If Disco Elysium were Lord of the Rings, Citizen Sleeper would be The Da Vinci Code. One is an enthralling epic that redefines the literary canon with its incredible weight and substance, and the other is a quick romp that briefly entertains and is ultimately discarded. They’re both trying to be very different things, and although they bear superficial similarities, comparing them is ultimately pointless. They’re simply in entirely different weight classes.

As a narrative game, the million dollar question is obvious: is the narrative any good? There are lots of elements that go into a good narrative game. Characters need to be rich and present themselves in compelling ways. The setting needs to be interesting (and preferably a little dangerous). Stakes needs to rise and fall, and the player needs to have some agency over responding to the shifting tensions that arise. In all these things, Citizen Sleeper excels. Plus, the soundtrack is a bop.

It also delivers a very modern and evocative investigation into the themes of cyberpunk. Anti-corporatism, indentured servitude, refugee and resource crises, the rights of artificial lifeforms, transhumanism, the plight of the working class…a truly dizzying array of topics and perspectives are explored in a tight timeframe and with remarkable skill. The narrative flourishes are light but sure, effortlessly moving you between hope and despair as the narrative unfurls. It tugs at the heartstrings, and I finished the game with a lump in my throat.

Despite all this, when you take a step back and look at the big picture, some problems emerge. There is a significant issue with ludo-narrative dissonance; that is, when a game’s story doesn’t gel well with the gameplay. Put simply, Citizen Sleeper has an anticapitalist story that is undermined by gameplay where success hinges on you acting like a capitalist. It’s a mixed message that undermines the radicalism of the narrative. Anyone who is interested in learning more about this issue should read the exceptional review from TeN here.

Setting fancy problems like ludo-narrative dissonance aside, the other issue is more practical. I’m a fairly fast reader and the gameplay mechanics are exceptionally simple. I was finished with the game in three hours, and those exceptionally simple mechanics don’t really tempt me towards multiple run throughs. I had hoped for a bit more meat on these bones for the price I had to pay, and I’d strongly recommend getting Citizen Sleeper on sale if you are looking to pick it up.

Citizen Sleeper doesn’t look good next to Disco Elysium. Heck, it doesn’t even look that great next to Roadwarden. It’s smaller in ambition, more modest in scope, and less trailblazing in narrative than its peers. But although the offering is humbler, the sincerity shines through, and it still delivers a story that stirs the emotions. It’s quality light entertainment for any fan of sci-fi.

Essentially a text based adventure with a small amount of RNG. Or maybe the dice were just in my favor. I did enjoy having the game restart at the nearest save for many of the multiple ending moments so that I could easily continue (and not end the game).

Too much reading