When the first Frostpunk launched in 2018, its lore was fairly simple, primarily functioning as a backdrop for the game's choice-based narrative. All players needed to know was that a big apocalyptic snowstorm had caused the collapse of society around the world, and they're now tasked with protecting the last bastion of humanity. Frostpunk's DLCs added some much-needed background to the game's world, but the series' future was still an open book, one that Frostpunk 2 has started to fill in.
Unlike some other long-awaited sequels, Frostpunk 2 has a very clear spot in the series' timeline, with its opening cinematic revealing some direct ties with the first game. While Frostpunk 2 can be enjoyed by newcomers, its story is best experienced when players know the full context of the wider series timeline, and know exactly where Frostpunk 2 fits into it.
Where Frostpunk 2 Fits on The Series Timeline
The Great Frost Creates Frostpunk's Post-Apocalyptic Setting
A few years before the events of the first Frostpunk, countries across the world start to experience strange weather phenomena, such as severe snowstorms and endless rainfall. These phenomena are accompanied by a gradual drop in temperature on every continent. Before researchers can understand the true cause of the phenomena, a hailstorm on an unprecedented scale sweeps the entire planet.
The world is plunged into chaos as communication technology is destroyed and as refugees try to travel to warmer climates en masse. Temperatures continue to drop, snow continues to fall, and a thick layer of ice starts to form on the ground. Within a year or two, a new ice age has taken hold of the world, an event referred to as the Great Frost.
The Events of Frostpunk Take Place in 1886-1887
The first Frostpunk opens in the year 1886, with players taking control of a group of British survivors who have stumbled across the Frostlands and found an abandoned Heat Generator Tower. This group begins building a small village around the heat-producing generator, using the surrounding frozen timber, coal, and wildlife to create a society. Eventually, this small settlement turns into a fully-fledged city, equipped to protect thousands from the never-ending storms. This city is called New London.
Frostpunk 2 Takes Place 30 Years Later
Frostpunk 2 begins around 30 years after the events of the first game's main campaign, when the Great Storm terrorized the people of New London. The game opens with New London's old captain (the first game's player-character) having just died, presumably of old age. The player takes on the role of New London's new leader, and it's their task to once again lead and protect the people against the ongoing, ever-changing ice age. But the player isn't just protecting people from the cold, they're protecting them from each other.
While the player brought peace to New London in the first Frostpunk through faith or order, those ideals soon begin to crumble under new management, and the shaky foundations of society quickly start to crack. New factions begin to form, and Frostpunk 2 tasks the player with choosing the course of action that will best serve the people of New London, though such decisions don't come lightly.
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OpenCritic Reviews
- Top Critic Avg: 85 /100 Critics Rec: 95%
- Released
- September 20, 2024
- ESRB
- M For Mature 17+ Due To Blood, Drug Reference, Sexual Themes, Strong Language, Violence
- Developer(s)
- 11 Bit Studios
- Publisher(s)
- 11 Bit Studios
- Engine
- Unreal Engine 5
- Franchise
- Frostpunk
- PC Release Date
- September 20, 2024
WHERE TO PLAY
- Platform(s)
- PC, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S
- Genre(s)
- Strategy, Survival, City Builder
- OpenCritic Rating
- Mighty
