Frostpunk 2 is a depressing epic in the best kind of way

The first Frostpunk is not just one of my favorite city builders, it's one of my favorite games, full stop.

It's the kind of dystopian nightmare that is overwhelming in its bleak depiction of an increasingly likely future, yet I continue to return to it almost yearly. There's something calming in building a future out of nothingness, especially as you face devastation at every turn and come out on top.

By comparison, Frostpunk 2 is not that game. It's a sequel in both the best and worst kind of way, often simultaneously. Meaning, that it's grander in scope and deeper in mechanics, but in doing so it's also less personal and intimate than before. It's still a great game, but I'm not convinced it's better than its predecessor.

One thing that has improved considerably is the campaign mode. The story is more coherent, better written, and deeply devastating. It teaches you the mechanics at a solid clip, all the while immersing you in this dead world.

Set ten years after the first game, Frostpunk 2 begins with yet another calamity. Coal is running out, and with it, heat. Those who've survived the cold this far have to venture out into the wasteland to discover new means of survival, and fast.

There's a sense of desperate inevitability that permeates the gameplay. Others have done what you have, and few survive. You're simply buying time so that maybe, one day, there will be enough of it for someone to live a full life.

It's as close to a Cormac McCarthy video game as one could imagine.

Elsewhere, in the sandbox mode, Frostpunk 2 reveals the depth of its newfound mechanics even further. Where once were singular scouting missions into an unreliable wilderness, now there is a chance at expansion. Scouts can form outposts, and those can grow into cities. Each one with their own destinies and tribulations.

It adds an entirely new layer of strategy and urgency. As the Steward, you have to make the difficult choices on who lives, who dies, and who gets priority in a world where rations can end in the blink of an eye.

But therein lies the problem. Because you now have to watch over an entire growing empire, you can easily lose sight of the human scale of things. Different factions vie for your attention at every turn, yet they remain distant. A faceless mob with demands, but no personality.

Similarly, smaller aspects have changed, and not always for the better. In Frostpunk 1, you built the city around the generator. Your city spanned hundreds of souls, each connected by arterial streets lit by tiny lamps and held together by the spirit of the people.

In Frostpunk 2, you no longer build streets or even singular buildings to the same extent. Instead, you thaw snow, lay out districts, and watch as thousands flock to your city. The results are visually stunning, yet like the factions, distant and ephemeral. As if you were god, instead of a human tasked with the impossible.

It's my one great gripe about the sequel, though I understand why Frostpunk has changed the way it has. In wanting to explore its themes of tribalism, nature vs. nurture, and the dark vision of an all-too-likely future, Frostpunk couldn't stay the same. Like the city, it must grow.

As a game, it struggles with too much of a good thing. The factions demand constant attention, which leads to fiddly interactions and frustrating back and forth. Just as you lay down one law, another group demands it be struck from the record. There's also no middle ground to some things. You can either go full-out fascist or allow for no law whatsoever. Usually, it's just easier to become a dictator and rule with an iron fist, because at least that way you can build in peace.

In those rare moments of silence, Frostpunk 2 reminds me why I fell so hard for its predecessor. This is the most atmospheric, melancholy experience you can find in gaming. The soundtrack and sound design are hauntingly beautiful. The writing is heart-wrenching. It understands the rich world it has created and knows how to present its myriad of Trolley Problems with elegance.

But I don't enjoy playing it as much as I do Frostpunk. That's just a personal preference. I like the smaller scale, and I like to have a say in where I put my buildings. It doesn't necessarily mean either part is truly better or worse than the other, but it is something to consider when you approach the sequel.

You will get a bigger, bolder, and more visionary take on the building simulator. One that is unlike anything else out there. But it will be less personal and intimate in return. How much that bothers you is up to everyone to decide for themselves.

Frostpunk 2 is out now on PC.