Play it on: PS5, Xbox Series X/S, Switch, Windows PCs (Steam Deck: “Playable”)
Current goal: Vibe out in the dystopia
Whether I’m dragging out the ending of Clair Obscur or frequently hopping into sessions of Doom: The Dark Ages, most of the games I’ve been playing lately depend on my direct, undiverted attention to dodge and parry. I love that challenge, but I could use a break. So, this weekend I’m spending some more time with Citizen Sleeper, which is perhaps the exact opposite of what I’ve been playing. I also want to check out its sequel, Citizen Sleeper 2, before the year is over, so it felt necessary to start with the first.
Released back in 2022 with its sequel arriving in January of 2025, this RPG offers up some chill space vibes displaced by the weight of some wonderfully written dystopian science fiction. The story and dialogue here are something special. Sometimes I’ll just linger on a single sentence or two at a time, be it some intensely written, introverted speculations of the protagonist as they consider their relationship to their body and self, or the wonderful depictions of folks living on the game’s space station. Also, having recently undergone two major surgeries myself, descriptions of coming in and out of consciousness and the task of sustaining my body in a video game feel very different to me emotionally than they would’ve before. I’m finding it all adds up to a rather neat experience that I want more of. — Claire Jackson
