Earlier this week I polished off Citizen Sleeper 2, sequel to the 2022 game Citizen Sleeper. This is a text-based RPG about a player character fleeing from what is effectively corporate slavery.
The protagonist, as in the first game, is a "sleeper"--an android imbued with the consciousness of a debtor to the corporation Essen-Arp. In order to pay off their debt, the original human goes into stasis and permits a copy of their mind to be put into the android, who then labors, free of charge, for Essen-Arp until the debt is paid. As in the first game, this sleeper escapes and is now on the run. Unlike the first game, the sleeper of 2 is fleeing not Essen-Arp themselves, but another individual who would use the sleeper for their own ends.
As a sequel, I think this game does an excellent job of sticking with what made the first game fun while not coming off too derivative from the first game. The beautiful graphics, music, and game design are still there, but with expanded focus: you can now travel to several different space ports. The themes of community-building, compassion, and resisting corporate cruelty are still present, but with a new cast with their own interesting stories. There are a few recurring characters from the first game, but not in a way that would be confusing if you skip 1 and start with 2.
2 has difficulty levels as well, if you'd like to crank things up or dial it back. I played on the standard level and found it pretty easy to manage resources. There's a new stress mechanic to incorporate into your strategy, and while off on certain quests, you can utilize team members for various tasks as well.
If I had any complaints, I would have liked to find out more about Laine, the man tracking the sleeper. While his motives are explained by the end, he himself remains a rather mysterious figure and it would have been nice to have a clearer picture of the sleeper's main enemy, particularly given their history. The themes can also be a little heavy-handed, but not so much that I found them obnoxious, and I'm always happy to interrogate the harm that unchecked corporate power exerts on society, particularly on those least able to fight back.
On the whole, as a fan of the first game, I was quite happy with this follow-up and I will definitely play it again.
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