Citizen Sleeper 2: Starward Vector Review Thread
Game Information
Game Title: Citizen Sleeper 2: Starward Vector
Platforms:
- PlayStation 5 (Jan 31, 2025)
- Nintendo Switch (Jan 31, 2025)
- Xbox Series X/S (Jan 31, 2025)
- PC (Jan 31, 2025)
Trailer:
Developer: Jump Over The Age
Publisher: Fellow Traveller
Review Aggregator:
OpenCritic - 83 average - 100% recommended - 19 reviews
Critic Reviews
But Why Tho? - Eddie De Santiago - 9 / 10
Like the pieces that make up the whole, Citizen Sleeper 2: Starward Vector’s story feels made up of the threads you gather through your campaign.
Checkpoint Gaming - Percy Ranson - 8 / 10
Everything that I loved about Citizen Sleeper is present here in Citizen Sleeper 2: Starward Vector. The music and art are as stunning as they ever were, the quality of the writing is exceptional and there is no shying away from complexity when it comes to the questions posed and the sometimes painful, but often beautiful conclusions drawn from them. While it doesn't engage with its core theme as extensively as I might have liked, I found myself enjoying every moment I spent in the Starward Belt, and I was captivated by everything I saw through the Sleeper's eyes.
Console Creatures - Matt Sowinski - 10 / 10
Citizen Sleeper 2: Starward Vector is the perfect sequel, taking the original in new and exciting directions while staying true to its roots.
Console-Tribe - Simone Cantini - Italian - 85 / 100
Citizen Sleeper 2: Starward Vector by Garet Damian Martin continues the story from the previous game, building on its solid narrative and captivating world. The figure of the Sleeper remains a highlight, and this new journey will enthrall those who enjoyed the first installment. With a unique take on role-playing in a video game format, Citizen Sleeper 2 enhances and expands on the strong foundation of its predecessor, offering a complex and fascinating adventure, though light on pure gameplay. If you love reading and don't mind a bit of strategy, there are few reasons not to explore the true nature of our Sleeper. That is, unless you aren't proficient in English.
Digital Trends - Giovanni Colantonio - 3.5 / 5
Citizen Sleeper 2 isn’t about living in a perfect world free from oppressive systems, nor does it posit that such a thing is possible. Its comfort is in the belief that we can carve out a home in a world that’s built to box us out. That’s accomplished through the people we keep close, the communities we build, and what we do with our bodies. These should be the things that no one can take from us.
Game Lodge - Jean Kei - Portuguese - 10 / 10
Citizen Sleeper is not for everyone, it's a game whose greatest strength is its writing. Its interface is simple and its interactions are not animated; the game only has images and descriptions of scenes. For anyone who needs more stimulation to engage with a game, this can be tedious. That said, if you want a rich narrative experience, complex characters and intimate themes approached in creative and profound ways, Citizen Sleeper 2 is your game.
GameLuster - Nairon Santos de Morais - 8 / 10
Citizen Sleeper 2: Starward Vector builds on the first game with multiple stations to explore and higher ambitions in its storytelling. But in widening its scope, it loses some of the intimate details of the first game.
Gameliner - Claudia Tjia - Dutch - 4 / 5
Citizen Sleeper 2: Starward Vector is a unique RPG focused on choices, risks, and survival in a hostile universe, where dice mechanics and a new stress system add tension and narrative freedom, while strong writing and layered decisions elevate the story—though its lack of action and slow pace may not appeal to everyone, fans of narrative-driven RPGs with distinctive gameplay will find much to enjoy.
Gamer Social Club - Vikki McGowan - 9.5 / 10
Going into to Citizen Sleeper 2: Starward Vector I had high expectations based on my experience with the first game, and I’m so happy to say that it absolutely smashed those expectations out of the park. It builds on the world and mechanics of this first game – changing and expanding enough that it feels like a fresh experience. For fans of TTRPGs, the two similar but distinct gameplay loops will scratch that mechanical itch. And for those that love storytelling, the choices you make as you play through the game will absolutely leave you eager to fire up a second playthrough to explore what happens at the end of another road.
NintendoBoy - João Pedro Vale - Portuguese - 9 / 10
Citizen Sleeper 2: Starward Vector preserves the essence of the original, but expands on it significantly in both narrative and gameplay. New crew and starship mechanics add an extra layer of strategy, while the story continues to brilliantly explore themes of identity, exploration, and resistance in a brutally unequal world.
NookGaming - Wes Playfair - 9 / 10
Citizen Sleeper 2: Starward Vector’s science fiction narrative stands out for its focus on the downtrodden and message of empathy, delivered through some of the best writing you’ll find in the game medium. I highly recommend it to anyone interested in narrative games or thoughtful science fiction.
Like Citizen Sleeper before it, Starward Vector feels like a tremendous coming together in so many senses. The marriage between the original's core concepts and the new mechanics feels natural, while the motley crue you take to the stars with, their stories included, are an exceptional cast of characters whose place in my sleeper's own journey I'll never forget.
Push Square - Stephen Tailby - 8 / 10
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Quest Daily - Shaun Fullard - 9 / 10
“Citizen Sleeper 2 is a magnificent game, made all the more impressive by the fact it was developed by one man studio... If you’re a fan of tabletop RPGs, thrilling Sci-Fi, or games where your choices feel like they matter, then you should definitely give Citizen Sleeper 2: Starward Vector a go.”
Rock, Paper, Shotgun - Unscored
With more dicey systems and crew management than the first Citizen Sleeper, this sequel risks losing some of its storytelling heart, even if it remains a well-crafted sci-fi world.
Shacknews - Lucas White - 9 / 10
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The Punished Backlog - Amanda Tien - 9.5 / 10
Citizen Sleeper 2: Starward Vector iterates on everything its predecessor accomplished, maintaining the same heart while adding new challenges. It will delight anyone who played the first, and also serves as an exciting entry point for anyone new to the interactive novel genre. While the “good” path here is more obvious than the original, I already look forward to playing it again and making different choices this time around. After all—the sky’s the limit.
VDGMS - Darren Andrew - 8.5 / 10
Citizen Sleeper 2: Starward Vector is a fantastic and addicting narrative sci-fi adventure that does one important thing the first game didn’t, which is offer the player more freedom.
The beloved core experience returns with a few new mechanics that added depth to the gameplay, freedom to explore, and a story that over twice as big, but didn’t take any risks or innovate in a way that would have opened the game up to a much broader audience.
XboxEra - Aarsal Masoodi - 8.5 / 10
a worthy successor to one of the best indie games of the last few years. With it’s addictive gameplay loop, compelling and touching story, great art design, and more, I’d say anyone even remotely interested should give the game a look. Especially considering it’s releasing on Xbox Game Pass, and heck, is one of the best games for cloud gaming there is!