This gameplay video for Frostpunk's Last Autumn DLC shows off worker strikes and more
Full freeze ahead, captain
Last month, the hellishly cold city management game Frostpunk announced an upcoming DLC telling the story of civilisation just before the freeze. At the time, there was only an animated teaser trailer for The Last Autumn. This week, 11 Bit Studios are showing off gameplay from the new DLC with some of the elements you can expect from the prequel story.
The most immediately obvious change is that Site 113 is quite green before the freeze. There's grass and evergreens and only the threat of snow to come rather than an omnipresent white blanket of death coating civilisation. Your task is to complete construction on the giant, central generator that provides warmth and power to your citizens in the original game story.
The Last Autumn changes quite a few fundamental systems from Frostpunk's main campaign. Since the generator isn't yet built, you won't be tracking its power level. Temperature pressure is no longer a factor in maintaining your city but you will have to manage the safety ratings of your construction sites.
With a more temperate setting, you'll be able to build docks on the shore near the city to bring materials in, a limited space that you'll need to use wisely so as not to choke out fishing operations that help feed your people.
Before the all-encompassing freeze it seems that workers still have a notion of rebellion. Without the ever present snow as a common enemy, workers can become dissatisfied with conditions on the generator's construction sites and choose to strike. The gameplay video above shows off just some of the choices you'll have in pacifying them. Building a bathhouse will increase workers' comfort level but may not solve the root causes of complaints. A bribe of extra rations may appease them for a time but embolden them to return with more demands.
As 11 Bit mentioned before, The Last Autumn will also add new Books of Laws related to the pre-freeze society. Spotted in the gameplay video are just a few names: the Bathouse (used to pacify those striking workers), Company Funerals, Extra Rations For The Ill, and several others
The Last Autumn is arriving next week on January 21st. You can grab the DLC on Steam and GOG.com where it is currently 30% off at $11.89. If you already bought the Season Pass for Frostpunk you will have access to The Last Autumn when it is released.
Correction: This article originally stated that 11 Bit had not announced the price for The Last Autumn. It has now been added.