The original Endzone is a certified hidden gem. A spiritual mix of Fallout, Cities Skylines, and Luke Hodorowicz's beloved Banished, it puts you in charge of a fledgling survivalist settlement, in the aftermath of the end of the world. Deep systems; gorgeous, steampunk-inflected visuals; a subtle mix of relaxing city builders and high-intensity strategy games – Endzone has deservedly found a place in the canon of cult PC hits. The sequel, however, has struggled. Its foundations are strong. The updates so far have made some vital changes. But six months since launch and Endzone 2 is still finding its feet. "There's room for improvement," Matthias Guntrum, head of developer Gentlymad its. Speaking exclusively to PCGamesN, he explains how Endzone 2 is mounting the comeback.
It's not all bad. On the contrary, scores for strategy game has earned the all-important 'mostly positive' rating on Steam. But Guntrum and the rest of Gentlymad are aware that players are not fully satisfied. For some series fans, Endzone 2 is too similar to the original game to fully justify a sequel. For others, it's too different, and fundamentally compromises what makes the first Endzone work. At the moment, Gentlymad's focus is on finding the harmony between Endzone 2's warring philosophical parents.
"While our goal was to create a worthy successor and include many of the features players wished for in Endzone, we've encountered that Endzone 2 feels quite different from the original," Guntrum says. "This shift in gameplay direction has surprised some returning players, and we understand that not everyone expected such a change in focus. That's something we're actively working on by gradually reintroducing familiar features and mechanics from the first game, while still maintaining the core vision of Endzone 2."
Compared to the original, which was a little simpler, Endzone 2 feels more like a factory simulation game; the building, logistics, and economy systems have more layers, and there are more tools for creating larger settlements. The explorative, RPG element is stronger, too – you can customize and reinforce an old bus, and freely drive through the wasteland looking for spots to start new towns. Somewhere in here is the game that Gentlymad and its fans want Endzone 2 to be. Guntrum says it's about balance.
"Our goal is to bridge that gap between what returning players loved and the new gameplay depth we've introduced," he explains. "There's still room for improvement. The UI could be more intuitive, especially for newcomers. And adding features like multiplayer, co-op, or a story campaign would definitely increase replayability. Overall, Endzone 2 builds meaningfully on its predecessor, but there's still a lot of potential to expand.
"In 2025, I think strategy games and city builders are definitely evolving. With so much competition, it's no longer just about building cities or managing resources – it's about combining those core mechanics with fresh ideas, unique settings, and new gameplay twists."
So, what comes next? How do you take a respectably performing but still kind of struggling game and make it better? If you launch a game and it's a total catastrophe, the things that need fixing are probably immediately apparent – when something is on fire, at least you know that the solution is to put out the flames. But making minor amendments, little tweaks, and surgical changes takes more time and understanding. Gentlymad, nevertheless, has a plan.
A new Endzone 2 update has just arrived, adding extra construction tools, new buildings, and even fresh mechanics. Radiation is a major problem, but you now have amenities that you can use to clean it up, cleansing any irradiated ground before you settle there. Sandstorms now damage buildings, and you can craft beer and drugs, and sell them at the new bar, to help keep up your citizens' morale. On the contrary, outbreaks of disease can now land your people in hospital, and you can decide and dictate what resources you commit to their care – will you be benevolent, or a brutal pragmatist?
And still, there's more to come. "There's something big planned for the future," Guntrum concludes. "Something Endzone fans have been craving since launch…" He can't say what this is yet, but hopefully it will mark another step in Endzone 2's comeback journey.
Exactly what that is, Guntrum can't say. But despite the enormous competition in the strategy genre right now, and the fact it struggled back in August, it still feels like Endzone 2 could find the same or greater success as its predecessor.