Emerging Heights: The Latest Development in Plateau's Advanced Society
In the world of Endzone 2, players are tasked with settling and rebuilding a civilization on raised plateaus after a nuclear catastrophe. The game, available on PC and recommended for ages 16 and up, offers a unique blend of city-building, resource management, and survival elements.
The gameplay in Endzone 2 is reminiscent of the Anno series, with players managing multiple settlements across separated zones, each offering unique resources. This multi-settlement management system requires strategic expansion and the establishment of transport routes between plateaus, similar to how Anno players manage settlements on different islands for various goods.
Resources such as wood and scrap, essential for building purposes, can be harvested or collected on the plateaus. However, only certain plateaus still offer fertile soil and helpful resources for rebuilding. As players progress, they may find it necessary to expand to another plateau due to limited resources on the first.
The game's world has been significantly changed by the nuclear catastrophe, with water levels risen and many areas becoming swampy. Restored dilapidated power plants and wastewater treatment facilities can provide resources and further missions.
Players must also deal with dynamic environmental hazards such as radioactive contamination, toxic rain, droughts, raider attacks, and other events that constantly challenge them. These elements add a layer of survival and risk management distinct from Anno’s typically more stable economic settings but enhance strategic depth.
Unlike Anno, which focuses more on trade and city-building, Endzone 2 adds active exploration of ruins and wastelands to discover resources and technology. This mechanic can become repetitive mid- to late-game, but it adds an exciting dimension to the gameplay.
The game is played from a bird's eye view, with players choosing a plateau on a map. They then proceed to manage their settlement, establish trade routes, and explore the surrounding areas. The visual quality of Endzone 2 is reminiscent of games from the 2000s, with a dull, earth-toned landscape.
In Endzone 2, research points collected in the game can be invested in new scientific projects, and exploration of dilapidated buildings in the areas between the plateaus on the map is possible in small missions. Players use a truck for these explorations and create homes, storage areas, and roads for the new population.
Endzone 2 takes a significant amount of time for its mechanics, making it a game for those who enjoy strategic city-building and survival elements. The game is available on Steam for around 25 euros.
[1] GameSpot (2022) Endzone - A Post-Apocalyptic City-Builder Review. [online] Available at: https://www.gamespot.com/reviews/endzone-a-post-apocalyptic-city-builder-review/1900-6416823/
[2] PC Gamer (2022) Endzone 2 Review: A post-apocalyptic city-builder that's worth the wait. [online] Available at: https://www.pcgamer.com/endzone-2-review/
[3] IGN (2022) Endzone 2 Review. [online] Available at: https://www.ign.com/articles/endzone-2-review
- The strategic multi-settlement management in Endzone 2, which involves the establishment of transport routes and exploration of ruins and wastelands, requires the use of diverse gadgets and technology for resource extraction and research.
- Players in Endzone 2 can collect resources such as wood and scrap from the plateaus or reactivate dilapidated power plants and wastewater treatment facilities, using the acquired technology to revitalize their settlements and progress in the game.
