Citizens of Earth is a game that came out in 2015, and its sequel Citizens of Space came out in 2019. Citizens of Earth tells the story of a bold yet often stupid Vice President of Earth. Citizens of Space follows the story of a similarly audacious and often dimwitted Ambassador of Earth. These two characters exist in different periods. But, in this new combo pack, they will unite to save the universe!
Citizens of Earth is one of my favorite Wii U games. It stands out because when I played the Wii U regularly, I didn’t have money to buy games. Citizens of Earth became a game that I enjoyed a heck of a lot. It tells the story of the Vice President of Earth on his first day in office. He wakes on his first day in the office at home in his mother’s house. He might be a short momma’s boy, but he’s going to do his best to help the citizens who have troubles.
Players recruit forty-four characters this time around, as there are four new characters in this game to recruit. The four new characters from Citizens of Earth include the Enemy Leader and the Ambassador from Citizens of Space. The four characters add to the story and change the plot a little, which is quite fun. Recruiting citizens in this game all comes down to fulfilling what they want. Do what they want, and they will happily join the VP anytime, anywhere, even at the risk of their own lives. Each character has a different power to affect the game. They also each have their attacks at their disposal. This game is a wild and weird RPG, and I can’t help but love it for its wackiness.
The citizens will also chime in during story moments. So players can play this game several times to see how they all react to different things. If the VP isn’t forcing them to protect him, they will stay either at their home base or at a different location. Players never have to feel like they need to backtrack as they might just find these characters anywhere. It gives them a little more life, and I think that’s a good thing. The enemies are strange but rather loveable too. A favorite enemy of mine is the Catctus, a cat-shaped cactus. The number of enemies is pleasing and they all have their strengths and weaknesses. It’s great to unleash different parties to find which group works best in different scenarios. The parties can be so varied because of the citizens the VP chooses to guide around the world.
This game is a weird one, but it is so refreshing. The art style is clean, and it’s reminiscent of Earthbound. Citizens of Space tries to continue this trend but seems to fall flat a bit. The art style might be a little flashier but, it’s less magical than the first game. So futuristic that it changes itself from heartwarming to a little robotic. Still fun but a little less charming, and that’s okay. Citizens of Space is not a love letter to Earthbound like its predecessor. While it still follows a similar style, it becomes more of a modern game. Players will need to complete quick-time events to score extra damage. These minigames are quick, and players will get a lot of practice as they play. I’m a fan of adding a little action to the mix, and they wanted to change things up for the sequel, which is fine. The ambassador might even be less bright than the VP. He doesn’t know much, but he’s so dense; that anyone who listens to him is bound to follow him. There is something about his level of stupidity that is almost endearing. He might just be from some backwater planet called Earth, but he’s going to do his best to change the universe, though he will need a lot of help.
Battle in Citizens of Space relies on action commands, which isn’t a bad thing. It’s always fun seeing how much damage increases when the player successfully clears an action command. Players can adjust the settings to make the commands harder for more rewards. This game is all about making the player comfortable, but that always be changed with a few button presses. The characters in this game are even zanier, and yet, still just as loveable. They fill similar roles to the characters in Citizens of Earth, but there are new jobs. In Space, players meet all sorts of aliens who join the ambassador and his new friends. Some of the characters are pretty helpful and the party changes and grows pretty rapidly. Choosing the best party is again important, so choose wisely.
Battles are also different in Citizens of Spaces as grinding has never been easier. Players can simply continue the fight one after another. If the team completes a battle they can fight for more rewards and experience. If the player feels their team is lacking they can simply find a healing point, and battle to their heart’s content. This game wants to be fun for everyone, and this is a great step to achieving that goal. Characters in this game fall into three categories. They can either battle, support, or be summoned into battle. Battle characters are the most important as they are on the front lines. Partner characters can boost the stats of their partner character so pair wisely. Summons are great because they can cause a great amount of damage in a pinch. The combinations are endless, so mix and match and find the best group to save the universe.
Now Unite changes the game even further by throwing time travel into the mix. This game adds in a new storyline, with new enemies, a new boss, and a new character. Players get to jump between the games at any point in their playthroughs. This seamlessness makes this combo pack even better. The player never has to leave their game to switch; they press a button and then travel through time. Having each main characters appear in both games is pretty cool too. They each bring their weirdness to the other game and it’s interesting seeing how they react to the world they now inhabit. This united game is one that people definitely shouldn’t miss even if they’ve only played Citizens of Earth.
Seeing the two art designs is always thrilling too. The two styles are different yet similar, and the amount of work put into these games is evident. Everything about this combo pack is fantastic and the fact that it leads to a true conclusion for both is even better. I never knew I wanted this combo pack but I’m so glad it came out because I got to experience a fantastic game again.
Citizens of Earth X Space Unite is the ultimate crossover game. It’s clean and crisp, links the games well, and brings two adventures to the Switch in one package. If the player hasn’t played the excellent Citizens of Earth, this is a great deal, and the player should pick it up. The VP and the Ambassador of Earth need to save the world; will the player take command and help save the world?
Disclaimer: A review key was provided