Ways Frostpunk 2 Is Different From The Original Game

Key Takeaways

Manage Trust and Tension: Keep trust high by resolving problems, stockpiling resources, and maintaining good faction relations.
Guide the City’s Zeitgeist: Balance society’s values across three different axes to prevent protests or civil war.
Listen to the People: Research new tech based on proposed solutions to problems, committing to one idea per research.

As a seasoned survival strategist who’s weathered more than a few digital apocalypses, let me tell you, my friends – Frostpunk 2 is a game that truly pushes the boundaries of city-building strategy. I’ve played my fair share of city sims, from SIMCity to Anno, but this one takes the cake… or rather, the generator fuel cake!

In 2024, we’ll be introduced to Frostpunk 2, a follow-up to the 2018 survival city-building game, Frostpunk. Both games are set in a steampunk interpretation of Earth from around the turn of the 20th century, where the planet has mysteriously entered an extremely harsh ice age. In the original game, players take on the role of a leader who oversees a city of survivors huddled around a steam-powered generator in the frozen Arctic wilderness. The challenge is to navigate multiple crises and build a new society amidst incredible adversity.

In the next installment, set thirty years after the Captain’s passing due to old age, you step into the shoes of the Steward. This character governs the city and its inhabitants as they navigate the harsh conditions of the frostland, albeit with less authority compared to the previous leader. Your mission is to keep the city council content, manage the contrasting desires of various factions, and grow your steampunk civilization to unimaginable proportions – a feat that seemed impossible in the first game. Many elements from Frostpunk 2 are expansions upon concepts introduced in the original version, altering the gaming experience for fans of the series.

1 Manage Trust And Tension

Similar Metrics To Hope And Discontent

Ways Frostpunk 2 Is Different From The Original Game

Maintain good relations with factions to keep Trust high
Manage the city’s Tension by resolving problems and stockpiling resources

In the initial version of this game, a player may forfeit if they maintain prolonged despair or dissatisfaction. Should such situations persist, the character is ousted from the city, and a brief notification appears indicating that both the city and its expelled leader might perish during the upcoming frost.

In Frostpunk 2, while the Trust and Tension systems are similar to those in the original game, they function slightly differently. The Tension within New London community arises due to factions, certain laws, and structures like Patrol Watchtowers. Conversely, Trust decreases as citizens perish, particularly if there aren’t proper funeral ceremonies conducted. Managing citizen satisfaction becomes crucial for players, as it increases their chances of maintaining a unified and functioning city.

2 Guide The City’s Zeitgeist

Guide The City Along 3 Different Axes

Laws and research can advance the cultural zeitgeist
Factions that disapprove of the zeitgeist can protest or rebel
Adaptation/Progress, Equality/Merit, Reason/Tradition

In Frostpunk 2, managing the society of New London requires a more intricate approach compared to its earlier version. Instead of just sticking to one path of Order or Faith, the player needs to strike a balance among various societal values that collectively shape the spirit or mood, or zeitgeist, of the people.

The prevailing cultural mood, often referred to as zeitgeist, is evaluated across three dimensions: Adaptability/Advancement, Equality/Meritocracy, or Rationality/Tradition. Each faction embodies distinct values that align with the zeitgeist, for instance, the Icebloods prioritize adaptability while the Technocrats are staunch advocates of progress. Gamers should strive to maintain a balance or find solutions to placate factions opposing the laws and technologies they’ve been favoring. If not, they may encounter public demonstrations and even internal conflicts up to civil unrest.

3 Listen To The People When Researching New Tech

Everyone In The City Comes Up With Solutions

The Idea Tree is made up of proposed solutions to societal problems
Researching an idea means committing to one of the proposed ideas

In contrast to the typical research tree featured in numerous strategy games, The Idea Tree offers a distinctive perspective. Instead of advancing along branching or sequential paths, this tree represents potential solutions to issues confronting the city. As players make their research choices, they are effectively aligning with one faction.

For example, Adaptation-oriented factions like the Icebloods approve of Moss-Filtration Towers but Progress-oriented factions would rather see standard Ventilation Towers built instead. The fact that research involves the politics of the game is a great way that the sequel differs from the original Frostpunk as well as the majority of strategy games.

4 Multiple Factions Exist At All Times

Each Faction wants to pass laws that reflect their values
Each Faction comes up with proposals in the Idea Tree

In the game “Frostpunk,” players sometimes encountered the requests or demands from various factions. For instance, in the narrative, a faction known as the Londoners might threaten to depart from the city unless their specific conditions were fulfilled.

In Frostpunk 2, the concept of factions takes center stage, significantly influencing both the narrative and gameplay. Throughout the game, except during the opening sequence, there are at least two factions present, each represented by the inhabitants of your city and settlements. These groups advocate diverse strategies in the Idea Tree, prioritize different values through legislation, and even request specific types of construction or demolition. Keeping harmony with these factions is crucial, and it requires careful management, particularly during periods when a whiteout is predicted.

5 Deal With Problems In A More Abstract Way

Heat is Managed And Spent In More Ways Than In The Original

The generator can produce heat based on multiple fuel sources
Don’t track the individuals that are sick, but rather determine how bad the problem is

In the game Frostpunk, players are granted a detailed and comprehensive understanding of their city’s operations. They can recognize individual citizens, learn about their health status (whether sick or not), employment situation, and even their exact location – be it a particular house or tent.

In the expanded cityscape of Frostpunk 2, certain details might be elusive due to its larger scale. Instead of scrutinizing every minor detail, the game presents whether issues are major, minor, or nonexistent. By clicking on a problem, you can determine if it’s worsening, staying the same, or improving. Learning to handle these broader challenges may take some adjustment, as they might not appear as pressing for newcomers compared to the original game.

6 Manage Many More Types Of Resources

Use More Than The Basic Set Of Materials From The Original

Coal, Oil, and Steam can power the Generator
Prefabs, Materials, and Goods are new Resource types

In the initial game, players dealt with a restricted variety of resources such as wood, metal, raw and cooked food for constructing New London. However, in Frostpunk 2, the food resources were combined into one group, and construction materials too were merged. This simplified one aspect of resource management within the game, allowing for increased complexity in other areas.

In the follow-up, you’ll find items essential for preventing crime escalation added to the inventory list. Additionally, Prefabs are introduced, crucial for district construction and building expansion. Both can be fabricated using resources found in Industrial Zones. Furthermore, various fuel types for the generator have been included, making city management more intricate compared to the initial game, especially when embarking on a new story or Utopia Builder session due to the abundance of resources that need to be carefully managed.

7 Use Districts To Expand

Only Some Individual Buildings Can Be Built Directly By The Player

Districts can be about as large as the entire city from the original game
Players can choose one or two specific buildings to construct within districts

In the initial version of “Frostpunk,” players were required to position each structure, including the earliest tents as well as advanced facilities like Wall Drills and Depots, individually. Balancing resource allocation and employment was a delicate task that necessitated steady expansion without overburdening the developing city.

In Frostpunk 2, players expand an area by sending frostbreaking teams out and subsequently building an entire district all at once. These districts are substantially larger than anything players could construct in the initial game, reflecting how much bigger New London has grown thirty years later. After a district has been expanded, players can position buildings they’ve unlocked through the Idea Tree in any of the two slots they have direct control over.

8 The Council Votes On New Laws

The Steward Does Not Have The Authority That The Captain Had

Without the Captain’s authority, the Council votes on any proposed law
Players have to consider what the city’s factions want for themselves

In Frostpunk 2, unlike its predecessor where only one person held absolute power in New London, decisions regarding new laws are made by a council consisting of 100 members. These council members represent various factions within the game, each with perspectives aligned to the city’s overall atmosphere or spirit, known as zeitgeist.

As laws shape and Hinder various elements of societal trends, individuals might need to engage in negotiations with influential groups to push through legislations that they oppose. Maintaining trust by fulfilling pledges plays a crucial role in maintaining unity within the city.

9 Build Multiple Cities

Several Cities Can Be Directly Managed By The Player

Certain locations in the frostland can be made into permanent settlements
Players can have up to four cities at a time

In the chilly expanse of Frostpunk 2, adventurers stumble upon sites ripe for establishing permanent outposts. By dispatching provisions, laborers, and essential machinery, players can construct a generator to launch this new urban center. Once built, players manage and oversee all aspects within the settlement just as they do in their initial city.

Managing supplies and workforce among these outposts and the central city proves challenging due to each additional city’s unique specialization in areas like Food or Materials. Achieving self-sufficiency without significant effort is rare for these specialized cities. Juggling up to four of these cities concurrently adds complexity, but the payoff lies in crafting a thriving society across the game’s post-apocalyptic frozen landscapes.

10 Operate On A Larger Scale Than Ever

Frostpunk 2 Operates On A Much Grander Time And Space

The original Frostpunk has a population cap of 600 and lasts for 48 days
Frostpunk 2 has thousands of citizens and lasts for years

In contrast to its precursor, Frostpunk 2 expands on every frontier. In this follow-up, players find themselves overseeing vast populations of thousands, unlike the original game’s limit of 600 inhabitants. Unlike being confined to New London, players in the sequel manage multiple cities instead. The introduction of districts means that even a single structure constructed by the player expands the city to a scale that would have been unimaginable in the first game.

In terms of time span, the scope in which Frostpunk 2 operates is truly remarkable when compared to its predecessor. While the first game’s narrative unfolds over a period of approximately 48 days, which equates to nearly two months, the sequel employs weeks as its measuring unit. This means that the process of researching an idea or exploring the frostland in Frostpunk 2 could potentially stretch beyond the duration of the original game. The challenge of overseeing such a grand scale in the world of Frostpunk 2 represents a significant departure from the first game and serves as a testament to the growth and expansion of its initial concepts.

2024-10-01 15:04