Jump Over the Age’s Citizen Sleeper was my favourite game of 2022 (and we recently reviewed its sequel, Citizen Sleeper 2: Starward Vector). As much as I was enthralled by the story, the characters and the gameplay, it was the art and design of the game that stayed with me long after the credits had rolled. Of particular note was that unmistakeable shade of magenta (known as ‘Citizen Magenta’) that formed an integral part of the game’s branding and motifs. It was an equal part of my memories of the game as Sleeper’s own journey to get off Erlin’s Eye (the space station where the game is set).
Flash-forward to earlier this year, and Lost in Cult‘s Design Works (a range of comprehensive artbooks that dive deep into much more than just the art) treatment of Citizen Sleeper arrived on my doorstep. I had some idea of what to expect, but judging by the look of disdain on the postman’s face as he heaved the package out of his oversized backpack, it would appear this was a heftier bundle than previously imagined.
See how that magenta shines? Anyway, this is the deluxe edition of Citizen Sleeper: Design Works, and it includes the following bits and bobs:
- Deluxe box with metallic finish and magnetic clasp
- Spot Gloss hardcover book
- “Citizen Magenta” OBI strip
- A5 Citizen Sleeper 2 Art Print
- Deluxe Cycles of the Eye tabletop roleplaying game book with gloss wrap cover
- Deluxe Holographic Foil 78 Card Tarot Deck
- 5 Energy Dice (Yellow)
- 5 Cycle Dice (Citizen Magenta)
- Bookmark
- Patches
While I certainly do love me some patches, it was the artbook that I was most eager to explore. I haven’t always been a fan of (or even actively interested in) concept art, but something about the minimalistic but busy art style of this game had me hooked, and hungry for more.
The book is a premium 250-pager that celebrates Citizen Sleeper with concept art, sketches, and storyboards from the main game and its DLCs (Flux, Refuge, and Purge), along with solo developer Gareth Damian Martin’s insights into the creative process. Writer Ewan Wilson does a marvellous job with the interviews to flesh out the design philosophy, game development process and approach to artistic storytelling.
Personally, I most enjoyed learning about how the world came together and the places Gareth sought inspiration — whether that’s the Walled City of Kowloon lending reference material to the Lowend residential district or the process that led to settling on the ‘skyscraper’ look for the Shipyard. Even if you’ve never heard of the game, Citizen Sleeper: Design Works will at least motivate you to check out a trailer to see what all this noise is about.
Having thumbed through the book, it was time to check out what else was in the shiny magenta box. And the first thing I laid eyes on was the velvety bag of dice that looked exactly like their in-game counterparts. These help add to the immersion when you’re playing Cycles of the Eye, the solo tabletop RPG that’s included with the deluxe box set. I’ll be honest, it took me forever-and-a-half to wholly understand the mechanics and the fact that the narrative largely takes place in the mind (no gamemasters here), but eventually, I began to dig it. Having played both the Citizen Sleeper games, there were plenty of references that I was able to appreciate, and for the most part, it was engrossing. However, I did wonder how often I’d be able to clear out some time (and my mind) to invest myself fully into it in the future.
Elsewhere, there’s a smattering of fun stuff like patches, a bookmark and some A5 prints that depict the artwork of Citizen Sleeper 2: Starward Vector. But for my money, it’s the book that carries the entire package, and rightly so. It is the hero of the package, after all, and it is highly recommended for fans of the games, interesting art, sci-fi or simply great design. Cycles of the Eye has its moments, but when you’ve got a main course that’s so appetising and filling, do the sides really matter?
Title GIF credit: Lost in Cult
