Frostpunk 2 Expands the Scope of Survival
If Frostpunk was about survival, then Frostpunk 2 is about stability–or at least the pursuit of it. Survival is still at the heart of Frostpunk 2’s gameplay and themes, but 11 Bit Studios wants its players to think bigger this time around. How do you create a thriving, expansive metropolis in a frigid and unforgiving wasteland? According to co-game director and design director Jakub Stokalski, “With that type of story, the scale needed to change, and with that came different city building mechanics [and] different depictions of society.”
If you’ve followed Frostpunk 2’s development or checked out the recent beta, then you probably know what Stokalski means by scale. Frostpunk 2 moves at a much brisker pace than the original. Rather than managing your city hour by hour, Frostpunk 2 moves day by day. Production, as long as your factories are properly staffed, moves at a constant pace. That’s not to say you don’t need to manage your workers and citizens. Like in the original, they still need food, shelter, and warmth in order to survive, but these issues come and go at a quicker rate. To give some perspective, I burned through nearly 200 weeks with a population of over 10,000 in just two hours.
Reworked City Building Mechanics
In order to match the scope and pace of Frostpunk 2, 11 Bit Studios needed to rework some of its fundamental city building mechanics. Rather than constructing facilities on a radial grid, Frostpunk 2 lets you create entire districts inside of hexagonal tiles. This gives your city a more freeform structure as different districts spill out from the city center and expand across the frozen tundra.
You can’t just build anywhere, though. Every tile needs to be frostbroken before districts are erected, and that requires resources and a small workforce. Additionally, you can only frostbreak tiles adjacent to other frostbroken tiles. This means if you see a natural resource in the distance, you must first carve a path through the ice before you can build an Extraction District and start harvesting its resources.
Population Management and Laws
The human element also plays a huge role in this push and pull between expansion and development. At the outset, Frostpunk 2 has you managing a much bigger population this time around, and with that comes new factions, laws, and hierarchies. You could enact double shifts at the factories to earn more resources, but this could lead to discontent, sickness, and even death. If you let any of those issues get out of hand, your city could fall. Conversely, if you’re too lax on your workforce, you may not be able to keep up with your city’s growing demands. Like the original, Frostpunk 2 feels like a delicate balancing act that routinely asks you how far you’re willing to go for the greater good. Are you willing to exile the elderly population in order to conserve food rations? Apparently I am.
A big part of managing Frostpunk 2’s population is communing with the council and passing laws. Gone are the days of Frostpunk’s Captains. Instead, the Steward alongside a council of 100 delegates are responsible for proposing and passing laws. The council regularly meets, and during those meetings you can review and propose a law for the council to vote on.
Difficult Decisions and Gameplay Balance
Your performance isn’t the only thing the council factors into their decisions. Your relationship with different factions can also play a huge role. If you abuse the Frostlanders, don’t expect them to back you during the next town hall. Factions are much more than just political pawns, though. Each faction has its own set of beliefs that can inform your play style and shape your city.
However, Stokalski stressed that these difficult decisions aren’t built around shock value or gratuitousness. Choices designed to simply shock or frustrate the player have a short shelf life. The key lies in the fact that every step includes you, the player, and your values, worldview, and outlook into the game’s system.