Red Solstice 2: Survivors

Red Solstice 2: Survivors is a decent game hindered by iffy AI, spiking difficulty, and a feeling of disconnect between player and game.

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Red Solstice 2: Survivors is a real-time strategy game that combines single-player and multiplayer co-op modes for 2-8 players. As the leader of a secret task force, command your squad to fight against STROL mutants and find a cure for the virus threatening mankind. With deep strategy and engaging combat, quickly make decisions to survive in this harsh world. The game boasts marvelous mechanics and beautiful visuals, but be prepared for some grinding and bugs.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Reviews

73%

Audience ScoreBased on 1,094 reviews

gameplay65 positive mentions

story47 negative mentions

Fun and engaging gameplay, especially in multiplayer with friends.
Great variety of classes, weapons, and customization options.
Active developer support with regular updates and bug fixes.

Bugs and glitches can disrupt gameplay, including AI pathfinding issues.
Campaign missions can feel repetitive and lack depth.
The user interface is confusing and lacks clear explanations for mechanics.

story
522 mentions
7 % positive mentions
84 % neutral mentions
9 % negative mentions
The story in "Red Solstice 2: Survivors" is often criticized for being lackluster and poorly paced, with many players finding the narrative unengaging and repetitive. Missions tend to feel generic and are plagued by bugs that disrupt gameplay, leading to frustration. While the game offers a cooperative experience and some interesting mechanics, the overall execution of the story and mission design leaves much to be desired, making it difficult for players to become invested in the plot.
- “The storyline is compelling and there is much fun to be had trying different builds out across a variety of classes with weapons/abilities ranging from the standard conventional ones like assault rifles/shotgun/minigun/etc to shoulder mounted plasma cannons and back mounted rocket pods to calling orbital death rays.”
- “The campaign has a nice XCOM vibe to it that makes the Strol virus plot more engaging.”
- “So far everything is a great continuation from the original, especially with the lore and story as well that I personally adore.”
- “The story of the campaign is frankly pretty atrocious, and if you were hoping for an interesting or coherent narrative, then you will want to look elsewhere.”
- “All this is pretty sad because the game looks great, plays great, has tons of great ideas and makes you want to explore it but is ultimately tarnished by frustrating mechanics and a story which seems to throw new characters at you without introducing them or the faction they belong to.”
- “Campaign story feels boring and is hard to get hooked into.”
gameplay
197 mentions
33 % positive mentions
61 % neutral mentions
6 % negative mentions
The gameplay of "Red Solstice 2" is characterized by a mix of engaging mechanics, strategic depth, and a steep learning curve, offering a variety of builds and cooperative play options that enhance replayability. However, players have noted issues with repetitive missions, frustrating mechanics, and bugs that can detract from the overall experience. While the core gameplay is enjoyable and reminiscent of classic strategy-action hybrids, it may not appeal to everyone due to its grindy nature and lack of clear explanations for some mechanics.
- “The gameplay is what really makes this so fun.”
- “The gameplay is straightforward and the customization, replay value, and co-op experience are absolutely amazing.”
- “Overall just really fun gameplay and interesting design.”
- “The added strategy layer slows down gameplay to a crawl and floods gameplay with so much filler content, missions, objectives.”
- “The gameplay lacks quality and refinement; we encountered numerous bugs, the writing is, at points, confusing, and the repetitive nature of the missions and gameplay is exhausting after the first few hours.”
- “Sadly, the gameplay gets stale very quickly.”
graphics
55 mentions
53 % positive mentions
42 % neutral mentions
5 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game have received generally positive feedback, with many users praising the detailed environments, aesthetic design, and visual effects, particularly in weaponry and destruction. However, some critiques mention a lack of vibrancy, with certain areas appearing overly brown or visually cluttered, making it difficult to discern details. Overall, while the graphics are considered a significant improvement over the previous installment, there are suggestions for further enhancements, particularly in user interface design and environmental clarity.
- “Environments are varied, and I love the whole aesthetic and structures.”
- “I love the visuals and attention to detail.”
- “The graphics are beautiful and use the Unreal Engine to its full potential; outside of AAA titles, you won't find much better.”
- “The graphics are a little brown, the story is thoroughly uninteresting, and the characters are boring space marine archetypes with no character to their aesthetic, which doesn't help anything either.”
- “The main menu, the plot world map UI, there are Chinese penguins and QQ group numbers; it is really ugly and very playful, and I don’t deal with the art style.”
- “Lackdown in graphics and audio aspects.”
stability
48 mentions
4 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
96 % negative mentions
The game's stability has been widely criticized, with many users reporting frequent bugs and glitches that can disrupt gameplay, such as campaign save issues and mission objectives failing. While some players note that the development team is actively working on fixes and improvements, the overall experience remains inconsistent, with many expressing frustration over the game's current state. Despite these issues, some players still find the game enjoyable, indicating that while it is buggy, it has potential for fun gameplay.
- “Seriously well made and practically bug free.”
- “Quite buggy still, mostly minor but had my campaign saves, including manual save reset to way back near the beginning of my campaign, which I've never seen before, and I used to functional test games for a living.”
- “This game is super buggy; NPCs don't spawn or spawn outside the map, making the game unplayable. Sometimes quests don't update, and then you just fail for no reason. Side quests don't give you indicators of what you get from extra quests in the field.”
- “It's clear the devs put a lot of effort into this game, and it shows in some cases, but this will be an exceedingly buggy experience to the point that new players simply won't know what is supposed to happen.”
grinding
29 mentions
0 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
100 % negative mentions
The grinding aspect of the game has received mixed reviews, with many players finding it tedious and repetitive, particularly in mission design and leveling systems. While some appreciate the variety of builds and tactics available, others feel that the lack of clear direction and incentives for redoing tasks contributes to a frustrating experience. Overall, the game may appeal to hardcore gamers who enjoy grinding, but it can be off-putting for those seeking a more streamlined and engaging gameplay experience.
- “My only complaint is that they could have made it a lot less grindy feeling.”
- “No incentives to redo medals once you have acquired them, so anyone new has to slug through many hours of grinding to get the bots to general rank before you can even attempt the harder ones.”
- “The gameplay itself is a ton of fun, but the base management and travel elements are overwhelming and grindy.”
replayability
24 mentions
38 % positive mentions
50 % neutral mentions
13 % negative mentions
The game offers significant replayability through its engaging single-player campaign, diverse classes, and cooperative multiplayer modes, allowing for varied strategies and team dynamics. Players appreciate the randomization of missions and the addition of DLCs, which enhance the overall experience and keep gameplay fresh. While some users noted a decline in replayability due to changes in skirmish mode, the overall consensus is that the game's customization options and multiplayer features provide ample replay value.
- “The gameplay is very engaging; the variation among enemies and equipment allows for a lot of replayability and the game doesn't get stale, despite the repetitive elements.”
- “Being able to drop in with seven different players all with different loadouts adds a lot of strategies to the game and so many different ways to customize between loadouts and classes gives this game a great amount of replayability.”
- “The singleplayer campaign is cool, but the addicting replayability of the game is the 'skirmish' multiplayer mode.”
- “Still not happy at all about skirmish mode losing the core feature of AI helpers, because this kills most of the game's replayability for me, which was its main draw, but story mode can be enjoyed anyway like that.”
- “The main part of the replayability is the combat.”
- “Still, the gameplay is very engaging; the variation among enemies and equipment allows for a lot of replayability and the game doesn't get stale, despite the repetitive elements.”
optimization
17 mentions
18 % positive mentions
53 % neutral mentions
29 % negative mentions
Overall, the game's optimization has received mixed reviews, with many players reporting significant performance issues, including stuttering and crashes, even on high-end rigs. While some users noted improvements in specific areas, such as reduced FPS drops through model adjustments, the consensus is that the game remains poorly optimized and still suffers from persistent bugs. Players are advised to wait for further updates before diving in.
- “The weapon modding gives the option to increase the performance of a weapon, providing drawbacks in return as well as changing the color and pattern of the weapon.”
- “This game runs smoothly and is really well designed.”
- “I experienced no map desync, no save file loss, performance has been greatly improved as I see no more FPS drops (apparently all the devs did was add LOD to models, reducing polygon counts, so thank God the performance drop was not due to programming problems; easy fix).”
- “Another thing that annoyed me with this game is that it is not properly optimized.”
- “After being away for 1 year, the game has not fixed old bugs and performance is even worse now.”
- “The performance is regularly bad and the game still has several annoying bugs.”
music
15 mentions
27 % positive mentions
53 % neutral mentions
20 % negative mentions
The music in the game is generally described as good but not particularly memorable, with some players noting that it effectively supports the game's atmosphere and tension during combat. However, there are criticisms regarding the lack of variety and a more substantial soundtrack, with some suggesting that the music can feel sparse or even boring at times. Overall, while the sound design is appreciated, it may not stand out compared to other titles in the genre.
- “The music is very good at supporting the pressure, the combat action, the unknown, the hordes of mutants, the darkness.”
- “Sound is great and the music does a good job of building tension throughout play.”
- “The graphics, music, combat, and gameplay were better than the first, giving it an X-COM: Apocalypse feel to it.”
- “Only thing I'd really suggest to do is create a sci-fi ambient horror playlist on Spotify, turn off in-game music, and let it run in the background.”
- “Music is... well... boring, comparable to ASMR audio clips, great to make someone fall asleep.”
- “Even when there is a horde, there is no scale in the music to pump up any excitement.”
humor
9 mentions
89 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
11 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is a mixed bag, with some players finding fat jokes outdated and annoying, while others appreciate the cheesy, quirky moments that evoke laughter, such as amusing character lines and gameplay mishaps. The multiplayer experience is particularly noted for its chaotic and funny interactions, making it enjoyable when played with friends. Overall, the humor adds a lighthearted touch to the otherwise intense gameplay, creating memorable and entertaining moments.
- “It can be hilarious... or frustrating.”
- “I mean a guy who says 'yes, I have a stroll virus' in a grampy grandad voice is cheesy and funny, but this weather forecaster guy...”
- “Multiplayer seems to have similar shenanigans as before, minus some of the friendly fire mechanics that have hilariously enough caused mass extinction events (defuse nuke and then shooting it...).”
atmosphere
8 mentions
63 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
38 % negative mentions
The game's atmosphere is widely praised for its gloomy and immersive qualities, particularly appealing to fans of the Alien franchise. The soundtrack enhances the mood, contributing to a sense of tension and engagement, while the character and level design evoke a classic horror aesthetic. Overall, the atmosphere effectively balances strategic gameplay with a rich, atmospheric experience.
- “It is a very atmospheric, gloomy game. As a big fan of the Alien franchise, I won't be disappointed.”
- “The soundtrack is atmospheric and helps to get you into the mood for trashing some zombies.”
- “That would help the game's atmosphere and level of boredom for the early game.”
- “Apart from all the other mission types, there are story missions and different NPCs that add to the atmosphere.”
- “I love the style, atmosphere, and character design.”
character development
3 mentions
33 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
67 % negative mentions
Character development in the game has been criticized for being unbalanced and lacking depth, with reviewers noting a lack of meaningful progression for both units and NPCs. While the overall style and atmosphere are appreciated, the storyline and character development aspects are seen as underwhelming, leading to a less engaging single-player experience.
- “I love the style, atmosphere, and character design.”
- “But the single player mode is not complete due to the unbalanced character design.”
- “Storyline: 5/10 - a watered down XCOM 2 feel, minus any actual character development of your units or NPCs.”
monetization
2 mentions
150 % positive mentions
-150 % neutral mentions
100 % negative mentions
The monetization strategy of the game has drawn criticism for perceived greed, despite the absence of in-game microtransactions and a lack of support from a major publisher. Players express frustration over technical issues, such as crashes during loading, which detract from their experience.
- “The game has absolutely no in-game microtransactions, which is a refreshing change in today's gaming landscape.”
- “It's great to see a game that prioritizes player experience over aggressive monetization strategies.”
- “The absence of a AAA publisher allows for a more genuine and player-focused approach to monetization.”
- “Truly a crime, what a bunch of greedy bastards they are for wanting to get their bills, employees, and licenses paid while they support a game with absolutely no in-game microtransactions, nor a AAA publisher to boot!”
- “I have 36 minutes of playtime on this game, yet I have never been past the advertisements at load as it will crash when reaching the main menu.”
emotional
2 mentions
150 % positive mentions
-50 % neutral mentions
0 % negative mentions
Reviewers highlight the emotional depth of the game, particularly in the single-player experience, noting that the developers' down-to-earth and wholesome approach enhances the overall emotional connection players feel.
- “The developers are truly down to earth and wholesome, which adds a personal touch to the emotional experience of the game.”
- “The single-player mode has seen the most significant improvements, enhancing the emotional depth of the narrative.”
- “The emotional journey throughout the game left a lasting impact on me, making me feel deeply connected to the characters.”