It is rare that you find a game that is, honestly, the ideal sequel. Change and innovation are natural in game development, but striking that balance with what forms the core of a budding franchise? That is hard. However, I think we’ve found a developer that’s managed to strike on just that.  Welcome to Citizen Sleeper 2: Starward Vector, from Jump Over the Age and Fellow Traveller Games. 

Citizen Sleeper 2 is a TTRPG taken to the stars, adapted with stellar visuals and story-telling that rocks the system. I enjoyed the game so much that once I beat it, I immediately got the first game. My review of the original Citizen Sleeper is also on our website.

Robot on the Run

Imagine being an android on the run, captaining a ship on the edge of civilized space. That’s Citizen Sleeper 2 in a sentence, but there is so much more turning like the mechanisms of a clock under the surface. 

You are an emulated consciousness, your true body sleeping somewhere in cryo while your android toils away in slavery to a corporate conglomerate. That is what a Sleeper is, what you are. You managed to run from one form of slavery right into another, before breaking your dependence on the drug that prevents the total shutdown of your systems. You, however, are some expensive property with a bounty on your head, and many are looking to collect. That is where your story begins – on the run with a friend you can barely remember.

Citizen Sleeper 2 is definitely giving some Firefly vibes, if you’re familiar with the show. You have to run from station to station every few cycles to keep the heat off you, couriering people and supplies along the way. Contracts come to those who work for them, and each can have a major effect on the course of the game. Pick up to two crew members to touch down on contracts with you, each with their own strengths and narrative contributions. If it goes well you can gain tenuous allies or motley crew members. Mess up badly enough however, and you’ll have more enemies than you can count.

 Cascading Cause and Effect

Honestly, the tutorial is the hardest part of the game. How you manage it determines the difficulty of the rest of your run. It is all too easy to misjudge how much time you have, how to use your resources, or who to ally with. There is a clock counting down, and you only have so much time before your hunter catches up with you. It’s not game over if he does, but I had runs where I came out completely broken and worn down. On other runs I was golden and carrying a future ally to boot. Your early choices have cascading effects, and it’s genuinely fascinating to see them play out.

Another fun note is that fans of the original Citizen Sleeper are likely to recognize a few characters across games. Jump Over the Age made Citizen Sleeper 2 as a stand-alone game, that you can easily play whether or not you’re familiar with the first game, but there is an interesting narrative line, here. You have lost your memory, and some characters throughout look at you as if they recognize you from somewhere. Do you remind them of someone, or are you really the friend that they made and lost in the first Citizen Sleeper? Only you can say.

By the Roll of the Dice

Citizen Sleeper was inspired by dice-rolling TTRPGs, but the system is entirely developed by Jump Over the Age for these games. However, I can easily see them spinning the system off into a true table-top system. It is robust and well-rounded, with balanced leveling. Some perks have changed from game one to game two but so has the focus.

If the first Citizen Sleeper was a narrative game spanning the length of a station, then Citizen Sleeper 2 is an adventure game spanning the breadth of an asteroid belt. Citizen Sleeper 2 expands on the dice system the first was built on. No longer dependent on stabilizer, your system doesn’t have “Condition” to manage, but that doesn’t mean you’re off the hook. Accumulate stress by failing actions or using your Push ability, and you risk damaging your dice every cycle. You can fix your dice if they break, but then you have to manage the glitches that enter your system. And sometimes, things break that can’t be fixed.

You have three classes to choose from as a Sleeper – the diligent Mechanist, the precise Operator, or the stead-fast Extractor. Each has their strengths and weaknesses, with a starting preference for one of the five Skills – Engineer, Interface, Endure, Intuit, or Engage. Depending on your class, one of these skills is completely closed to you and will forever cost -2 on your dice to use. The others will come to you in time, as you spend upgrade points earned from completing objectives – Drives. 

Each class also has a unique Push ability, something you can only use on contracts. Reroll your dice or add a set amount to your lowest die and take a point of stress. As we said, though, that stress causes damage to your die, so be careful with that. 

The Belt’s the Limit

The graphics are relatively simple yet elegantly crafted. The action unfolds against the backdrop of meticulously detailed 3D models of space stations, asteroids, and derelict spacecraft. It’s evident that the team has expanded their ability to create diverse environments, and there’s a noticeable increase in animations compared to the first Citizen Sleeper.

As you progress through actions and advance the story, text appears on the right side of the screen. This is complemented by stunning hand-drawn illustrations during character interactions. Jump Over the Age has developed a distinct artistic style, with each character design being unique, striking, and memorable. Even without seeing their names, I instantly recognized and felt a rush of excitement when spotting characters from the previous game.

The music is understated and subtle, yet beautifully composed and highly effective when it plays. It often blends with the ambient sounds of the space station you’re on, creating a remarkably convincing atmosphere. If the goal was immersion, the developers have undoubtedly succeeded. It’s easy to feel drawn into the hum and rhythm of life in space.

Overall

Citizen Sleeper 2 is an outstanding game that instantly became one of my all-time favorites. By the time it ended, I felt a genuine sense of sadness because I wanted to keep playing and discover where the Sleeper’s journey would lead next. While the conclusion felt natural, it left me yearning for more, hinting at a future we might never get to witness.