I’m a sucker for a city builder. It doesn’t matter if it’s Cities Skylines 2, the apocalyptic Frostpunk, or even the bases in Command and Conquer – there’s something intensely aesthetically satisfying about sitting back and admiring how perfectly I’ve aligned all my houses and factories, how precisely I’ve designed the road network. Frostpunk 2 might be the most anticipated new city-building game of the year, but you shouldn’t ignore its rival and spiritual companion, Endzone 2. A mix of classic Fallout and maybe a little Stalker, if you want to try it, just before it hits its early-access release, it’s available right now – albeit with a small catch.
In Endzone 2, the world has been obliterated by a series of freak weather events. You’re the protector and guide of humanity’s final survivors, and your job is to try to rebuild society from its most primitive form into a resurgent, connected civilization. A strategy and city-building game, what makes Endzone 2 different from some of its peers is the dynamic exploration system.
After you’ve finished forging your first settlement, if you want to expand, you need to physically leave the safety of your camp and find suitable locations for yourself. You have a bus, cars, and other vehicles that you can use to scout, and the expansive map is dotted with hidden locations that potentially contain useful resources and buffs.
The Endzone 2 Steam Early Access release date is set for Monday August 26, but if you want to play it before then, now’s your chance. For anyone who signed up for the initial playtest, it’s open as of today – the ‘Endzone 2 playtest’ app should now be available in your Steam library.
But even if you didn’t sign up, you can still join. If you head to the Steam page and put down your name, over the next few days, developer Gentlymad Studios will be adding new people to the playtest, so you can sample Endzone 2 ahead of time. Just head here.
Alternatively, try some of the other best strategy games, or maybe go even bigger with the best 4X games on PC.
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