Citizen Sleeper 2: Starward Vector is an upcoming sequel to what's debatably one of the best indie games out there, so needless to say, there's plenty to be excited about.
The upcoming game will include a fresh-faced sleeper agent, as well as a new location within the Helion system to explore. Citizen Sleeper 2 is said to be built upon the foundations of developer Jump Over The Age’s predecessor, Citizen Sleeper, and according to the studio's founder Gareth Damian Martin, the sequel is shaping up to be "bigger and more varied than the original."
In case you missed the announcement, Citizen Sleeper 2: Starward Vector was first unveiled in June 2023, around a year on from its predecessor's launch. It's still not known when the sequel will release - although Jump Over The Age's founder teased at the start of February 2024 that it has "around a year left of development." Whenever it does grace our screens, it's been confirmed that it'll be a day-one Xbox Game Pass release, just like Citizen Sleeper (which many would argue is one of the best Xbox Game Pass games available to play).
Neither Jump Over The Age or publisher Fellow Traveller have given much away yet when it comes to details about the sequel, but thankfully, we still have some information to pore over while we wait for Citizen Sleeper 2: Starward Vector's launch. Here at TechRadar Gaming, we’ve put together everything we know so far about Citizen Sleeper 2: Starward Vector, allowing you to catch up with all the information that's been published up to this point.
Citizen Sleeper 2 Starward Vector - Cut to the chase
- What is it? The second release of the Citizen Sleeper franchise
- When can I play it? TBA
- What can I play it on? PC, Xbox Series X|S
- Who makes it? Jump Over The Age
Citizen Sleeper 2 Starward Vector trailers
We’ve only seen one trailer for Citizen Sleeper 2: Starward Vector so far, and even though it reveals the game in style, there isn’t a whole lot of in-game content to look at. The narrated trailer introduces us to an ominous group of people and reintroduces the familiar tech-heavy setting of the first game. We also get a first look at the new sleeper agent we will take control of within the game, before the trailer ends. The full animated reveal trailer can be seen below:
Citizen Sleeper 2 Starward Vector story and setting
Citizen Sleeper 2: Starward Vector will have you revisiting the Helion system, but you will explore an entirely new location with a brand new set of characters to meet, and a new Sleeper to inhabit. Although we haven’t seen much about the new location, more is set to be revealed throughout the year as announced on the Fellow Traveller website.
During a showcase at Gamescom 2023, it was revealed that one of the new locations in Citizen Sleeper 2: Starward Vector is Hexport - a way station built on the back of three abandoned solar reflectors. It’s said to be “rich with industry and activity.” Within it, players will find ‘The Bends’, where they’ll be able to encounter “trouble and freelance help in equal measure.” Meanwhile, the Hexport Exchange is filled with merchants and data brokers. Finally, salvage yards and ship fitters can be found within Factory Row.
Even though we are yet to learn the intricacies of our new environment, the story of Citizen Sleeper 2 has been briefly explored already. Within the Helion system, two corporate entities are fighting a covert war, which is affecting everything in close proximity including the Starward Belt. Because of this, waves of refugees, chunks of warring ships, and all sorts of new technology are washing up on the outside of the Belt, and as you traverse the territory you will discover new things to utilize during your journey.
Everything you collect will go toward running and maintaining your stolen ship, and occasionally you may stumble across eager crewmates ready to take some of the pressure off you having to do the entire thing on your own.
But, the journey won't be easy, as the backstory of the new Sleeper means you’ll have to be on your toes at all times. Our journey begins after your desperate attempt to free yourself from the system by re-writing the code that governs your system, and you are now on the run with a malfunctioning body and a price on your head. But, you also have no recollection of any memories before now.
Whether or not recollecting your memories will play into the story more than it currently seems is unknown, but as more information arrives regarding the release of the game we expect more of the story and potentially some in-game content to come out and potentially touch on how your lost past will impact your current journey while you’re on the run.
Citizen Sleeper 2 Starward Vector gameplay
Even though we haven’t seen any in-game action from Citizen Sleeper 2: Starward Vector yet, there are a few elements we can pick apart from the official website, alongside a few mechanics we know from the original game which we expect to carry across.
For example, ship and crew management and a huge amount of in-game content will maintain the familiar TTRPG dice-roll mechanic at the start of each cycle, determining the success rate of a day through which numbers you roll. This same system is what the success rate of contracts and missions you take on, so even though it's entirely luck dependent, you will rely on it for the vast majority of your experience.
In addition, due to the tense story of being a vigilante on the run, we expect some sort of high-stakes combat or chase elements to feed into the game, but how exactly these would be executed is among the information we don’t know. That said, Citizen Sleeper 2 has said to present all new systems and mechanics that offer more depth, complexity, and challenge to the series, but how this applies is yet to be revealed.
We’ve still got a lot to learn about how Citizen Sleeper 2 plans to carve its own path within the series, but similarly to the story, we expect more information to become available to us the closer we get to a release window or at least an announcement.
Citizen Sleeper 2 Starward Vector news
Citizen Sleeper 2: Starward Vector has "around a year left of development"
In an update post published on February 1, 2024 by Citizen Sleeper creator Gareth Damian Martin, it was stated that - at that point - there was "around a year left of development." They also added that "by the end of this year you will be very familiar with what the sequel plans to offer," and that "the sequel is looking bigger and more varied than the original."
Citizen Sleeper 2: Starward Vector will arrive on Xbox Game Pass on day one
Although we still don't know when Citizen Sleeper 2: Starward Vector will be released, it was confirmed at Gamescom 2023 that it will launch on Xbox Game Pass - for console, PC and the cloud - on day one.
Citizen Sleeper 2: Starward Vector reveal trailer released
Just over a year since the release of the first Citizen Sleeper, Citizen Sleeper 2: Starward Vector was announced, offering an entirely new Sleeper agent and a whole new environment to explore. This introduced us to the new protagonist and the general setting of the game as a taste of what is to come, whenever that may be.
Citizen Sleeper 2 could become one of the best RPGs, especially given how esteemed the original title was. But, if you’re looking for alternative games to play while you wait for any information regarding a release date, it’s worth checking out the best single-player games, or the best co-op games if you’re looking for something a little less solitary.
