New Cycle: A City-Building Strategy Game Inspired by Frostpunk and Anno
Cologne, Germany – As gamers immerse themselves in the challenging world of Frostpunk, developer Core Engage has been inspired to create their own city-building strategy game, New Cycle. This upcoming game seeks to offer a more toned-down difficulty while still capturing the essence of survival in a post-apocalyptic setting.
During Gamescom 2023 in Cologne, I had the opportunity to witness firsthand what New Cycle has to offer. The developers revealed that their game draws inspiration from both Frostpunk and Anno series. While it shares a post-apocalyptic theme, this time caused by a solar flare, New Cycle aims to deliver a more upbeat and demanding gameplay experience.
Players will start from scratch, developing a city by carefully allocating resources and workers to operate and manage various facilities and buildings. Creating a sustainable resource generation system becomes crucial to expand the size and capability of the town. This involves tasks such as hunting for food in the wilderness, cutting trees for wood, and even brewing beer to keep spirits high.
The initial stage of settlement resembles a typical city-building game, but New Cycle takes a unique industrial approach as it grows. With influences from games like Factorio, players will navigate through a more crowded, mechanized environment. Conveyor belts and efficient systems become prevalent as the gameplay progresses.
To add further depth and challenges, New Cycle introduces seasons that impact gameplay, making survival more difficult. A weather system also throws additional hurdles into the mix. Additionally, players can explore an extensive skill tree to enhance the efficiency of their city and its inhabitants. The game is interwoven with a narrative that empowers players to make decisions that shape the story and the world in which their town resides.
However, New Cycle extends beyond town boundaries. Players have the opportunity to send explorers into the wilds, discovering additional resources and even encountering other settlements. By taking control of these settlements, players can expand their influence, although this comes with the challenge of managing more systems and people.
Core Engage has designed New Cycle with advanced analytics and information systems. These tools help players determine the optimal locations for resources and assess the effectiveness of their buildings before construction. The game also tracks the happiness of residents, as their morale and responsiveness can impact the overall success of the city.
New Cycle is set to be a deep and complex experience in the city-building strategy genre. It will launch on PC in Early Access over the winter season. Core Engage plans to continuously add more advanced production levels and additional features during the Early Access phase, leading to the eventual 1.0 release.
As fans eagerly await its release, it seems that New Cycle has the potential to captivate strategy game enthusiasts who crave a challenging yet engaging post-apocalyptic gaming experience.