Citizen Sleeper 2: Starward Vector

Citizen Sleeper 2: Starward Vector fine tunes the slow-paced, dice-heavy gameplay of the original with its new and aptly named stress system and multi-stage, multi-character missions.

With a new found sense of tension, and showpiece Contract missions, Citizen Sleeper is transformed. This follow-up has improved the RPG formula in every way.

Citizen Sleeper 2's broader scope stretches its mechanics thin, even while its story flourishes.

Citizen Sleeper 2's space and stations can be cold and cruel, and the vast corporate machine never ceases its churning, but there is a certain romance to everyone moving forward with their lives and loves – often in spite of all this – and it is hard to not be charmed.

The strength of the Citizen Sleeper series, especially in this sophomore release, is realizing this very message. Home isn’t where you await the next cycle to begin but where you have the freedom and space to make mistakes.

With more dicey systems and crew management than the first Citizen Sleeper, this sequel risks losing some of its storytelling heart, even if it remains a well-crafted sci-fi world.

It’s incredibly grounded, and something I wish we would see more of in sci-fi. Citizen Sleeper’s world belongs to its junkyard scavengers, grubby engineers, repair technicians, cargo haulers, and everyone else on this ramshackle asteroid belt.

Cowboy Bebop and Firefly influence an even bigger, more ambitious cyberpunk noir RPG

The main thrust of gathering a motley crew and exploring a small slice of the game's universe is great, and with various classes and upgrades to choose from, there's plenty of reason to replay too.

Citizen Sleeper 2 is an excellent example of a polished sequel, continuing all the things that made its predecessor a beloved indie darling while building upon and expanding those systems with some new and interesting ideas of its own. The decision-driven narrative, tense RPG systems, and incredible soundtrack all come together to make for a game that is almost impossible to put down once you get pulled in. Newcomers who want to see what all the fuss is about will enjoy this as much as players who loved the first game - Citizen Sleeper 2 stands tall as a worthy follow-up.