We're halfway into September 2025, and as such, Microsoft has recently announced( via Xbox Wire) the next batch for this month's line-up of Xbox games coming soon to Xbox Game Pass. Twelve have been revealed for this batch, and some of them are worth keeping a major eye out for as they're regarded as some of the most critically acclaimed of modern gaming.

These include, but are not limited to: Supergiant Games' award-winning roguelite Hades, Square Enix's newest entry in its Mana series, Visions of Mana, and Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3, the latest installment of Call of Duty's best-selling Modern Warfare sub-series.

Here is the full list of Xbox games coming and leaving Xbox Game Pass for the second half of September 2025. Don't forget to check out the first half of Xbox Game Pass' new titles for September 2025 if you missed them already.

Games coming to Xbox Game Pass

September 16, 2025

• RoadCraft (Xbox Series X|S and Cloud) – Game Pass Ultimate, Game Pass Standard

September 17, 2025

• Call of Duty: Modern Warfare III (Console) – Game Pass Ultimate
• For the King II (Console) – Game Pass Standard
• Overthrown (Game Preview) (Xbox Series X|S) – Game Pass Standard
• Deep Rock Galactic: Survivor (Xbox Series X|S, PC, and Cloud) – Game Pass Ultimate, PC Game Pass

September 18, 2025

• Frostpunk 2 (Xbox Series X|S and Cloud) – Game Pass Ultimate
• Wobbly Life (Xbox Series X|S, PC, and Cloud) – Game Pass Ultimate, PC Game Pass, Game Pass Standard

September 19, 2025

• Hades (Console, PC, and Cloud) – Game Pass Ultimate, PC Game Pass, Game Pass Standard

September 22, 2025

• Endless Legend 2 (Game Preview) (PC) – Game Pass Ultimate, PC Game Pass

September 23, 2025

• Sworn (Xbox Series X|S, PC, and Cloud) – Game Pass Ultimate, PC Game Pass

September 25, 2025

• Peppa Pig: World Adventures (Xbox Series X|S, PC, and Cloud) – Game Pass Ultimate, PC Game Pass, Game Pass Standard
• Visions of Mana (Xbox Series X|S, PC, and Cloud) – Game Pass Ultimate, PC Game Pass, Game Pass Standard

September 30, 2025

• Lara Croft and the Guardian of Light (Console, PC, and Cloud) – Game Pass Ultimate, PC Game Pass, Game Pass Standard

October 7, 2025

• Sopa – Tale of the Stolen Potato (Console, PC, and Cloud) – Game Pass Ultimate, PC Game Pass

New games coming to Xbox Game Pass Core in October

On the first day of October, three games will be added to Xbox's Game Pass Core tier program. These titles are:

• Cities: Skylines – Remastered
• Disney Dreamlight Valley
• Warhammer 40,000: Darktide

Games leaving Xbox Game Pass

Here is list of titles leaving Xbox Game Pass on September 30, 2025. So be sure to get your playtime on these games before they're gone from the library.

• Ninja Gaiden Sigma (Console, PC, and Cloud)
• Ninja Gaiden Sigma 2 (Console, PC, and Cloud)
• Ninja Gaiden 3 Razor’s Edge (Console, PC, and Cloud)
• Terra Invicta (Game Preview) (PC)

Time to play Hades on Xbox Game Pass an appetizer for Hades 2

This next batch of Xbox Game Pass titles is a solid line-up to close out September.

We have Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3, a title we gave a glowing 4-Star review to for its well-executed single-player campaign, satisfying gunplay, wide variety of old and new multiplayer maps, and entertaining Modern Warfare Zombies mode.

Then there's Visions of Mana, a charming action-RPG that has helped Square Enix's colorful Mana franchise gain mainstream popularity for its action-packed gameplay and fantastical world.

Finally, we have Hades, one of the most critically acclaimed action-RPG roguelites in recent memory. This game won accolades for its unique take on Greek mythology, addictive combat system, endless replay value thanks to its roguelite elements, and its brutally challenging boss fights.

With its sequel, Hades 2, leaving early access soon as it approaches its September 25, 2025, release date, Hades 1 coming to Xbox Game Pass a few days prior makes it the perfect time for longtime fans to start another playthrough or new fans to experience it for the first time.

I'm of the latter, as I never played the original Hades when it first came out in 2020 due to my life being completely taken over by Monster Hunter World at the time.

Now that it's coming to Xbox Game Pass, PC Game Pass, and Xbox Cloud Gaming, it's time for me to see what I missed out on when Hades joins Microsoft's vaunted subscription service on September 19, 2025.

11 bit studios' survival city-builder Frostpunk 2 is coming to consoles and has a release date of Sept. 18, 2025, the developer announced on Friday.

While plans for a console version of the game were announced back before the launch of the PC version's arrival, it's been unclear until now when players could expect to survive the frost if they didn't have a gaming PC.

You can check out the console release date trailer below:

In addition to obviously being available digitally on both platforms, Xbox Series X and PlayStation 5 owners who prefer collecting physical media are in luck. 11 bit studios is collaborating again with Skybound Games, with two different options for players who want a physical version.

The Icebreaker Edition includes a diorama, as well as a digital code for an art book and a novella.

Meanwhile, the Whiteout Edition packs in everything from the Icebreaker Edition alongside a digital upgrade that includes the three planned DLC expansions, a keychain, art cards, stickers, and a patch.

Both physical editions include the complete game on disc, meaning it's not just a coaster that you need in order to download the rest of the files.

If you're an Xbox player and you're not a physical collector, it's also worth a reminder that Frostpunk 2 is still coming day one to Xbox Game Pass Ultimate.

More Frostpunk to come

When I reviewed Frostpunk 2 for PC, I wrote that "With grander scope and scale than its predecessor, Frostpunk 2 asks players to not only survive, but thrive. You're not trying to make it just one more night; you're actively building for the future, either with the cooperation of or in opposition to the communities that you're protecting. It's a huge leap, and one that 11 bit studios (mostly) handles with aplomb."

The original Frostpunk works surprisingly well on console, with intuitive controls that do a good job streamlining the interface. I'm looking forward to seeing what 11 bit studios has done with its sequel, and I'll probably be hopping into it to check the Xbox version out when it launches.

Per the roadmap the studio published last year, there will be two DLC packs following the console release in 2025, with a third expansion planned for sometime in 2026.

Outside of those DLCs, 11 bit studios is also revisiting the original game, with a remake of Frostpunk being planned for 2027.

Titled Frostpunk 1886, this remake is set to introduce new technology, new buildings, and a new Purpose path outside of Order and Faith. It's being built using Unreal Engine 5, with the studio saying a first look at gameplay is coming later in the year. This remake is also set to have full mod support.

I love Frostpunk, so I'm excited to see how the team goes about juggling these projects. If you're planning on playing Frostpunk 2 on console, let me know if you intend to get a physical version or will play digitally.

Frostpunk developer and publisher 11 bit studios announced Frostpunk 1886 on Thursday, revealing that the studio is revisiting its original survival city-builder.

This comes just days after 11 bit studios had previously confirmed that a new Frostpunk game was in development, though there weren't many details at the time.

Frostpunk 1886 is described as being a reimagining of the original Frostpunk, taking players back and expanding the experience of managing the last city on Earth under a new ice age. You can check out the teaser trailer for Frostpunk 1886 below:

Frostpunk 1886 will be built in Unreal Engine 5, much like 2024's Frostpunk 2. This isn't just a remake, as 11 bit studios says there will be new features, such as an additional buildings, technology, and even a new Purpose path as an alternative to the infamous Order and Faith paths.

The developers are also promising full mod support for the game, letting players expand New London in ways they'd prefer.

11 bit studios is committing to launching Frostpunk 1886 by some point in 2027. Despite the game being a couple of years out, we surprisingly won't be waiting long to learn more, with the development team saying a "first look at gameplay" is coming at some point in the second half of 2025.

You can add Frostpunk 1886 to your Steam wishlist right now.

Back into the ice

I'll freely admit this is not at all what I expected when 11 bit studios confirmed another Frostpunk game was on the way. Still, I'm down for this. I love the original Frostpunk, I've played it through innumerable times, but there is a hard limit in the amount of variety you can really experience.

Expanding that game with new ideas sounds fun, and I'm looking forward to seeing more.

Of course, if you haven't played it yet, you need to check out Frostpunk 2. I adored how ambitious the sequel was, and wrote in my Frostpunk 2 review that "With grander scope and scale than its predecessor, Frostpunk 2 asks players to not only survive, but thrive. You're not trying to make it just one more night, you're actively building for the future, either with the cooperation of or in opposition to the communities that you're protecting. It's a huge leap, and one that 11 bit studios (mostly) handles with aplomb."

Frostpunk 2 is currently available on Windows PC (via Steam and PC Game Pass) and is slated to launch on Xbox Series X|S and PlayStation 5 later in 2025. At launch, it'll be available in Xbox Game Pass Ultimate.

One of the standout new games from 2024 was Frostpunk 2, 11 bit studios' long-awaited sequel to its beloved 2018 post-apocalyptic city builder. Six long years after the original's release, the second entry finally launched on Windows PC in September last year to critical acclaim — and now, it's been confirmed that a follow-up title is on the way. And it's coming sooner than you might expect.

That news came in a new press release on 11 bits' website in which the studio — with commentary from its President of the Management Board of the Company Przemysław Marszał — discussed recent successes and failures of its business, while also announcing two new upcoming games. One of those is another entry in the Frostpunk series that's slated for 2027, while the other is a "larger-scale title" planned for 2029.

"As a developer and publisher, we intend to diversify both the scale of our projects and their development timelines. This also means capitalizing on near-term, financially attractive opportunities," Marszał said. "This underlies our decision to initiate production on the next project set in the Frostpunk universe, which we plan to launch as early as 2027. In parallel, we have commenced development on a larger-scale title, targeted for release in 2029."

Additionally, Marszał also noted that there's still more to come for Frostpunk 2 itself, with 11 bit only having "barely begun" to monetize the game. New DLC releases that feature brand new gameplay systems are on the way, and the developer is also planning to launch the Xbox Series X|S and PlayStation 5 versions of the survival city builder later in 2025.

"We have barely begun monetizing this title. We hope that upcoming DLCs, including new gameplay features, will improve the ratings Frostpunk 2 has received from players," commented Marszał.

On the whole, 11 bit studios finished 2024 with a small profit margin. The company "hoped for significantly more," but ultimately had to contend with lower-than-expected earnings from games like The Thamaturge and Creatures of Ava and the difficult decision to cut an upcoming game codenamed "Project 8."

With the studio's 2025 action-adventure sci-fi game The Alters coming in June, Digital Sun's highly anticipated RPG sequel Moonlighter 2 expected in summer, and The Outer Zone's ambitious card game Death Howl — described as a "Soulslike Deckbuilder" — scheduled to release at some point later this year, though, 11 bit is confident that its budget will grow throughout 2025.

A Frostpunk 2 follow-up earlier than I expected

• DEAL: Xbox Game Pass Ultimate 3-month memberships are just $26.59 at CDKeys, giving you access to Microsoft's service for a steep discount

Considering it took six years for 11 bit studios to develop and release a sequel to the original Frostpunk, I was not expecting the company to plan launching another game in the series just three years after that. With that said, doing so makes sense when you view the decision through the context of 11 bit's current situation; Frostpunk is one of the developer's most popular properties, so another entry undoubtedly represents one of those "near-term, financially attractive opportunities."

Notably, Frostpunk 2 reviewed quite well last year, with the game's overall Metacritic score resting at a "Generally Favorable" 85/100 at the time of writing. In his review for Windows Central, my colleague Samuel Tolbert awarded it four and a half out of five stars, writing that it "pushes the boundaries on what a city-building game and a survival experience can be, telling stories of human hope and despair in tandem. With beautiful visuals and a radically increased gameplay scope over its predecessor, only a handful of issues mar the ice."

At MSRP, Frostpunk 2 is available for $44.99, though there are a few different ways you can play it for far less. For one thing, it's available through PC Game Pass and Xbox Game Pass Ultimate, so definitely keep that in mind. Alternatively, you can pick up a permanent copy for just $22.49 at CDKeys, which is a huge 50% off discount.

What you need to know

• 11 bit studios has revealed an update roadmap for survival simulator Frostpunk 2.
• The game will receive a free major content update and new paid DLCs throughout 2025 alongside hotfixes and general improvements to ensure the game's stability.
• Frostpunk 2 will launch on Xbox, and the Xbox Game Pass subscription service, in 2025.
• Patch 1.2 goes live today for players on PC and PC Game Pass.

Frostpunk 2 has a hot new content roadmap for the year ahead, including the much-anticipated release on consoles and a day-one drop into Xbox Game Pass for subscribers.

11 bit studios released the anticipated follow-up to its survival simulator on PC and PC Game Pass in September, but the game followed in its predecessors' footsteps with a delayed launch on consoles. The developers stopped short of giving the console port a solid launch date beyond a 2025 release window, even in the latest roadmap.

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According to the roadmap, players of Frostpunk 2 on PC and PC Game Pass can look forward to Patch 1.2, which goes live today. The first free major content update is expected to follow shortly after in early 2025. The roadmap then splits off to another path with a circle and arrows labeled "April 24." The console launch follows the April 24th mystery event, so we probably shouldn't expect to play Frostpunk 2 on Xbox before late spring or early summer of 2025.

Following the console launch, 11 bit studios has planned the Spectrum DLC and the Aurora DLC to finish out 2025. An unnamed DLC 3 is planned for 2026. Of course, with no specific dates carved in stone beyond the April 24 mystery announcement, it's hard to know what could really be beneath the ice and snow.

Frostpunk 2 is a city-building simulator set in the tundra of a world plunged into a frosty new ice age. Surrounded by cold and attempting to survive, the city's population grows heated by the day. Unlike the first Frostpunk game, which focused heavily on the sheer survival aspect of building a city in the icy wastes, Frostpunk 2 pushes a new element of gameplay that tests the societal effects of surviving in such harsh conditions.

Reviews for Frostpunk 2 have been generally positive, with the PC version of the game sitting at an 85 on Metacritic and "Mostly Positive" on Steam. To celebrate the launch of Patch 1.2, Frostpunk 2 will receive a 20% discount on Steam for a limited time.

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11 bit studios' critically acclaimed Frostpunk quickly stood out as one of the best survival games when it launched back in 2018, with reviewers and players alike gripped by its post-apocalyptic ice age-wracked world, challenging and tightly balanced city-builder gameplay, and impactful, nuanced writing. When a sequel was announced in 2021, the excitement from players worldwide was high — and it's only grown since then, with Frostpunk 2 currently standing as the fourth most-wishlisted game on the PC gaming platform Steam. Now, just a few days ahead of its scheduled September 20 launch on Xbox Series X|S, PS5, and Windows PC, the title's review embargo has lifted and ratings from critics have been published.

According to the widely used review aggregation site Metacritic, Frostpunk 2 has achieved an average "Generally Favorable" score of 86/100 based on 41 reviews conducted on Windows PC systems. Nearly every scored review awards the post-apocalyptic city-builder a very positive 80/100 or higher, though there's one that marked it with a 75/100 and another unscored analysis that's far more critical of the game. Here are a range of noteworthy scores and quotes:

• Try Hard Guides (100/100): "Frostpunk 2 does exactly what a sequel should do. It excels in all the ways the original game did while increasing the scale and adding even more. It is an excellent expansion on everything we loved about Frostpunk and delivers a new, utterly unique experience and story, and one that fans of the original, as well as newcomers to the franchise, are sure to love."
• TheGamer (90/100): "Frostpunk 2 has shaped up to be a hefty sequel that built intelligently on the bones of its already excellent predecessor, capturing all the most compelling parts of the first game while exploring human nature and morality with deftness. I’ve already played it multiple times, but I expect I’ll be playing it many more in the months to come."
• PC Gamer (85/100): "As a city builder, Frostpunk 2 is a bit of a step down from the original due to the increase in scale, which unfortunately keeps the city at arm's length. As a society sim, however, it's every bit as engrossing as the first Frostpunk. Like a tiny snowball rolling down the side of a mountain and eventually becoming an avalanche, even the smallest choices can have major consequences."
• IGN (80/100): "Thanks to a ground-up rethinking of its ice-age city builder mechanics, Frostpunk 2's larger scale is less intimate but more socially and politically complex than the original."
• GRYOnline.pl (75/100): "Frostpunk 2 is different from its predecessor. It too experiments with gameplay and tries to create a thrilling system of making difficult decisions, but the bigger scale of governing an entire region looks a bit unfinished. Great potential to create a giant world was squandered, and the thing that generates the most fun is the political system, not building your city."
• Rock, Paper, Shotgun (N/A): "I want to love Frostpunk 2, and I think that's precisely why so much of this review is negative. It deserves recognition for the courage to push into something new rather than play it safe. It's far more compelling, interesting, and super atmospheric than its peers, but that ambition has cost it a singular intensity and focus that leaves its fresh narrative and design too contradictory to carry it to the same heights."

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If there's one thing that's clear from the fact that every single scored review is a favorable one, it's that Frostpunk 2 is a good game — and many believe it to be a great one, with lots of critics enjoying the sequel's wider scope, deeper emphasis on making difficult compromises, and its emotional storytelling. With that said, some feel that its grander scale has taken away from the more granular elements of the original game's city-building mechanics, and a few reviewers have mixed feelings about the focus on politicking with various factions and movements. Overall, though, the general consensus is that the Frostpunk magic is here, and that this follow-up lives up to everyone's lofty expectations.

In our own Frostpunk 2 review, my colleague Samuel Tolbert gave 11 bit studios' sequel a score of 4.5/5 stars (90/100), writing that it "pushes the boundaries on what a city-building game and a survival experience can be, telling stories of human hope and despair in tandem" and that "with beautiful visuals and a radically increased gameplay scope over its predecessor, only a handful of issues mar the ice." His only major criticisms were that some progression paths are underwhelming and not very viable at launch, and also that there's an unfortunate lack of accessibility options.

Something important to note is that all pre-release Frostpunk 2 reviews were done on Windows PC, so you may want to wait for post-launch Xbox and PS5 reviews to come out before you buy the game if you're playing on one of these systems. The game's performance on PC does appear to be quite good across the board, but there's ultimately no way to know if the same can be said for the console version until it comes out and is tested.

Frostpunk 2's MSRP comes in at $44.99, with the pricier Deluxe Edition that includes access to upcoming post-release DLC expansions, three days of Early Access gameplay, an exclusive in-game item, a digital artbook and soundtrack, and a digital copy of the upcoming "Warm Flesh" Frostpunk anthology novella costing $74.99. If you preorder it, though, there's a cool 10% discount that knocks the price down to $67.49 — but there are even better deals on CDKeys, which is currently offering preorders of the Standard Edition for just $34.19 and copies of the Deluxe Edition for only $52.59. It's also worth highlighting that from now until September 23, the original Frostpunk is just $2.99 (and its DLC Season Pass is $8.57)

• Frostpunk 2 Standard Edition (PC): $34.19 at CDKeys
• Frostpunk 2 Deluxe Edition (PC): $52.59 at CDKeys
• Frostpunk 2 Standard Edition (Xbox): $44.99 at Xbox
• Frostpunk 2 Deluxe Edition (Xbox): $74.99 at Xbox
• Xbox Game Pass Ultimate 3-month cards: $31.59 at CDKeys

Those markdowns are unfortunately exclusive to the PC version of the game, though Xbox players do have the option of playing Frostpunk 2 day one on Microsoft's buffet-style Xbox Game Pass subscription service. With PC Game Pass or Xbox Game Pass Ultimate, PC players can play the game this way as well through the Microsoft Store.

Frostpunk 2 is just days away from its highly anticipated release, and based on how glowing the vast majority of reviews for it are, it's likely that it will stand tall as one of the best Xbox games and best PC games of 2024. The price for the game starts at $44.99, though you can play it for far less with the aforementioned CDKeys deals or Xbox Game Pass.

The coal mines are running dry. The last outpost shipment arrived a week ago, and it's already been exhausted. The new housing districts are crowded. Hundreds are dying, crying out for the Steward to act. If we can just hold out until the oil extractors are finished, we'll be fine, but the Stalwarts faction leaders are braying for blood.

That's how things go in Frostpunk 2, an ambitious sequel that takes the concept of surviving a new ice age to the next level. It's a thrilling and harrowing experience in equal measures, one that tests what it means to be a leader and pushes what a city-building game can be well beyond the scope of the original Frostpunk, a game that I loved when it first launched back in 2019. 

Resource shortages and constant cold remain, but zealous factions take the stage in 11 bit studios' latest experience. A few balance issues and an unfortunate lack of accessibility-focused options aside, it's well worth taking this plunge into the ice.

This review was made possible thanks to a review code provided by 11 bit studios. The company did not see the contents of this review before publishing.

What is Frostpunk 2?

Frostpunk 2 is a city-building survival game developed and published by 11 bit studios, the team that previously worked on games like This War of Mine and the original Frostpunk.

Like its predecessor, Frostpunk 2 tasks players with overseeing a city in the middle of another ice age, balancing resources, exploring the wastes, constructing buildings, and passing new laws in order to manage frozen post-apocalyptic life. If you don't have enough food, people starve. If you don't have enough fuel, they'll go cold. Starve and freeze for too long, and people will die...if they don't oust you first.

Where Frostpunk 2 differs wildly from the first game is in its sheer scale. While Frostpunk tasked players with helping a few dozen to a few hundred people survive the ice over the course of days and weeks, Frostpunk 2 has you see several thousand survivors through months and years. 

With this huge increase in scale comes a bevy of new options, most of which are focused on diplomacy, as players will have to carefully negotiate with multiple factions in the city, each of which has different goals about how best to endure the ice.

Frostpunk 2 review: Story and characters

Frostpunk 2 is a true sequel, following years after the events of the original game. With the captain who founded New London passing away, the city selects a Steward (you) to guide it and set the course for the future. That won't be easy, as New London's population has grown exponentially. Instead of a few hundred ragged survivors, thousands now call the city home, many of whom were born after fleeing the collapse of the modern world. 

These people are forming new communities, factions, and traditions to pass on. Some might carry the legacy of Order or Faith that helped define New London in times of crisis, but others like the Pilgrims are looking to welcome new ways of life. The choices you make across the game's chapters end up embracing or alienating these groups, and I often found that something I did an hour or three earlier made a particular path easier or harder. 

The increased scope of the game initially led me to worry that it would result in being detached from the communities I managed, but as always, 11 bit studios' writing hits hard, with snippets of the citizenry's lives highlighted from time to time. It's one thing to see that hundreds froze to death because of a mistake you made, but it's quite another to see how the event radicalized people who trusted you. 

Frostpunk 2 doesn't tell you what to do or what's morally correct, but it does ask that you understand the cost of whatever you're trying to accomplish. 

Frostpunk 2 review: Gameplay and features

Many of the gameplay systems in Frostpunk 2 will be familiar to veterans of the first game, with players stockpiling various resources in order to keep the community sated. There are some new elements, such as Frostbreaking to open up new paths or building entire districts at a time, but it's easy to wrap your head around. 

By far the biggest difference here is in passing laws to get things done. Where Frostpunk cast you as a lone figurehead, Frostpunk 2 has you take on the role of a mediator. You can wish to pass a law enshrining children's education over workplace apprenticeships, but if you don't have the votes, it won't be possible. 

The primary method of getting votes for deals will be through bargaining. Maybe the Stalwarts aren't a fan of your plan for a Biowaste Hothouse, but you promise that you'll research a piece of technology that's of interest, so they go along with it in the moment. Carefully fulfilling these deals across the different factions builds up your Trust. Fail to fulfill your end of the bargain, and they'll push you out. 

Over time, these factions become more and more radicalized. A group that views you favorably after a year might hold rallies in your support down the line. At the other end of the spectrum, a group you consistently irritate over and over may start holding protests, shutting down districts and damaging buildings in riots until you negotiate.

It's an engaging set of dynamics, but it does end up feeling a little imbalanced in a few ways. Right now, a handful of specific technologies and routes are simply far more useful than their counterparts, meaning you can end up feeling at a distinct disadvantage simply because of something you didn't know. It goes against the grain of the rest of the games' themes, so I hope 11 bit studios gives the more egregious examples a balance pass before long.

Frostpunk 2 review: Visuals and audio

Frostpunk 2 looks great, with 11 bit studios harnessing Unreal Engine 5 to deliver some truly gorgeous ice and snow. Construction is a huge part of any city-building game, and it's a downright joy to watch districts come alive in Frostpunk 2, with parts carved into the snow and foundations set as buildings are put in place. While the days pass in mere seconds, you can zoom in on any particular district to get a "realistic" look at what's happening, with crowds of people and the occasional automaton working, celebrating, or rioting. 

Running on my RTX 3070 and an NVME SSD, I never had any performance problems, with Frostpunk 2 maintaining a solid 60 FPS all the way from the beginning of my playthrough to the closing credits. The game takes a moment to compile shaders each time you boot it up, which never took long. Even if it slows down getting into the experience by a few seconds, it's preferable to the infamous stutter struggle that many other games suffer from.

Composer Piotr Musiał (who previously collaborated with 11 bit studios on This War of Mine and Frostpunk) again lends his talents in crafting the score for Frostpunk 2. The tunes here are less sorrowful and more angry, speaking to a populace no longer concerned with pure survival, but instead lashing out at perceived slights. When everything is collapsing and all your plans fail, these tracks are a huge part of the reason it feels so panicked.

I did note that the load times got longer the further I played through the story mode. Initially, it only took a couple of seconds to hop back into my playthrough, but by the end, it took around half a minute. This is hardly the worst load times ever, but it feels worthy to note, especially considering the (theoretically) unending Utopia Builder mode could stretch on for far longer than the 8 hours or so of playing through the story. 

Frostpunk 2 review: Accessibility and approachability

Frostpunk 2 features some difficulty options, letting players individually customize their playthrough from the outset. Maybe you want finding food and fuel to be a challenge, but you'd prefer exploring the wasteland and setting up colonies to be easy? Maybe you'd prefer the opposite. Either way, you can have the experience you want, though be warned that difficulty can't be changed once you've started playing.

Frostpunk 2 does not include many explicit accessibility options, so I really hope to see more added in future updates. There is a dark mode UI that's a bit easier on your eyes if you're playing in a dark room — especially considering how bright most of the game is — but this mode is unfinished as of launch, meaning you can run into visual glitches if you use it.

Should you play Frostpunk 2?

With grander scope and scale than its predecessor, Frostpunk 2 asks players to not only survive, but thrive. You're not trying to make it just one more night, you're actively building for the future, either with the cooperation of or in opposition to the communities that you're protecting. It's a huge leap, and one that 11 bit studios (mostly) handles with aplomb.

There are some things to tweak, with technologies and routes that should be balanced in order to make different paths more appealing. I'm also hoping that the team can refine the dark mode UI and expand the accessibility options in future updates. 

Overall, though, Frostpunk 2 is a harrowingly wonderful time, and I'm eagerly looking forward to seeing what kinds of new scenarios the developers add in the promised DLC packs. 

Frostpunk 2 launches across Windows PC on Sep. 20, 2024, and will launch on Xbox Series X|S and PlayStation 5 at a later date. It's also included in Xbox Game Pass. Deluxe Edition owners can begin playing early on September 17.

What you need to know

• Frostpunk 2 developer and publisher 11 bit studios is teaming up with Skybound Games to produce a PC Special Edition of the game. 
• The Frostpunk 2 PC Special Edition includes the digital Deluxe Edition of the game, some stickers, a metal keychain and one of two randomly selected patches, all in a special LED-enabled box. 
• The Frostpunk 2 PC Special Edition is individually numbered, and preorders are available exclusively through the Skybound Online Store.
• Frostpunk 2 is scheduled to launch on Sep. 20, 2024 on Windows PC via Steam, the Microsoft Store, GOG, and the Epic Games Store, as well as being available day one in Xbox Game Pass.

There's a special box set on the way for this year's frozen survival city-builder. 

Frostpunk 2 developer and publisher 11 bit studios is teaming up with Skybound Games to produce a PC Special Edition for the game. Each copy of the Frostpunk 2 PC Special Edition is uniquely numbered, and comes with:

• Frostpunk 2 Deluxe Edition (72-hour early access three post-launch DLCs, an exclusive in-game item, digital soundtrack, novella, and artbook)
• One of two faction patches, the Technocrats or Icebloods, randomly placed in each box set
• A metal and enamel keychain
• Two art postcards
• Stickers featuring the game's key art and logo
• An LED-enabled Artistic Shadowbox which can use batteries or USB power

Preorders for the Frostpunk 2 PC Special Edition are available now for $99.99, exclusively through the Skybound Online Store. Shipping is available globally. You can take a look at the PC Special Edition of Frostpunk 2 with the video below:

After being delayed to respond to player feedback from the April beta period, Frostpunk 2 is coming to Windows PC on Sep. 20, 2024, and will be available via Steam, the Microsoft Store, GOG, and the Epic Games Store. It's also coming day one to Xbox Game Pass. Frostpunk 2 is also coming to Xbox Series X|S and PlayStation 5 consoles, but at a later date.

Frostpunk 2 is expanding the scope and politics of frozen survival

Frostpunk 2 is massively expanded compared to its predecessor, with a scope that sees players managing a city with thousands upon thousands of inhabitants over the course of years. New features include the ability to construct entire districts, as well as the diplomacy and voting mechanics, which see you juggling political promises to different increasingly-belligerent factions. 

From my time hands-on with Frostpunk 2 earlier this year, the developers have crafted something special that certainly isn't playing things safe. While I was concerned about the removal of some more intimate elements and quieter moments that I loved in the original game, the team is addressing this feedback through the inclusion of a feature that'll allow players to zoom in and observe daily life in their vast city. 

The dark winter continues, and the city must survive. 

In 2018, Polish developer and publisher 11 bit studios launched Frostpunk, a truly unique city-building game that didn't just task players with making a populace happy but with keeping the people alive in the face of a second ice age. It was a hit, so it's not too surprising that after releasing several DLC expansions and bringing Frostpunk to console, the team is taking its new franchise even further. 

Frostpunk 2 is coming, and with it, 11 bit studios is bringing a number of improvements and changes as the sequel seeks to play out across a far larger scale and period of time. Now, what plays out is not entirely up to one leader; instead, decisions are voted on that affect the lives of thousands, not hundreds. I've gathered the answers to the frequently asked questions that players have. Here's everything you need to know about Frostpunk 2.

What is Frostpunk 2?

The original Frostpunk is a unique strategy game that combines city-builder functionality with survival game mechanics. Using wood and steel, players have to build structures that can provide protection against the bitter cold while also investing in food production, researching new technologies, creating scout teams to explore the frozen wastes, and mining coal to keep the central generator functioning no matter what. Hundreds of people gathered together in the city called New London, seeking safety from the plummeting temperatures of this unrelenting, brutal change in the climate.

In Frostpunk 2, much of this is still the same, but the scale is vastly increased. New London now consists of thousands of individuals. Instead of going day by day, players manage the city over the course of months and years, building out entire districts for resources and housing instead of individual buildings. 

From my time hands-on with Frostpunk 2, arguably the biggest change is the new factions and voting system. As the Steward of the city, players cannot impose a new law because they feel like it. Instead, things have to be voted on, with different factions forming over time, each having a unique vision of what the city should become. The Machinists, for example, favor using advanced technology and investing in research above all else, while the radical Icebloods believe humanity must shun technology to adapt to the ice age. Getting a law through a vote means at least one group will be unhappy, and as factions splinter and dynamics shift, making any progress can become more and more complicated.

The Steward can make promises and negotiate with these factions in order to try and get laws passed, but not keeping these promises will result in growing discontent and riots. If unchecked, this can even result in a game over, with the Steward being ousted as people across New London become outraged beyond the point of no return.

Is Frostpunk 2 multiplayer?

The original Frostpunk is a single-player experience, a game designed to be a harrowing experience for just one person per playthrough, as said individual is forced to grapple with tough decisions that lead to success, or more likely to disease, frostbite, starvation, and ultimately death.

In this, Frostpunk 2 does not differ. Frostpunk 2 has been built as a single-player game with no multiplayer or co-op functionality. Players can expect a game built to be played alone, not with others. The story mode is built around a lone player taking the role of Steward for New London. Combined with the voting mechanic and faction dynamics, everything in this game has been built around being a solo experience.

What platforms is Frostpunk 2 coming to?

The original Frostpunk was built for Windows PC first, launching first on computers before eventually being ported to consoles. That experience provided the team at 11 bit studios with valuable technical know-how for developing Frostpunk 2 on multiple platforms simultaneously, meaning console players won't be waiting for as long after the PC launch before they are also able to play. Even so, it's still being built with Windows PC meant as the primary platform.

Frostpunk 2 is being developed for Xbox Series X|S, Windows PC, Mac, and PlayStation 5. Targeting only the the latest consoles means that the developers can push their technology even further than before. 

Is Frostpunk 2 coming to Xbox Game Pass?

Developer and publisher 11 bit studios signed an agreement with Microsoft in 2023 to bring multiple games to Xbox Game Pass. This included games being internally developed at the studio like upcoming survival science-fiction experience The Alters, as well as titles the team was publishing and assisting on. 

Frostpunk 2 is one such game. Frostpunk 2 will be included in Xbox Game Pass at day one, meaning any subscribers to Microsoft's gaming service will be able to just play without having to buy the game. The PC version will be included in PC Game Pass and Xbox Game Pass Ultimate at launch, while the Xbox Series X|S console version of the game will be included in Xbox Game Pass for console and Xbox Game Pass Ultimate at launch.

When is Frostpunk 2's release date?

The Windows PC version of Frostpunk 2 was originally slated to launch on July 25, 2024, with the console and Mac versions coming at a slightly later date. This is no longer the case, as 11 bit studios announced in June 2024 (just a month before the game was slated to arrive) that Frostpunk 2 was being delayed. The purpose of this delay was to allow the developers to fully respond to feedback garnered during an early beta period held earlier in the year. 

These changes are extensive, and included adjustments to exactly how the different factions work, alterations to the Heat and temperature gameplay mechanics, the ability to zoom in and see day-to-day life at specific sections of the city, new abilities, an additional resources, and other fine-tuning. 

The standard edition of Frostpunk 2 is now scheduled to launch on September 20, 2024. Anyone that preorders the deluxe edition of the game can get three-day early access on September 17. There's no exact release date for the console and Mac versions of the game, but as of right now, they'll be coming at a slightly later date, perhaps a couple of months later or so.

What you need to know

• 11 bit studios has announced that Frostpunk 2's release date has been delayed until September 20, 2024.
• This is due to the developers needing more time to incorporate gameplay improvements and new features based on player feedback from the Frostpunk 2 Beta two months.
• Frostpunk 2 is a city-builder with survival elements that's planned to be released on PC, Xbox Series X|S, and PlayStation 5 on September 20, 2024.

On June 27, 2024, 11 bit studios announced has delayed the release date of the highly-anticipated city-builder game, Frostpunk 2, from July 25, 2024, to September 20, 2024. This hard decision was made because the developers have stated they need more time to improve the game based on player feedback they received during Frostpunk 2's beta two months ago.

The developers ensure players that the wait will be worth it as they have provided a small preview of the many new gameplay features and improvements that will be coming to Frostpunk 2 at launch.

Additions to the game mechanics

First up is a sneak peek at some of the gameplay improvements that will be added to the final product of Frostpunk 2 (as taken from the official Frostpunk 2 news post on Steam):

• Changes to temperature, Heat and proximity-based gameplay, including new and rebalanced Hubs, that will make the city-building gameplay deeper and more impactful,
• More detailed and flexible workforce management,
• More direct-use abilities in the game loop, to allow you to react to crises more dynamically,
• A new resource to make city-building and expansion more strategic, helping you stabilize the city’s economy,
• Ability to reshape your districts after their construction,
• Factions’ behavior that is better aligned with their lore,
• A more thorough and complex approach to dealing with protests.

Extensive UI & UX enhancement –

The second piece of new info showcases a couple of improvements to the game's user interface and user experience to be more user-friendly, such as:

• Improving the HUD (Head-Up Display) to make it clearer and more intuitive,
• Adding a new construction menu along with five new city Hubs,
• Improving the clarity, readability and look & feel of the Idea Tree and Frostland.

Zoom Stories

The final piece of new gameplay info is the inclusion of a new mechanic called Zoom Stories. With this, players will be able to zoom in close on specific parts of the city they're running and witness the daily lives of their citizens.

Mark your calendars for the new frosty release date of Frostpunk 2

With this delay, it will give 11 bit studios more time to refine Frostpunk 2 to near perfection when it releases. It's easy to see why they are going the extra mile for this upcoming Xbox title, as critics and fans praised the original Frostpunk as one of the best PC Games and Best Xbox Games in the city-builder genre. 

Even our own Jez Corden lavished the original Frostpunk with praise when he reviewed the Xbox One version. Also, judging by our own Samuel Tolbert's preview for Frostpunk 2, the sequel is aiming to be more ambitious than its predecessor with bigger cities to manage and more difficult challenges to overcome.

Will Frostpunk 2 be able to live up to the expectations of fans who loved the original Frostpunk and will these gameplay changes for this upcoming PC title be well received by the gaming public? Find out when Frostpunk 2 launches on September 20, 2024, for Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 5, and PC via Windows, Steam, Epic Games Store, and GOG. It will also be released on PC Game Pass and Xbox Game Pass on the day it releases.

11 bit studios is returning to its dark world of icy alternate history. 

Frostpunk 2 is on the way, the sequel to the team's 2018 alternate-history city-building survival game. In this ambitious sequel, the scale is vastly increased, and where once players managed a city of a few dozen to perhaps 300 individuals, they'll now have to contend with thousands upon thousands of workers who all need to be fed, housed, and kept alive to work. With that many workers comes new voices and challenges in managing to keep everyone happy. 

I loved the original Frostpunk, so I'm happy to say I've spent a few hours with a beta build of Frostpunk 2 ahead of the game's planned release on Windows PC later this year, and I've come away impressed with the newfound scale this game offers. I'm also torn on the nature of some of the smaller decisions made so far. Here's my preview and thoughts.

From a gaggle of refugees to a city of survivors

The scale in Frostpunk 2 is immediately made clear upon starting, as I began by managing a city with thousands of workers. No longer does constructing an individual building suffice for growing the city's economy or freeing up extra housing. Instead, you now build dedicated districts, breaking up the ice and clearing paths to set up utterly massive housing complexes, coal mines, expedition team bases, and food processing facilities. If you lose heat to a district or sickness spreads, the death toll can be in the hundreds. 

The game looks beautiful, and I never get tired of seeing districts rise with new roads and platforms, or watching icebreaker machines and automatons speed along. Running on my PC with an RTX 3070, i7-13700KF, and Samsung 980 SSD, all the settings are maxed out and the framerate is super-smooth. 

Districts are built (and expanded) using a quasi-tile based system. This means you've still got fine control over the shape of the district and where it goes despite the large amount of space that each one takes up. Once expanded, a district can be further customized with special buildings, such as an advanced coal mine that boosts production for an industrial district that's already mining a coal deposit. These buildings become available through dedicated research via different intra-city factions — their differing opinions mean you need to consider each option carefully, but more on that in a bit — and there are advantages and disadvantages to each route.

That scale isn't just true of what you're managing, but how you're managing it as well, as time no longer passes day by day. Instead, weeks zoom by in the span of a few minutes, and short-term thinking is even more ill-advised than before. The beta version of Frostpunk 2 that I played ended after 300 in-game weeks, and I'd only spent a couple of hours in-game. Decisions have consequences, and it's no longer enough to simply keep people hopeful and remove tension. Now, you've got to play politics.

Voting and negotiations are key

Frostpunk 2 introduces the Council, with you leading it as the city's steward. The Council is made up of representatives from the city's factions, with larger factions naturally taking more of the 100 seats on the Council. Only two factions are available at the start, with more to come in the full game, but these two will then split into further factions over time, complicating negotiations and bogging down the process of getting anything done. 

Each faction has different values and goals, while every law requires at least 51 votes to pass in the Council. This means a huge amount of your time will be devoted to wheeling and dealing, trying to make sure that no particular group feels too excluded in order to avoid protests and workplace strikes. 

As an example of how things might go, you might want to pass a law for more expedition support to speed up the process of exploring the frozen wastes. The Foragers and Icebloods — a conservative group that eschew advanced technology and an even more radical splinter faction — both support this concept, so that gets me 48 votes. 

For success, I only need to convince a handful of others from the Machinists or their splinter faction, the Technocrats. Since the Machinists are already more fond of me than the Technocrats, I cut a deal with the Machinists: In exchange for supporting this vote (despite it being against their view), I could agree to let them bring up the next law for voting. If they try to repeal one of my many laws favoring the Foragers, I'll be angering the group that likes me the most. Instead, I opt to fund their community projects. While expensive, it gets them off my back without any chance of future repercussions.

This process gets more and more difficult as time goes on, and with every vote you'll find yourself more and more torn on how best to proceed. Of all the changes made for Frostpunk 2, the voting and faction system is by far the most compelling, and I'm eagerly looking forward to how many factions are in the full game.

Smaller details lost in the rush

With Frostpunk 2 leaping forward so boldly, there are a few elements that have been left behind whose absences are definitely felt. In my experience with the first game, much of what made it special was the small details. 

Watching an automaton lumber along and working through the night felt meaningful because of the threat of running out of resources at night that had previously plagued the community. Seeing snow melt off of rooftops was a huge deal, because it meant I had finally stockpiled enough coal and researched the right tech to increase the generator's heat level. None of those are present in Frostpunk 2. 

Some of these just wouldn't make sense or would be impossible now. There's no point to a day-night cycle if the days are passing in a couple of seconds, and the vast increase in the city's population means it no longer makes sense to manually build and assign automatons. 

Still, there are some small details that could and should be kept in. The heat map, which was a great way of showing at a glance which buildings in your city were warm, should make its way back into this game. From This War of Mine to Frostpunk, 11 bit studios' games have always reveled in the quieter moments, and I hope to see those in the full game. 

Ready to dive back into the ice

There's a lot to love about Frostpunk 2 so far, and that's just from a taste of one mode, without diving into the story or seeing alternate starting factions. It's clear that this game is reaching high, but it has come with the removal of some things I loved in its predecessor. 

While I do hope that 11 bit studios can recapture some of the smaller moments and details that made the first game so special, the team cannot be accused of playing things too safe for this sequel. I truly admire the scope and reach of Frostpunk 2, and I'm looking forward to spending dozens of more hours negotiating and building up my city. 

Frostpunk 2 is currently scheduled to launch on July 25, 2024 for Windows PC via Steam, the Epic Games Store, and GOG. It'll also be available day one in PC Game Pass. Frostpunk 2 is also coming to Xbox Series X|S and PlayStation 5 at a later date. When it does, it'll be available day one through Xbox Game Pass.

What you need to know

• Frostpunk 2 releases on PC on July 25. Subscribers of PC Game Pass or Xbox Game Pass Ultimate will have access on day one.
• The game is a sequel to 11 bit studio's 2018 strategy city builder, set in a post-apocalyptic dystopia following a world changing blizzard. 
• Frostpunk 2 follows up by focusing on the tensions of factions and the decisions of the city council, and includes a brand-new sandbox mode called Utopia Builder Preview.
• Players who preorder the Deluxe Edition of Frostpunk 2 can participate in a week-long beta access period starting today, April 15 and lasting until April 22.

11 bit studios' much-anticipated follow-up to 2018's Frostpunk is heading to PC on July 25. Players who have preordered the Deluxe Edition of the Frostpunk 2 can get a head start with a week of limited Beta access. The beta period will begin April 15 at 7 PM CEST/1 PM ET/10 AM PT, lasting until April 22 at 7 PM CEST/1 PM ET/10 AM PT. To mark the beta period, Frostpunk 2 co-directors have released a developer commentary video to give PC players the first deep-dive into what they can expect when the game launches this summer.

Frostpunk launched in 2018, thrusting players into a uniquely post-blizzard world that had become inhospitable except for the zone surrounding a massive and unwieldy furnace. The player could strategize how and when to grow their city, scavenge for resources, and help their people survive the harsh new wintry world. 

For Frostpunk 2, however, 11 bit studios has taken the mechanics for the game in a slightly different direction. Instead of focusing exclusively on building up the city, players become the Steward, who must keep the city from falling as tensions rise between the factions of survivors. The game maintains its society-based strategy survival roots, but the impacts and decisions that shape the society of survivors has bigger impacts on the gameplay.

When it was initially released, Frostpunk did not include a sandbox mode. Once an Endless Mode option was added in a later update, players began to invest hundreds of hours into building and maintaining their city. Frostpunk 2 will launch with the brand-new sandbox experience, Utopia Builder, and players can try it out as part of the limited access during the week-long beta period. The Beta preview will give players access to approximately 40 percent of the full Frostpunk 2. 

11 bit studios has already shared plans for three post-release DLCs, making the sequel significantly larger than its predecessor. Purchasing the Digital Deluxe edition of Frostpunk 2 will include access to that DLC content when it is released, in addition to the base game, this week's beta access, and 72 hours of early access to the title's story mode before launch. The Digital Deluxe edition will include the "Warm Flesh" digital novella, a digital artbook, and the game's original soundtrack, as well.

Frostpunk 2 will launch on PC on July 25, with an Xbox release planned for later in 2024. The game will be available for purchase, but subscribers of Xbox Game Pass Ultimate or PC Game Pass will have day one access at no extra cost. Frostpunk 2 will also be available on Xbox Game Pass day one when it releases on console.

What you need to know

• Frostpunk is one of the best strategy survival games you can play, and now it's set to get a sequel.
• 11 Bit Studios have announced Frostpunk 2, a massively expanded and evolved successor to the original.
• We don't know when Frostpunk 2 is releasing, or if it's coming to consoles (it's only confirmed for PC, right now).
• You can watch the announcement trailer for Frostpunk 2 right now, and wishlist it on your favorite PC storefront.

The strategy games genre is incredibly competitive, but that didn't stop the original Frostpunk from dominating the field and earning critical acclaim all across the board. Today, 11 Bit Studios have announced that Frostland is about to expand in big ways with the reveal of Frostpunk 2, a full sequel for Frostpunk that's coming to PC at some point in the future. While we're short on details, you can certainly watch the reveal trailer and see some new images below.

In Frostpunk 2, the post-apocalyptic Frostland is still encased in ice, but the world has begun to move on from the technologies that powered surviving settlements in the original. Now, the focus is on oil, and the consequences that arise from this decision. Players will have to build their city and survive this harsh and unforgiving world, with a continually growing 11 Bit Studios promising to expand upon Frostpunk in practically every way. Frostpunk 2 isn't just a sequel, as it evolves beyond what the first Frostpunk could manage when it released.

Frostpunk 2 doesn't have a release date, or even a vague window, that players can look forward to right now. All we know is that Frostpunk 2 is happening, and it's coming to PC in the future. If you want to make sure you're up to date on all Frostpunk 2 news, you can now wishlist the game on Steam, GOG, and the Epic Games Store. There's also no word on if Frostpunk 2 can be expected on consoles, but Frostpunk: Console Edition did arrive on Xbox about one year after the initial PC release.

If you're unfamiliar with Frostpunk, the game is free to play on Steam starting now and lasting until Aug. 16, 2021. Frostpunk: Console Edition is also included in Xbox Game Pass for Xbox, if that's where you prefer to play.

Frostpunk 2 is almost certainly miles away from a full release, but it's still very exciting that it's now official. When 11 Bit Studios deliver Frostpunk 2 to the strategy-loving masses, it's likely it'll claim a spot on our list of best PC games, right where its predecessor currently resides.

What you need to know

• Frostpunk is an award-winning survival strategy game on Xbox and PC.
• Frostpunk on Xbox gains all previously-released PC expansions on July 21.
• You can grab each expac separately or as part of a season pass, the base game is available through Xbox Game Pass.

Frostpunk is an incredible strategy simulation game set in the midst of an apocalyptic ice age. With the entire world blanketed in blood-freezing glaciers and snowstorms, you play as the last remnants of humanity, armed only with failing steampunk tech and the will to survive.

Frostpunk tasks players to manage supplies and resources with incredible scarcity, often leading to decisions that you know will get people killed. Then, you may have to deal with the political fallout, from protests all the way up to armed insurrection, all while the temperature gradually drops.

Frostpunk on PC has enjoyed a tremendous run, with a final DLC, On the Edge dropping last year. The console version of Frostpunk has been a bit behind on content drops, however. Until now.

On July 21st, 11 Bit Studios will launch three expansions on Xbox consoles, previously exclusive to PC. There's a prequel story dubbed The Last Autumn, which is set in a boreal forest, complete with new mechanics as you navigate the transition into the long winter. On the Edge takes players to a remote outpost after the ending of the base game, and is all about managing trade routes. The Rifts adds a new map for Endless Mode, alongside new constructions and other tech to help resource gathering.

You'll be able to purchase the expansions separately or as part of a catch-all season pass, or, if you're new to Frostpunk, you can grab everything in a new Complete Edition that includes the base game and every DLC released so far. The base game is also available on Xbox Game Pass.

11 Bit Studios has gone from strength to strength as one of Poland's most promising outfits, with the classic This War of Mine, alongside games like Moonlighter and Children of Morta. 11 Bit recently announced that they're moving to the Unreal Engine to build bigger and bolder games, too.

What you need to know

• Frostpunk is an award-wining post-apocalyptic, resource-management survival strategy game from 11 Bit Studios.
• Frostpunk: Console Edition is one of the best strategy games on Xbox, but it's fallen behind the PC version.
• Now, 11 Bit Studios has detailed the arrival of the three PC Frostpunk DLC expansions on consoles in 2021 with new content and features.
• The Rifts, On the Edge, and The Last Autumn all arrive for Frostpunk: Console Edition in Fall 2021 alongside a new Season Pass.

Frostpunk is one of the greatest strategy survival games around, and Frostpunk: Console Edition continues that trend with an excellent Xbox and PlayStation port. While Frostpunk: Console Edition is amazing (and one of the best strategy and simulation games on Xbox), it's fallen behind the full PC version in recent years. Today, 11 Bit Studios has revealed the plan to bring the three DLC expansions for Frostpunk to Xbox and PlayStation in Fall 2021 with a ton of new content, ways to play, controller optimization, and so much more.

The three expansions planned for release on Frostpunk: Console Edition include:

• The Rift. A minor expansion that includes a unique endless map, bridges, and new ways to expand and improve your settlement
• On the Edge. A major expansion with a new scenario, brand-new technologies, settlements, building structures, mechanics, and more, and new optimizations for controllers and gamepads
• The Last Autumn. The biggest expansion set before The Frost with a ton of new content like new laws, technologies, ruling methods, events, conflicts, and much more

To be clear, Frostpunk on PC has already received these three DLC expansions with The Rifts, The Last Autumn, and On the Edge all releasing over the course of a few months, filled with reasons for players to keep revisiting this frozen world.

Now, it's been confirmed that all three of these expansions are being ported over to Frostpunk: Console Edition later this year (Q3 or Fall 2021), and will be available either by themselves, through the Frostpunk: Console Edition Season Pass, or included in a Frostpunk: Complete Console Edition.

Frostpunk: Console Edition is already available on Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, Xbox One, PS5, and PS4. It's also available through Xbox Game Pass, making it easy to play the excellent base game on Xbox consoles and PC. If Frostpunk: Console Edition's upcoming DLC expansions deliver, the game could be elevated to our list of the best Xbox games.

What you need to know

• Frostpunk is a survival game that is quite popular on Xbox One and PC.
• Your goal is to manage a city in extreme temperatures.
• The game is getting another major expansion on August 20.
• You can get Frostpunk: Console Edition for $30 through the Microsoft Store.

Frostpunk is a city-building, survival, and strategy game that's quite popular on PC. In a frozen world, people develop steam-powered machines to oppose the overwhelming cold. You, the city ruler, have to manage both the inhabitants and the infrastructure. Leaders face numerous challenges, frequently questioning morality and the basic foundation of what we consider as a society.

Today, 11 bit studios revealed that the game's mysterious Project TVADGYCGJR is actually a third expansion called On The Edge. Keep in mind that this is the final expansion for Frostpunk's Season Pass and is set after the vicious Great Storm as the expedition is sent from New London with a special assignment. According to the team, On The Edge not only opens a brand new chapter set in the Frostpunk universe, but also further enriches the core experience by pitting players against new challenges, and offering new unique mechanics both in the city and on the Frostland map.

Frostpunk: On The Edge is coming to Steam on August 20 and will feature a brand new story, new challenges on a desolate map, as well as unique mechanics. Frostpunk: Console Edition is the Xbox One port that features controller support so you can enjoy the experience on consoles. We thought that without a mouse and keyboard, the game would be hard to play, but that's not the case at all. If you're interested in such experience, be sure to pick it up for $30 through the Microsoft Store. It's unclear when the expansion is hitting consoles.

In Windows Central's review, Jez Corden wrote, "There are a ton of great strategy games on Xbox One these days, including Stellaris, Surviving Mars, They Are Billions, and Age of Wonders; but Frostpunk's dynamism, thoughtful console controls, setting, and narrative elements, for me, give it a special place above all of the others. This is a staggering achievement that strategy game fans shouldn't miss out on."

Xbox

Main

• What is Xbox Game Pass?
• Best 4K TVs for Xbox Series X and S
• Must-buy Xbox One Headsets
• Our Favorite Xbox One Wireless Headsets
• Best Upcoming Xbox Games for 2021
• Xbox One X vs. Xbox Series S

What you need to know

• Frostpunk is a survival game that is quite popular on Xbox One and PC.
• Your goal is to manage a city in extreme temperatures.
• The game just got an expansion on PC that takes place before the bitter cold.
• You can get Frostpunk: Console Edition for $30 through the Microsoft Store.

Frostpunk is a city-building, survival, and strategy game that's quite popular on PC. In a frozen world, people develop steam-powered machines to oppose the overwhelming cold. You, the city ruler, have to manage both the inhabitants and the infrastructure. Leaders face numerous challenges, frequently questioning morality and the basic foundation of what we consider as a society.

Frostpunk: Console Edition is the Xbox One port that features controller support so you can enjoy the experience on consoles. We thought that without a mouse and keyboard, the game would be hard to play, but that's not the case at all. If you're interested in such experience, be sure to pick it up for $30 through the Microsoft Store.

Today, developer 11 bit studios released "The Last Autumn" expansion. According to the press release Windows Central received, The Last Autumn serves as a prequel to the plot of the base game. The expansion is coming to Xbox One at a later date in 2020.

In Windows Central's review, Jez Corden wrote, "There are a ton of great strategy games on Xbox One these days, including Stellaris, Surviving Mars, They Are Billions, and Age of Wonders; but Frostpunk's dynamism, thoughtful console controls, setting, and narrative elements, for me, give it a special place above all of the others. This is a staggering achievement that strategy game fans shouldn't miss out on."

Xbox

Main

• What is Xbox Game Pass?
• Best 4K TVs for Xbox Series X and S
• Must-buy Xbox One Headsets
• Our Favorite Xbox One Wireless Headsets
• Best Upcoming Xbox Games for 2021
• Xbox One X vs. Xbox Series S

What you need to know

• Frostpunk is a survival game that is quite popular on Xbox One and PC.
• Your goal is to manage a city in extreme temperatures.
• The game is getting an expansion that takes place before the bitter cold.
• You can get Frostpunk: Console Edition for $30 through the Microsoft Store.

Updated January 21, 2020: The expansion is now available on PC.

Frostpunk is a city-building, survival, and strategy game that's quite popular on PC. In a frozen world, people develop steam-powered machines to oppose the overwhelming cold. You, the city ruler, have to manage both the inhabitants and the infrastructure. Leaders face numerous challenges, frequently questioning morality and the basic foundation of what we consider as a society.

Frostpunk: Console Edition is the Xbox One port that features controller support so you can enjoy the experience on consoles. We thought that without a mouse and keyboard, the game would be hard to play, but that's not the case at all. If you're interested in such experience, be sure to pick it up for $30 through the Microsoft Store.

Today, developer 11 bit studios announced The Last Autumn expansion. According to the press release Windows Central received, The Last Autumn serves as a prequel to the plot of the base game. It'll be available for PC through online stores such as Steam, GOG.com, and the Humble Store on January 21, 2020. The expansion is coming to Xbox One at a later date in 2020.

The press release added that The Last Autumn depicts an important turning point in the Frostpunk universe, as it sheds light on events that happened before the winter. Imagine the world of Frostpunk, but full of life and energy. See the civilization's last attempts to remain unbeaten by nature and build a generator in an effort to save your city.

In Windows Central's review, Jez Corden wrote, "There are a ton of great strategy games on Xbox One these days, including Stellaris, Surviving Mars, They Are Billions, and Age of Wonders; but Frostpunk's dynamism, thoughtful console controls, setting, and narrative elements, for me, give it a special place above all of the others. This is a staggering achievement that strategy game fans shouldn't miss out on."

Xbox

Main

• What is Xbox Game Pass?
• Best 4K TVs for Xbox Series X and S
• Must-buy Xbox One Headsets
• Our Favorite Xbox One Wireless Headsets
• Best Upcoming Xbox Games for 2021
• Xbox One X vs. Xbox Series S

What you need to know

• Frostpunk is a survival game that is quite popular on PC.
• Your goal is to manage a city in extreme temperatures.
• Frostpunk: Console Edition is finally available on Xbox One.
• You can get it for $30 through the Microsoft Store.

Frostpunk is a city-building, survival, and strategy game that's quite popular on PC. In a frozen world, people develop steam-powered machines to oppose the overwhelming cold. You, the city ruler, have to manage both the inhabitants and the infrastructure. Leaders face numerous challenges, frequently questioning morality and the basic foundation of what we consider as a society.

Frostpunk: Console Edition is the Xbox One port that features controller support so you can enjoy the experience on consoles. We thought that without a mouse and keyboard, the game would be hard to play, but that's not the case at all. If you're interested in such experience, be sure to pick it up for $30 through the Microsoft Store.

In Windows Central's review, Jez Corden wrote, "There are a ton of great strategy games on Xbox One these days, including Stellaris, Surviving Mars, They Are Billions, and Age of Wonders; but Frostpunk's dynamism, thoughtful console controls, setting, and narrative elements, for me, give it a special place above all of the others. This is a staggering achievement that strategy game fans shouldn't miss out on."

Xbox

Main

• What is Xbox Game Pass?
• Best 4K TVs for Xbox Series X and S
• Must-buy Xbox One Headsets
• Our Favorite Xbox One Wireless Headsets
• Best Upcoming Xbox Games for 2021
• Xbox One X vs. Xbox Series S

Frostpunk is an award-winning survival strategy simulation game on PC, but it's now making its way over to Xbox One and PS4, finally, allowing a whole new audience to get their frost-bitten mitts on this landmark title.

Frostpunk is set in an apocalyptic Britain, where a new ice age has wiped out much of civilization. The remnants of humanity try to carve out a nomadic lifestyle with scrappy steampunk technology.

Frostpunk is built by the team behind This War of Mine, and like that game, it pulls absolutely no punches with its tough choices.

Here's why Frostpunk is now the best strategy simulation game on Xbox today.

What you'll love about Frostpunk

Frostpunk is a survival game first and foremost, with heavy strategic simulation elements. Your goal across every scenario and map type is, ultimately, to survive, while managing the temperature, basic needs of your colonists, and various dynamic hazards that appear at random.

The map construction extends out radially from a central heat generator, which is powered exclusively by coal that must be extracted from the earth. Heat can be seen instantly by pressing the view button, and gives you a infrared overlay of areas that are warm, all the way down to freezing.

Managing heat is crucial to survival in Frostpunk, and forms the basis of the game's most exciting moments and mechanics. If your workers are too cold, they'll get sick, get frostbite, and may even require amputations. The cold comes with other complications, such as freezing your crops, or making it too cold to hunt, putting pressure on your stockpiles and supplies. Frostpunk does an absolutely incredible job at keeping you on your toes, and unless you're playing on the easiest difficulty, there's rarely comes a moment when you'll feel truly comfortable.

Frostpunk is divided between story scenarios and an endless mode, which allows you more freedom to build and explore the frostland wastes on the overworld map. The scenarios come with their own story beats which also come with various choices and decisions, which can affect the mood of your citizens. You can play as a ruthless, survival-at-all-costs dictator, using your dead as compost, while arresting anyone who dare protest. This might sow discontent, and even lead to a revolution, putting stress on your resources to build guard posts and hire guards, and maybe even build prisons. Conversely, you can attempt to inject some warmth and kindness into proceedings, but all those extra rations put a strain on your resources in other ways.

The moment you think things are going well, a devastating blizzard might drop, wiping out your scout teams that are far flung from home. These blizzards come with increasingly intense music, and increasingly intense blasts of frigid cold, putting stress on your heating systems and coal supplies. Oftentimes, you'll scrape through the storm by the skin of your teeth, with many deaths in the storm's wake.

Poor city planning and population management can lead to cascadingly devastating effects on your colony. If all your doctors die, there'll be nobody to treat the sick, and then, there'll be nobody to work and tend to your resources. However, the simulation remains just on the cusp of being "too" complex, balancing accessibility with depth in a masterful way. You can always slow down or outright pause the action too while you make logistical changes to your city.

Atmospherically, Frostpunk really nails its setting with immersive visuals, stellar music treatment, and some of the best UI work of the generation. Soot satisfyingly spreads as you open up different UI elements, and the game's tessellation for its 3D snow effects gives physical weight to the threat faced by your NPCs, who will struggle against the wind as they move between their homes and their jobs. The music dynamically ramps up as the storms get more intense, creating a sense of urgency as your last food stores run dry.

Every aspect of the game feels meticulously crafted and polished, making it truly difficult to put down. I had planned to stop playing at around midnight to write this review, but when I looked at the clock, it was already 5 AM.

What you might dislike about Frostpunk

Frostpunk, like many strategy games, has struggled a bit in its leap from its mouse and keyboard schemes to console, but it has done so more elegantly than many other titles before it.

Frostpunk isn't a game where you need uber micromanagement and speed to survive, since you can quickly ramp up or slow down the gameplay speed using the directional pad. Radial menus with shortcuts also make it easy to navigate to the different segments you need, although finding things in the research tree to advance your city can be a bit grating until you've learned where everything is.

It's a tad irritating that Frostpunk didn't decide to leverge the new Xbox mouse and keyboard APIs, which would have made everything feel that bit more streamlined for those with the right peripherals.

The camera controls aren't "bad," by any means, but it's a bit odd that to rotate, you specifically need to move both joysticks at the same time, otherwise they get stuck in panning mode. There's a bit of a delay on the toggle, too. Additionally, selecting specific buildings can be a chore when your city evolves to be more complex, although it's far from game breaking.

Finally, I would have liked to have seen Frostpunk squeeze more juice out of the Xbox One X. It runs at 1080p, as opposed to the Xbox One S' base 720p, but when similar titles like Surviving Mars manage to hit 4K 30 FPS, it seems a bit odd that Frostpunk didn't reach higher. Although, its buildings and textures are a lot more detailed. That said, Frostpunk runs very smoothly on the X, even if you're playing in endless mode with a very large settlement.

Should you buy Frostpunk?

If you're not a fan of strategy and simulation games, then you probably won't get anything out of Frostpunk. It doesn't exactly revolutionize the genre, but the polish, dynamic narrative elements, and bitesize strategic gameplay makes it an addictive beast.

This also comes with most of the updates the game has seen on PC, including new scenarios, Endless mode with aesthetic building options, as well as deeper difficulty tailoring. 11bit Studios is among the best indie outfits out there when it comes to free post-launch content, and Frostpunk's current state is a direct result of those efforts.

There are a ton of great strategy games on Xbox One these days, including Stellaris, afforementioned Surviving Mars, They are Billions, and Age of Wonders, but Frostpunk's dynamism, thoughtful console controls, setting, and narrative elements, for me, give it a special place above all of the others. This is a staggering achievement that strategy game fans shouldn't miss out on.

What you need to know

• Frostpunk: Console Edition has a new trailer, showing the harrowing world the game takes place in.
• The trailer includes sections of the opening cinematic from the story mode of the game.
• Frostpunk: Console Edition is set to release on October 11th.
• You can preorder Frostpunk: Console Edition for $30 from the Microsoft Store.

Frostpunk: Console Edition is just a couple of weeks away from its scheduled release and to celebrate, 11 bit studios has released a new story trailer for the game, showing some of the stylized cinematics that open the story mode. In it, an expedition team makes their way through the frozen wastes while recounting what has led them here. When they find a massive old generator, they realize it is time to build a city that can weather the cold. You can check the story trailer out below:

Frostpunk: Console Edition brings the harrowing city builder to new platforms while adapting and revising the controls to be better suited for consoles. Every decision you make will be recorded in the Book of Laws, while scarce resources mean plenty of tough calls.

Right now, the game is slated to release on October 11. If you'd like an idea of what to expect, our own Brendan Lowry wrote a review of the PC version, which you can read right here.

Xbox

Main

• What is Xbox Game Pass?
• Best 4K TVs for Xbox Series X and S
• Must-buy Xbox One Headsets
• Our Favorite Xbox One Wireless Headsets
• Best Upcoming Xbox Games for 2021
• Xbox One X vs. Xbox Series S

What you need to know

• Frostpunk is a survival game that is quite popular on PC.
• Your goal is to manage a city in extreme temperatures.
• Frostpunk: Console Edition is coming to Xbox One in October.
• You can preorder it for $30 through the Microsoft Store.

Frostpunk is a city-building, survival, and strategy game that's quite popular on PC. In a frozen world, people develop steam-powered machines to oppose the overwhelming cold. You, the city ruler, have to manage both the inhabitants and the infrastructure. Leaders face numerous challenges, frequently questioning morality and the basic foundation of what we consider as a society.

According to the developer, 11 bit studios, in order to succeed, you have to focus on optimization and resource management, even if they clash with empathy and thoughtful decision-making. Luckily, there's also a fair bit of exploration because you have to venture outside the city walls to find resources and other items.

Frostpunk: Console Edition which features controller support is now available for digital preorder on the Microsoft Store. It costs $30 and is a pretty small download of a little over 3 GB. If you loved the original on PC, or are curious about why so many love the game, be sure to check it out on Xbox One.

In Windows Central's review of the PC version, Brendan Lowry said, "Despite the gameplay-slowing visual similarities between structures, Frostpunk overall is a wonderfully emotional and engaging city-builder strategy game that will challenge you with tough tasks and even tougher choices."

Xbox

Main

• What is Xbox Game Pass?
• Best 4K TVs for Xbox Series X and S
• Must-buy Xbox One Headsets
• Our Favorite Xbox One Wireless Headsets
• Best Upcoming Xbox Games for 2021
• Xbox One X vs. Xbox Series S

What you need to know

• Frostpunk is a strategy game about surviving in a frozen world.
• The PC game is coming to consoles soon.
• Developer 11 bit studios just announced a season pass.
• The first expansion called The Rifts is available right now.

Frostpunk is a city-building, survival, and strategy game that's quite popular on PC. In a frozen world, people develop steam-powered machines to oppose the overwhelming cold. You, the city ruler, have to manage both the inhabitants and the infrastructure. Leaders face numerous challenges, frequently questioning morality and the basic foundation of what we consider as a society.

According to the developer, in order to succeed, you have to focus on optimization and resource management, even if they clash with empathy and thoughtful decision-making. Luckily, there's also a fair bit of exploration because you have to venture outside the city walls to find resources and other items.

A few days ago, developer 11 bit studios announced that Frostpunk was coming to Xbox One and other platforms. Today, the team revealed a season pass for PC which gives you access to expansions and so much more. The Rifts debuts today with the season pass, and add a new Endless Mode map. You can either purchase the expansion for $24.50 or $5 for the standalone content.

Later this year, another expansion called The Last Autumn is coming to the game, followed by Project TVADGYCGJR in 2020. The Last Autumn adds a brand-new scenario while Project TVADGYCGJR could be anything.

Excellent and affordable Xbox accessories

Up your Xbox experience with one (or all) of these budget accessories, all of which are approved by the gamers of Windows Central.

PowerA Play & Charge Kit for Xbox One ($15 at Amazon)

This charging kit keeps your Xbox One wireless controllers juiced up, and it offers batteries for two controllers. At just $15, this is hands-down our favorite budget charging companion.

ElecGear 4 Port USB Xbox One S Hub ($19 at Amazon)

This brilliant little USB splitter hub attaches perfectly to the side of your Xbox One S console. It's ideal for use with chargers, controllers, headsets, and more.

Controller Gear stand ($13 at Amazon)

Proudly display your Xbox gamepads with this stylish and functional stand. The licensed design is minimalist and black, and it has a hidden storage compartment, making the price of $13 a real steal.

What you need to know

• Frostpunk is a strategy game about surviving in a frozen world.
• The PC game is coming to consoles soon.
• The digital version launches on Xbox One on October 11.
• The physical version hits retailers roughly a week later.

Frostpunk is a city-building, survival, and strategy game. In a frozen world, people develop steam-powered machines to oppose the overwhelming cold. You, the city ruler, have to manage both the inhabitants and the infrastructure. Leaders face numerous challenges, frequently questioning morality and the basic foundation of what we consider to be a society.

In order to succeed, you have to focus on optimization and resource management, even if they clash with empathy and thoughtful decision-making. Luckily, there's also a fair bit of exploration because you have to venture outside the city walls to find resources and other items.

Recently, developer 11 bit studios announced that Frostpunk was coming to consoles. Today, we even received a release date. Frostpunk: Console Edition will be available from October 11 digitally on Xbox One and PlayStation 4 for $30. The physical console version from Merge Games will debut on October 18 in Europe and October 22 in the United States for Xbox One and PlayStation 4 priced at $35. The team said that great efforts are being taken to redesign the game and adjust mechanics to support a controller. The studio admitted that it still has some work to do, but is close to creating an intuitive interface allowing gameplay to feel natural.

In our review, we said, "Mechanically, Frostpunk is excellent, although one minor issue present with the game is that it can be hard to distinguish the different types of buildings at a glance because of their similar aesthetics... Despite the gameplay-slowing visual similarities between structures, Frostpunk overall is a wonderfully emotional and engaging city-builder strategy game that will challenge you with tough tasks and even tougher choices."

Xbox accessories you'll love

Every one of these quality accessories is guaranteed to enhance your Xbox experience.

PowerA Enhanced Wired Controller for Xbox One ($20 at Amazon)

PowerA's take on the Xbox One controller is an attractive pickup for budget-conscious gamers that nails all the basics.

Talon PDP Xbox media remote ($20 at Amazon)

The Talon PDP Xbox media remote is great for watching shows on your console.

Xbox One S vertical stand ($10 at Amazon)

Stand your console upright with this accessory.

Frostpunk is a city-building, survival, and strategy experience. In a frozen world, people develop steam-powered technology to oppose the overwhelming cold. You, the city ruler, have to manage both the inhabitants and the infrastructure people live in. Leaders face numerous challenges, frequently questioning morality and the basic foundation of what we consider to be an organized society. Here optimization and resource management often clash with empathy and thoughtful decision-making. While city and society management consume most of the ruler's time, at some point exploration of the outside world is necessary to understand its history and present state.

Today, 11 bit studios announced that Frostpunk is officially coming to consoles. The game will hit Xbox One and PlayStation 4 later this year. The team said that great efforts are being taken to redesign the game and adjust mechanics to support a controller. The studio admitted that it still has some work to do, but is close to creating an intuitive interface allowing gameplay to feel natural.

Luckily, Frostpunk: Console Edition will contain all the previous free updates from the PC version including "The Fall of Winterhome." However, additional customization options, difficulty settings, and balance tweaks will also make their way to the version.

In our review, we said, "Mechanically, Frostpunk is excellent, although one minor issue present with the game is that it can be hard to distinguish the different types of buildings at a glance because of their similar aesthetics... Despite the gameplay-slowing visual similarities between structures, Frostpunk overall is a wonderfully emotional and engaging city-builder strategy game that will challenge you with tough tasks and even tougher choices."

Xbox accessories you'll love

Every one of these quality accessories is guaranteed to enhance your Xbox experience.

PowerA Enhanced Wired Controller for Xbox One ($20 at Amazon)

PowerA's take on the Xbox One controller is an attractive pickup for budget-conscious gamers that nails all the basics.

Talon PDP Xbox media remote ($20 at Amazon)

The Talon PDP Xbox media remote is great for watching shows on your console.

Xbox One S vertical stand ($10 at Amazon)

Stand your console upright with this accessory.

Frostpunk is a popular PC game and the developer just added new features to the already expansive experience. The update is live on Steam and should hit Universal Windows Platform shortly. Frostpunk is currently available for roughly $30 through the Microsoft Store and other retailers. It's a great game so be sure to check it out if you like strategy titles.

If you find "Hard" difficulty too easy, now you can test your limits to survive the winter apocalypse in the brand new "Survivor Mode". Survivor Mode features new requirements which make the game even harder. There's no active pause so you'll need to think fast, and progress is only saved automatically so all your decisions are final. To start a new game in Survivor Mode, select a scenario and toggle the switch below the "Customization" button.

Frostpunk is a city-building, survival, and strategy experience. In a frozen world, people develop steam-powered technology to oppose the overwhelming cold. The city ruler has to manage both the inhabitants and the infrastructure the citizens live in. Leaders face numerous challenges, frequently questioning morality and the basic foundation of what we consider to be an organized society. Here optimization and resource management often clash with empathy and thoughtful decision-making. While city and society management consume most of the ruler's time, at some point exploration of the outside world is necessary to understand its history and present state.

In our review, we said "despite the gameplay-slowing visual similarities between structures, Frostpunk overall is a wonderfully emotional and engaging city-builder strategy game that will challenge you with tough tasks and even tougher choices."

• See at Amazon
• See at Microsoft Store
• See at Green Man Gaming

Keep an eye on WindowsCentral.com/Gaming for all the latest in Xbox and Windows 10 gaming, accessories, news, and reviews!

Frostpunk is a popular PC game and the developer just updated it to support Xbox Live. Not only is 11 bit studios using the Universal Windows Platform, but it also features Xbox Achievements and Xbox Live cloud saves.

Usually developers choose to forgo releasing their games on the Windows Store so Frostpunk is a welcome addition. The fact that it can increase my Gamerscore is reason enough to purchase it from the Microsoft Store. Hopefully Microsoft will make putting games on its online store more appealing in the future so that more titles can get Xbox Live integration.

Frostpunk is a city building, survival, and strategy experience. In a frozen world, people develop steam-powered technology to oppose the overwhelming cold. The city ruler has to manage both the inhabitants and the infrastructure the citizens live in. Leaders face challenges, frequently questioning morality and the basic foundation of what we consider an organized society. Here optimization and resource management often clash with empathy and thoughtful decision-making. While city and society management consume most of the ruler's time, at some point exploration of the outside world is necessary to understand its history and present state.

Frostpunk is currently available on PC for $30 through the Microsoft Store and other retailers. It's a great experience so be sure to check it out if you like strategy games.

• See at Amazon
• See at Microsoft Store
• See at Green Man Gaming

Keep an eye on WindowsCentral.com/Gaming for all the latest in Xbox and Windows 10 gaming, accessories, news, and reviews!

Most of gaming's post-apocalyptic universes (such as Fallout or Metro) are the way they are because of human actions, with nuclear war being the plot direction most writers take. Frostpunk, though, opts to go down a separate path: a climate disaster that ends up wiping almost all of humanity out. Between this unique approach to the post-apocalyptic genre, the excellent gameplay mechanics, and the fantastic narrative itself, Frostpunk is an experience that you shouldn't miss out on.

See on Steam

Story: The city must survive

Near the end of the 19th century, the entire world became engulfed in a devastating, never-ending cold that ravaged all forms of life — including us. Almost the entirety of humanity was snuffed out by the deathly freeze, but a small group of survivors managed to hold out and travel north, where they constructed the lat city on Earth, dubbed "New London". This is where the human race makes their final stand, and you, as their leader, are in charge of making sure that as many people survive the eternal winter as possible.

The basic plot itself isn't that deep, but things start to really get engaging when you have to make hard decisions about how your society will choose to live. For example, food rationing, corpse disposal, and employment of children into labor are all things you have to make choices about, and the question of "where do we draw the line?" will always be in the back of your head. How much humanity will we sacrifice in order to save it? The answer to that is entirely up to you.

Gameplay: Post-apocalyptic SimCity

Overall, Frostpunk feels like a more difficult SimCity or Cities: Skylines — you build up a society and keep the people in it happy — but your room for error is significantly smaller. The murderous weather that constantly assaults New London demands that fueling your fires be a priority. Where in other games a problem with fuel just means you'll be replacing a power plant or station, in Frostpunk, people can die, and if you don't do your job well, they will. A lot.

In general, you'll find that most of your resources are tight. You can build structures that provide services and goods to the people of New London, but to do so means you'll need to invest a sum of resources, and collecting those means sending people out into the wilderness. In order for your society to truly grow, you'll need to balance out the construction of facilities with the health of your citizens. Focusing on either one too much can lead to disaster.

Mechanically, Frostpunk is excellent, although one minor issue present with the game is that it can be hard to distinguish the different types of buildings at a glance because of their similar aesthetics. This makes you slow down, wasting precious time on trying to figure out which structure is which instead of being more productive.

Frostpunk for PC conclusion

Despite the gameplay-slowing visual similarities between structures, Frostpunk overall is a wonderfully emotional and engaging city-builder strategy game that will challenge you with tough tasks and even tougher choices.

Pros:

• Fantastic gameplay.
• Solid, unique narrative.
• Beautiful graphics and music.

Cons:

• Structures look too similar; this impedes gameplay.

Frostpunk is available on Steam now for $29.99.

See on Steam

This review was conducted on a PC, using a copy provided by the publisher.

Over the past few months, Battletech and Frostpunk have caught the eyes of gamers around the world. Both of the titles are strategy experiences which offer complex gameplay mechanics with numerous creative twists.

Today, both Battletech and Frostpunk launched on PC. Battletech starts at $39.99 and Frostpunk costs $29.99.

Battletech

Battletech takes place in the year 3025 as the galaxy is trapped in a cycle of perpetual war. Turn-based battles are fought by noble houses with enormous, mechanized combat vehicles called BattleMechs. From a starfaring base of operations, the player commands a mercenary outfit of mechs and the MechWarriors who pilot them, struggling to stay afloat as they fight in a brutal interstellar civil war.

See Battletech at Green Man Gaming

Frostpunk

Frostpunk is a city-building, survival and strategy experience. In a frozen world, people develop steam-powered technology to oppose the overwhelming cold. The city ruler has to manage both the inhabitants and the infrastracture the citizens live in. Leaders face challenges, frequently questioning morality and the basic foundation of what we consider an organized society. Here optimization and resource management often clash with empathy and thoughtful decision-making. While city and society management consume most of the ruler's time, at some point exploration of outside world is necessary to understand its history and present state.

See Frostpunk at Green Man Gaming

Be sure to check out both Battletech and Frostpunk if you love strategy games which require complex decisions. Hopefully both of the games will live up to expectations now that they're in the hands of consumers.

Keep an eye on WindowsCentral.com/Gaming for all the latest in Xbox and Windows 10 gaming, accessories, news, and reviews!

From the creators of This War Of Mine comes Frostpunk, an upcoming city builder PC game with a few unique twists. Announced in August 2016, Frostpunk will be set in the summer of 1886 when severe weather patterns destroyed crops and resulted in millions of deaths worldwide. The job of the player will be to lead a small band of people who locate a generator, fire it up and develop a civilized society.

The issue being the weather isn't going to let up and you're going to have to make some moral choices along the way.

Survival

The role of the player, much like in other city management games, is to ensure the survival of the populous. You'll be managing all the workings of your society, from infrastructure to keeping track of all the potential issues and dangers that come with surviving in the aftermath of a global catastrophe. You won't be able to be the good guy or necessarily an evil dictator. It's all about running along the grey line, opting for decisions that affect the many not the few.

The game will require you to make some awful decisions, based on what the settlement requires there and then. You may need to allow for child labor or overlook a few suspicious deaths. Machines will play a big part in Frostpunk and will help the settlement advance but these automatons may not be entirely safe for use within a city. Jakub Stokalski, the senior lead designer at 11bit Studios, noted in a developer update video that just how safe these automatons are will have to be worked out by the player.

From what we've seen so far, the game looks very promising. Graphics are on par with other big budget titles in the same genre and the unique twists and turns that 11bit Studios will through at you could make for some intense playthroughs. Everything is tied to the steampunk design, which should please those who are fans of games like BioShock and They Are Billions.

Weather forecast

Frostpunk is set for release on PC on April 24 for $29.99. We'll be taking a look and publishing a full review once it's live. Should you be fans of Cities: Skylines, Sim City, and other management games, you'll want to keep an eye out for Frostpunk, which should shake up the genre a little.

Are you interested in surviving the cold winters ahead?