Starward Vector’ Is Unlike Anything I’ve Ever Played Before, in the Best Possible Way (Review)

As cold and unfamiliar as the version of space I found myself within, Citizen Sleeper 2: Starward Vector did not want to hold my hand. It wanted me to experience the highest highs and the lowest lows of my Sleeper. And I felt entwined and in tune with its metallic husk more than I could have imagined. This wasn’t just a character in a game. This was me, living my life through someone else’s eyes. As the story of Citizen Sleeper 2 continued to unfold, it subsequently wrapped me inside. Intricately spinning a vast, compelling tale. The original Citizen Sleeper was lauded for its intricate storytelling, and Citizen Sleeper 2 builds upon that narrative excellence. It’s storytelling reborn, and I’m glad I got to experience it this way.

I Need To Know How Long the ‘Citizen Sleeper 2’ Script is Because There’s a Lot of Reading

I’ve played a lot of games in my life. Some have had great stories, and others, middling. Citizen Sleeper 2: Starward Vector immediately gripped me from the get-go, with intricately written and lovingly detailed descriptions of the selectable Sleeper classes I could choose from. I could immediately tell that solo developer Gareth Damian Martin cares about the world he’s built and continues building. No matter how minuscule the detail, it’s covered with as much care as the largest plot points.

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It’s romantic in a way. Every small detail had me swooning, interested to learn more. While Citizen Sleeper 2 drew me in with its sublime writing, the dice-based gameplay was what sunk its hooks into me. It was initially confusing, but when the rolls of the dice finally aligned in my mind, I found it nearly impossible to put Citizen Sleeper 2 down.

No matter where my ragtag crew and I found ourselves, every location felt unique. While various shops sold the same types of items, none of them felt the same. Incredible descriptions flowed down the right side of my screen, painting pictures of worlds unknown. Without a doubt, Citizen Sleeper 2: Starward Vector features some of the best and most detailed writing and world-building in a video game. As the medium advances, I hope more studios look to the stars and take inspiration from tales such as this. There’s truly nothing out there like it.

Interesting Characters Make Me Feel a Lot Less Lost Within the World of ‘Citizen Sleeper 2′

Beyond the worldbuilding, character building is yet another part of Citizen Sleeper 2 that went above and beyond my expectations. Even the smallest characters receive big backstories, making this unknown world feel like one cohesive masterpiece. Details and familiarities follow them as I navigate through different belts, and as Cycles pass, I learn more about them.

The stories that follow these characters are tragic, heartwarming, and every emotion in between. They all feel like someone we may know, or have known in our regular lives. I encountered many different faces throughout my playthrough, and each of them was just as memorable as the last. A story of capitalistic greed, mutiny, devastation, and rebuilding. Every character is a brick in a beautiful mansion of content. Subtle hints are dropped by characters regarding who they truly are. Our past follows us, but it doesn’t define us. We are the masters of our domain and our creation.

Citizen Sleeper 2: Starward Vector builds onto the already established worldbuilding of the previous game while improving on it in many different ways. The original Citizen Sleeper is regarded as one of the most well-written and thought-provoking games, and its sequel raises the stakes even further. Beautifully drawn character portraits, alongside their descriptions, help bring every character to life. No matter how minor they may be in the overarching story.

Getting Stressed in the Game Gets Me Stressed for Real

While the story and world of Citizen Sleeper 2: Starward Vector may be something out of the distant future, the Stress mechanic is something we can all properly relate to. Citizen Sleeper 2 is a dice-driven RPG behind its visual novel exterior. I decided through my playthrough to not save scum, and let the natural beauty of the story unwrap. Even if this meant that I missed a crucial roll, I couldn’t bring myself to rewind time. The naturally emergent gameplay is one of the biggest draws, making each subsequent run unique for those willing to dive back in.

During missions, there was a chance for everything to go wrong. And this happened to my character quite often, especially during the game’s opening hours as I learned the ropes. I spent a fair amount of time trying to complete missions while missing Dice, due to them shattering under duress. And glitched dice would occasionally appear to make everything even more awful. But no matter what, at the end of the day, I figured it all out. And that’s only a small piece of the beauty of the whole Citizen Sleeper 2 package.

It was more than pretty words on my screen. It was unrivaled freedom. Unparalleled decision-making. The world was mine, even though it felt as if other characters may have been in control of my destiny. Knowing that, while the ending was bound to be predetermined, my destiny was completely in my hands.

‘Citizen Sleeper 2: Starward Vector’ Improves on the Original in Nearly Every Way, and That’s Hard To Believe

While playing through Citizen Sleeper 2, I had to jump into the original game. And without a doubt, it’s an improvement upon an already excellent title in nearly every way possible. During my review period, I did encounter a single glitch. Some of my dialogue continuously repeated after encountering Bliss for the first time. However, this glitch was quickly fixed, and things could carry on as anticipated.

I’ve never played a game quite like Citizen Sleeper 2: Starward Vector. It’s a unique beast and something I would recommend to anyone remotely interested in its premise. I wasn’t sure how I would feel about this one at the start. The beginning, especially to the uninitiated, can be extremely daunting. But let the dice roll, let the game start flowing, and then try again. If it doesn’t click right away, don’t walk away from it. You’d be doing yourself a great disservice.

Verdict: Highly Recommended

Citizen Sleeper 2 will release on January 31, 2025, on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, Nintendo Switch, and PC. A code was provided by the publisher for the sake of review. Reviewed on PS5 and PC.