One of the game categories with the largest scale in terms of player control are strategy games. Whereas most games see players controlling a single character or sorting through a series of objects, strategy games often involve controlling entire factions in the name of massive overall objectives. In the context of the Humankind games, that objective has been the advancement of a chosen human civilization. The upcoming sequel Humankind 2 has recently been announced with an overview trailer recently releasing details about the new features available in the game.
Just like with the first game, Humankind 2 will see players command a civilization in human history with the freedom to guide the society however they wish, often resulting in rippling consequences throughout history. A larger focus has been placed on culture in the second game, with the unique human cultures subject to change and be changed by the environments they find themselves in throughout adaptations and allowing for hypotheticals that never happened in history. According to the game’s Steam page, the climate around civilizations with also change with time, encouraging players to adapt as the centuries pass.
Later in the video, the culture system is revealed to be completely reworked from the previous game. Humankind 2 will feature progression trees unique to the chosen culture. Each upgrade available through the progression tree will be unlocked through completing various milestones in advancement such as exploration or diplomacy. The unique bonuses offered will follow players forever after being unlocked, making each decision a heavy investment. Finally, the trailer mentions that players will be able to evolve their cultures by combining aspects from multiple.
While most who play games will never be able to lead a civilization in real life, strategy games such as the Humankind titles offer the chance to do so without the stress attached to it. Humankind 2 is set to release on PC in 2027.