Endzone 2

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Endzone 2 is a strategy game where players manage multiple settlements across different zones, each with exclusive resources. The game features improved settler behavior for thriving communities and the addition of vehicles for flexibility in settlement placement and progression. Key changes and additions have also been made from the previous game, Endzone - A World Apart.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player Play through the game's story or campaign solo

Reviews

71%

Audience ScoreBased on 161 reviews

gameplay10 positive mentions

grinding15 negative mentions

The game features an in-depth supply chain and resource management system that is both challenging and rewarding.
The addition of multiple settlements and the ability to manage trade routes adds a new layer of strategy to the gameplay.
The graphics and overall presentation have improved, creating a more immersive experience compared to the first game.

The user interface feels clunky and can make managing settlements chaotic, especially with the new road-building mechanics.
Many players feel that the game has been oversimplified compared to its predecessor, losing some of the depth and complexity that made the first game enjoyable.
There are significant bugs and performance issues, including long loading times and crashes, which detract from the overall experience.

gameplay
50 mentions
20 % positive mentions
74 % neutral mentions
6 % negative mentions
Gameplay in the latest title has received mixed reviews, with some players appreciating the foundational mechanics and new features like vehicle exploration and expedition systems, while others criticize the oversimplification and repetitiveness compared to its predecessor. Many feel that the game lacks depth, with tedious resource management and a basic gameplay loop that detracts from the overall experience. Despite these criticisms, some players acknowledge the potential for improvement and the introduction of new mechanics that could enhance replayability.
- “Endzone 2 retains the core gameplay mechanics of its predecessor, focused on the challenge of building and managing a settlement in a harsh, post-apocalyptic world.”
- “The dynamic weather plays an important role in both gameplay and visual presentation.”
- “Now the gameplay with vehicle exploration is interesting; while some say it's tedious and repetitive, I think it adds good variety on how you play, going into different points of interest and exploring them is a nice change of scenery.”
- “I was incredibly disappointed to find out that the 'new direction' that they went with the sequel involved stripping away the many layers of depth and detail that the predecessor had in favor of a more simplistic gameplay loop, which has made the game feel very shallow.”
- “The gameplay involving the city management part of the game has been very basic.”
- “Cons: in early access the game feels basic, you have a tutorial and a survival mode, the radiation is just a clock to make you speed up building, you need to play multiple towns, exploration game can feel tedious, not much to do except watch numbers go up, you need a few hours to really understand the game, environment is really ugly (look at how beautiful the Tropico games are), gameplay loop is boring.”
graphics
18 mentions
17 % positive mentions
67 % neutral mentions
17 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game have received mixed reviews, with some praising the improved art style and aesthetics, while others criticize the overall quality, lighting issues, and lack of optimization. Players noted that the graphics can appear blurry and less precise compared to the original, and there are concerns about performance when managing larger populations. Overall, while there are positive aspects, significant improvements and optimizations are needed to enhance the visual experience.
- “In conclusion, Endzone 2 is shaping up as a decent successor to its predecessor so far, offering deeper gameplay mechanics and improved graphics.”
- “A city builder with the aesthetics of Endzone, also they improved the graphics and general art of some stuff and I loved that.”
- “Being early access it does have a lot to do and they have a roadmap with new things coming it seems each month, graphics look great as I am playing on PC.”
- “Not only are the graphics just way below the original, but you can't even play the tutorial.”
- “The graphics are not great, lighting is terrible which really?”
- “Graphics are not as smooth and sometimes it's unclear where your buildings are.”
grinding
15 mentions
0 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
100 % negative mentions
Players consistently find the grinding aspect of the game tedious and repetitive, particularly due to the management of multiple settlements and the need to engage in frequent expeditions for resources. The mechanics, while initially interesting, quickly become monotonous as players are required to perform repetitive tasks without sufficient variety or passive options for resource generation. Overall, the gameplay loop is criticized for being boring and lacking engaging content, leading to frustration among users.
- “The balancing act you have to play to keep all the zones in the green gets tedious.”
- “Each settlement is managed separately and their statuses cannot be viewed simultaneously, making them more tedious to manage.”
- “You have to take your little van over to random points of interest around the map, run around them to 'loot' a random pitiful amount of resources, and when you complete enough of it you get your one research point; the points of interest are repetitive, and it feels tedious to say the least.”
optimization
10 mentions
30 % positive mentions
40 % neutral mentions
30 % negative mentions
The game's optimization is a significant concern, with players reporting consistent performance issues, particularly at around 30fps on low settings, especially during high population scenarios. While minor loading performance issues and bugs exist, there are hopes for improvements in future updates, as the game does not appear graphically demanding. Overall, optimization needs considerable attention to enhance the gameplay experience.
- “Right now it has some minor issues concerning loading performance, but I discovered nothing major yet.”
- “Knowing this is in early access and how much I've played so far, I hope they add the much-needed new and re-added content from the first game in further updates and the needed fixes of optimization and bugs to really enjoy this game.”
- “Everything else is pretty solid - the tried and true city building elements like placement optimization, rerolling maps to get the best start, and discovering new ways to play are good fun, despite only one game mode currently.”
- “The sore point, unfortunately, as befits games of the time and strategy, is the optimization; most of the gameplay runs at around 30fps on the lowest settings.”
- “Optimization is needed for sure; changing the graphics settings doesn't seem to help this issue, and the game tends to chug when you have multiple zones and a high population. This is normal and expected in these types of games, but this game also doesn't look very graphically demanding. I've never run into any game freezes or crashes, though.”
- “Really poor play experience, possibly even at an unplayable fps when having multiple zones and high population due to optimization.”
story
9 mentions
22 % positive mentions
44 % neutral mentions
33 % negative mentions
The game's story is criticized for its lack of depth and engagement, with reviewers noting that it feels bland and uninspired compared to its predecessor. There are calls for more narrative elements, such as collectibles and lore, to enrich the experience and provide a sense of history. While some players enjoy the puzzle missions, the overall absence of a compelling story mode detracts from the game's appeal.
- “Lack of collectibles (for example: more lore material found in ruins, books, magazines, newspapers) something to tie up the story and past of Endzone, like the info you get when interacting with radios. The settler can find snippets of the past, but physical ones that you can take with you.”
- “I especially love the 'puzzle' missions where you control a team of survivors directly to explore buildings in the wasteland.”
- “The demo had another aspect that could have differentiated it and gave it some flavor, distinct area housing, but they did away with that, so now it's basically Endzone 1 but boring and without any story whatsoever, and now you can't even tell one building from the next.”
- “It has some graphic issues that need to be fixed, but my main reason for not recommending this game at this time is the lack of story.”
- “The story mode was what kept me playing the first game and sets it apart from other mind-numbing city builders.”
music
7 mentions
43 % positive mentions
57 % neutral mentions
0 % negative mentions
The music in the game has received high praise, with users highlighting the standout track "That Down by the Riverside" and commending the overall soundtrack and sound design. The combination of excellent art style and music enhances the gaming experience, making it a notable aspect of the game.
- “That 'Down by the Riverside' song at the beginning of the game is chef's kiss.”
- “Excellent art style and soundtrack.”
- “Love the graphics, music, and sound.”
stability
6 mentions
67 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
33 % negative mentions
Overall, the game's stability is generally positive, with many users reporting no crashes or freezes. However, some players noted performance issues, particularly in high-population areas, suggesting a need for optimization despite the game's relatively low graphical demands.
- “They took the concepts that worked (most of them) and expanded or polished them; they added some new things I didn't even know I needed, and they did it in a very bug-free and easy-to-dive-into package.”
- “I have had zero issues so far, and the game looks good and runs great.”
- “The game runs great and looks great too.”
- “Optimization is needed for sure; changing the graphics settings doesn't seem to help at all with this issue. The game tends to chug when you have multiple zones and a high population. While this is normal and expected in these types of games, this game also doesn't look very graphically demanding as it should be. I have never run into any game freezes or crashes, though.”
atmosphere
4 mentions
25 % positive mentions
25 % neutral mentions
50 % negative mentions
The atmosphere in the game is a mixed experience; while the detailed buildings and landscapes create a visually impressive and exciting environment, the lack of life and interactive elements in a well-functioning city leads to a sense of detachment and monotony, reducing the experience to mere data management. Some players appreciate the retention of charm from the first game, but overall, the atmosphere can feel bleak and lifeless once the city reaches its peak efficiency.
- “I mean that it kept the atmosphere and the charm of the first game.”
- “When your city reaches a point where it's running smoothly, the game no longer provides any sense of comfort or visual appeal. There are no city atmospheres or additional interactive details; the entire game experience becomes a matter of merely maintaining data balance. There are no citizens, no life, everything is just numbers and data arithmetic, and you feel like a caretaker.”
- “The level of detail in the buildings and landscapes is impressive, with ruined structures, exaggerated forests, and running rivers all contributing to a bleak, but exciting atmosphere.”
replayability
3 mentions
100 % positive mentions
-100 % neutral mentions
100 % negative mentions
The game offers significant replayability through its evolving city-building and survival mechanics, appealing to fans of the original. While some players noted a slow mid-game and a lack of challenge, the overall experience remains enjoyable and encourages multiple playthroughs.
- “Released (sadly still) in early access on Steam on August 26 by Gentlymad Studios and published by Assemble Entertainment, it promises to broadly evolve the city-building and survival mechanics that fans of the first game appreciated, while of course introducing new elements aimed at enhancing the depth and replayability of the experience.”
- “- lots of replayability”
- “Mid game felt a little slow and the game didn't feel very challenging, it's still lacking in those aspects, but overall great game, it's fun as it is and has good replayability.”
- “The game lacks significant changes in gameplay mechanics, making it feel repetitive after just a few playthroughs.”
- “Despite the promise of enhanced replayability, I found myself quickly losing interest due to the limited variety in scenarios.”
- “Once you've experienced the main content, there isn't much incentive to dive back in, as the game doesn't offer enough new challenges.”
monetization
1 mentions
0 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
100 % negative mentions
Reviewers suggest that the game's monetization could benefit from increased advertising to enhance its visibility, as they believe the game's quality warrants greater attention and success.