Changes in Sleeper Mechanics

Damian Martin has made significant changes to the mechanics of being a Sleeper in the latest installment. In Citizen Sleeper 2, players no longer rely on the Stabilizer, a substance used by corporations to keep Sleeper minds alive in robot bodies. This alteration not only impacts gameplay but also drives the narrative forward.

According to Damian Martin, “It’s a massive change. You essentially reboot yourself at the start of Sleeper 2, you wake up with short term memory loss and no need for the Stabiliser, because that’s what Laine has been using to control you. Changing that up has been really fun, and it means the game has a fundamentally different arc.”

Introducing the Stress Mechanic

One of the most notable additions to the game is the introduction of the Stress mechanic. This new feature means that neglecting self-care and taking risks can have serious consequences for your Sleeper. Simple actions like skipping meals can result in negative outcomes, such as ‘breaking’ a die, which limits your abilities for a cycle.

This system forces players to take calculated risks, as in the harsh world of Citizen Sleeper, a gamble can mean the difference between life and death. By managing stress levels, players can utilize the ‘Push’ mechanic to gain temporary boosts in critical moments, but must deal with the repercussions later on.

Diversity in Class Systems

Citizen Sleeper 2 introduces a class system that offers players more flexibility in roleplaying their Sleeper. Each class, such as Operator, Extractor, and Machinist, comes with its own set of strengths and weaknesses. For example, choosing the Machinist class provides bonuses in engineering tasks but presents challenges in social interactions.

Players can level up most skills over time, but each class has one skill that remains inaccessible, encouraging players to focus on their strengths as they progress through the game.