Frostpunk 2: Everything We Want

11 bit Studios’ Frostpunk 2 has been at the forefront of our minds for the best part of two or so years now, which can mean only one thing: we’re pretty much desperate to get our hands on yet another series of icy tales and brutally difficult challenges. That said, until the game does decide to plant roots on its chosen platforms, we’re essentially left to twiddle our thumbs and resort to good old-fashioned speculation. Speaking of which, here are the five things we’re hoping to see in the upcoming sequel.

5. War & Conflict

It’s one thing to have to deal with the icy weather all year round, but to have your entire colony on the brink of collapse due to an ongoing war with a rival faction would honestly be the ice-ing on the cake, so to speak. The fact is, the original Frostpunk made a conscious decision not to include any combat in its debut chapter, which means, if the sequel is aiming to be far more inclusive than the previous, then there’s no real reason as to why it won’t feature some form of territorial conflict between countless nations.

It’s certainly no secret that the aim of the game is to survive the chilly climate and learn how to start anew in a world that’s evidently against your favor. That said, if there’s any particular thing that’ll make die-hard fans of the series bursting with joy, it’s the idea of being able to despatch troops into the frozen districts to claim new territories and wage wars with opposing armies. At this stage, it isn’t so much as a want, but a need — and we’re honestly hoping that 11 bit Studios acts on our request.

4. Multiple Settlements

Having to manage one settlement in Frostpunk is enough, but being able to monopolize the whole board is a glorious achievement in itself, and quite frankly, one that countless fledgling governors will want to act upon when push comes to shove. Truth is, there could be so much more to the locales that we build on, and not to mention numerous ways to connect certain settlements and supply depots to a single hub. It seems only right, then, that Frostpunk 2 would allow for us to pursue such ambitions, and with the items pooled from our endeavors, develop a tapestry of bustling communities.

It isn’t a major request, asking for an option that would allow us to bridge a few gaps and create a web of opportunities for our citizens. If anything, it feels like the natural solution for fleshing out the roots of the world and boosting the overall gameplay experience. Will it happen? Who knows. Either way, if there is an option to branch out and monopolize, then we know for a fact that there’ll be a whole lot more replay value to the base campaign and its sandbox mode.

3. Difficulty Levels

It goes without saying that, when it comes to difficult city-building games, Frostpunk stands tall as one of the toughest series on the block. And while this isn’t necessarily a bad thing for a lot of hardcore fans of the genre, a lot of newcomers have had a great deal of trouble trying to establish themselves in the frozen world. For this reason alone, we’re hoping that the sequel does make an effort to make the game slightly more inclusive, if only to aid player’s overall progression.

Given the fact that the original Frostpunk doesn’t hold your hand or summon a few pointers to help put your foot on the ladder, it does make sense that the sequel would feature a slightly less challenging prologue. It’s nitpicking at this point, but if there was something—a tutorial, even, then it’d be a sight for sore eyes, for sure.

2. Online Multiplayer

City-building games and multiplayer don’t often go hand-in-hand, which is shame, really, as the few that have gone on to incorporate such a feature have often gone on to benefit a much wider audience. In the case of 11 bit Studios’ Frostpunk, it’s easy to see why such a mode would be highly desirable, especially for those who’ve often found joy in rivaling other players in an evidently hostile environment.

For what it’s worth, we truly believe that a co-op mode, or even an online multiplayer option in which players can thrash it out for control over various biomes, would make the journey that much more inviting. There doesn’t need to be a leaderboard, or anything of that sort, but a good old-fashioned PvP system would definitely benefit the lion’s share of the community, for sure.

1. Customization

If there’s one thing that missed the mark in the first chapter, it was the customization, or simply the lack of. As it turned out, the first Frostpunk didn’t offer all that much in terms of custom scenarios or moddable laws, which meant the bulk of the experience was often spoon fed, and not open to twist and turn in a number of ways. Therefore, if we had to boost any particular element in the sequel, then it would have to be the customization, straight up.

Again, perhaps it is nitpicking, but having the option to characterize settlements and create new laws that bear corresponding consequences of your own making would definitely add flavor to the core recipe. And hey, if modding support does manage to find its way into the final mix, then we’d be all the more excited to trial new scenarios and other custom features, both in the base game, as well as its sandbox mode.

So, what’s your take? Do you think we’ll be seeing any of the above five things in Frostpunk 2 when it arrives on its chosen platforms? Let us know your thoughts over on our socials here.