New Cycle Preview: "Sturdy Foundations For A Solid City-Building Game"

screenrant.com:

is the latest post-apocalyptic PC city builder that delves deep into the stark realities of how the human industrial complex may eventually doom Earth. Developed by newcomers Core Engage and published by Daedalic Entertainment, the game entered its Early Access phase on January 18, 2024. In what is quickly becoming a crowded field of quality city-building games, stands out as a solid entry with a few unique concepts melded together for a sometimes overly complex but generally satisfying experience.

Set in an environmentally ravaged, hyper-industrialized future of 2073, thrusts people into the role of a city manager of a fledgling society dealing with the effects of solar flares that destroyed all technology on the planet. Rusted industrial buildings and factory machinery embody a Dieselpunk aesthetic, leading to a grim vision that sets the stage for the game. While doesn't do anything too innovative for the genre, it has a wide range of features and solid city-builder mechanics set in an interesting universe.

will initially feel familiar to those who have played other city-building games. Starting with a small population and town hall, one will expand out while harvesting resources from the map and building up production lines to feed a growing economy. Population caps and other prerequisites dictate the overall «Cycle» that society is in and what level of technology can be researched. There is a large variety of Cycles, each one bringing new enhancements and opportunities for efficiency upgrades via a pretty extensive tech tree.

currently has two main game modes, the campaign and a sandbox mode, with two other game modes slated to release in the future called Old Ways and Sanity. Currently, three different biomes act as the game's maps, each offering unique debuffs and environmental and resource differences that make each playthrough unique. Like other city builders, there are seasons, with winters being especially brutal, as well as a number of environmental