Does this sequel roll the dice too many times?
You are a Sleeper, a corporate-owned android hiding out in the Starward Belt at the edge of the Helion System. After a desperate attempt to free yourself from servitude by rewriting the very code that governs your system, you are on the run with a malfunctioning body, a price on your head and no memory of your past. You stole a ship and left the past behind. Keep it running, maintain it, even upgrade it, and maybe it will carry you away from all this. But you can’t run it alone. You’ll need a crew, and while the Belt is full of those looking for work, it’s also full of trouble. Can you hold the ship together through this crisis? Can you build a refuge here, among the stars?
I reviewed the original Citizen Sleeper back in 2022 and had a really good time with it. It was different, the story and setting were engaging, characters were memorable and the choices you made were impactful throughout. I was hopeful of a sequel and luckily we have that now in the form of Starward Vector, but is it a case of being careful of what you wish for?
While it fundamentally handles like the original, it does feel like the choices you make are even more urgent and harder to make. The new characters are fleshed out well, the story is arguably better overall and the dialogue is written very well. The soundtrack is also very atmospheric and pleasing to the ear.
The visuals aren’t a huge leap from the original, but it doesn’t need to it to be. It runs well and I didn’t come across any dips in performance or any glitches during my playthrough.
The Verdict
Citizen Sleeper 2: Starward Vector may be more of the same, but it’s exactly what we’ve been asking for. It’s a shame we’ll likely never get a third entry, but it’s definitely come up with sixes instead of snake eyes.