difficult choices, and carving out an existence despite the forces working against you.
Gameplay: A Mix of Dice Rolls and Resource Management
The gameplay in Citizen Sleeper 2 revolves around a unique dice-based system that determines the actions you can take each in-game cycle (or day). At the start of every cycle, you roll dice, which dictate your chances of success in various tasks. Higher rolls provide better outcomes, while lower rolls introduce risks. Skills and crew members can modify these dice rolls, offering an extra layer of strategy.
Resource management plays a key role in progression. You must balance energy, stress, fuel, supplies, and Cryo. Running out of energy leads to stress, which in turn damages your dice. If too many dice are broken, they become unreliable, increasing the chances of mission failure. The game introduces a glitch mechanic when all your dice break, giving you a mere 20% chance of success in any action—a harsh penalty that forces you to carefully manage risks.
Each mission becomes a test of risk assessment. Do you push forward with limited resources and poor dice rolls, or do you take a step back to recuperate? The game consistently challenges you to think ahead, making every decision feel impactful. Along the way, you’ll interact with rogue AIs, escape hostile machines, and assist stranded travelers, all of which add depth to the experience. The dice-rolling system creates an engaging balance between calculated strategy and unpredictable luck, making each cycle feel fresh and dynamic.
The Strength of the Writing
One of the standout aspects of Citizen Sleeper 2 is its writing. The game uses its sci-fi setting to explore deep themes like existentialism, identity, capitalism, and survival. It asks players to reflect on the nature of autonomy and corporate control, drawing subtle parallels to real-world issues. The narrative is gripping and thought-provoking, ensuring that even when the gameplay mechanics challenge you, the story keeps you engaged.
Even if you haven’t played the first game, Citizen Sleeper 2 does a solid job of making its world accessible. While some background knowledge of the original would enhance your understanding of certain elements, the sequel stands on its own, drawing players in with its immersive world-building and storytelling.
Performance and Presentation
The game performs well on Steam Deck and Xbox Series S. On the Steam Deck, Citizen Sleeper 2 supports a 1280×800 resolution with full-screen support and no black borders. Controller support is functional, though the UI can sometimes feel cumbersome to navigate. The text is generally readable, and dialogue text size can be adjusted for better accessibility. Switching between platforms, I found the performance consistent, with no significant frame drops or technical issues.
The soundtrack deserves a special mention. The mix of lo-fi, cyber-synth, and R&B beats perfectly complements the game’s melancholic sci-fi aesthetic. Each space station you visit is backed by atmospheric, midnight-blue visuals that enhance immersion, making for a chill yet engaging experience.
The Downsides
Despite its strengths, Citizen Sleeper 2 has some notable flaws. The game has a steep learning curve, and while the tutorial does a decent job, it takes time to fully grasp its mechanics. The introduction could have been smoother for newcomers.
Another issue is the lack of truly memorable characters. While the crew members you recruit offer valuable gameplay benefits, few of them stand out in terms of personality or depth. Given that the game is only around 10 hours long, there are perhaps too many recruitable characters, making it difficult to form strong connections with them. By the time I finished the game, I could barely remember most of their names, which is disappointing for a title so focused on narrative.
Additionally, while I enjoyed the game while playing, I rarely found myself thinking about it when I wasn’t. The story and characters didn’t grip me in a way that lingered after I rolled the credits. Unlike truly captivating experiences that leave a lasting impression, Citizen Sleeper 2 felt like a game I appreciated in the moment but was ready to move on from once it was over.
Overall, Should You Play Citizen Sleeper 2: Starward Vector?
If you enjoy narrative-driven games, visual novels, or deep sci-fi storytelling, Citizen Sleeper 2 is an excellent choice. The game’s writing, themes, and unique gameplay mechanics make it a standout in its genre. However, if you dislike reading-heavy games or prefer action-oriented gameplay, this may not be the title for you.
