Red Solstice 2: Survivors - Ultimate Edition

Red Solstice 2: Survivors is, at best, a slightly above-average game. For every fun aspect, such as the genuinely fun action-packed nature of the run-and-gun gameplay, there are downsides such as incredibly repetitive missions outside of the core campaign. However, you then find an excellent range of creatures and a good amount of character customisation, really boosting the game, for it to then be let down by the base and region-building feeling tacked on, and then the game is impacted by a fair few bugs. If you liked the first Red Solstice, and other similar shooters, you'll enjoy this, though arguably in shorter sessions or with other people online.

The mix of a twin stick shooter with real-time strategy elements is fun and engaging. Missions are varied and the game play loop is satisfying but somewhat repetitive as you progress trying to complete each campaign. There is also co-op with up to three friends but as of writing this I didn’t get a chance to give that mode a try.

Red Solstice 2: Survivors Ultimate Edition is a content-rich package that unfortunately carries with it the problems of the past. The great underlying repetitiveness and the lack of clarity of the mechanics, combined with a really skimpy tactical compartment and a not-so-memorable storyline, lead the Ironward title to be recommended only and exclusively to those who can play together with a group of friends, an experience that gives a better and new light to the overall interaction.

Red Solstice 2 is a game that requires at least another friend to deliver a decent experience. The strategic and tactical layers work, from a purely mechanical point of view, but everything is too focused on repetitive actions to keep the game fun when playing solo. The limited immersion does not help.

Red Solstice 2: Survivors is a good game, but one that needs work. I would love to see a Red Solstice 3 someday where Ironward leans even more heavily into squad equipment with refined resource management systems. At the end of the day, yes, that kind of just sounds like XCOM-but-a-shooter, but I can’t be the only person who thinks that’d be a good thing.

The Red Solstice 2: Survivors has that B-tier charm for better and for worse.

Red Solstice 2 is an interesting merger of strategy and action, but you’ll need to endure a bit of repetition.

An ambitious RTS/Twin Stick hybrid with a lot of potential and some great moments, let down by technical issues, inconsistent flow, and a lack of tutorials. One to keep an eye on if the premise appeals, but not worth diving into straight away.

Ironward takes a couple of steps ahead in Red Solstice 2, with an interesting yet still improvabile tactical experience.

With a focus on multiplayer, Red Solstice 2: Survivors tackles the action/tactical genre, offering up hordes of foes and beautiful presentations in the field. Where it lacks is connection with the player, bugs, and some difficulty spikes that make it infuriating.