I was excited to dive into New Cycle when I saw it was up for review. As someone who considers himself a retro gamer, finding a game that grabs my attention is pretty rare these days. However, there are still those moments when I see a game and it grabs me, and I become addicted to it for a while. I often find myself enjoying the odd strategy game like SimCity or other games where you really have to plan out your next move and the consequences that can arise from it.
So it comes as no surprise that when I saw the game New Cycle developed by Core Engage, I was immediately interested and thought it could be a new, challenging game for me to try and grasp the concept and see if I could master it.
New Cycle’s storyline involves civilization being destroyed along with all technology that came with it, and it is up to you to not only rebuild your settlement but also to help your people survive in the process against the world’s unforgiving tendencies and weather. From bitterly cold and harsh winters to the scorching heat and droughts that can come in summer, the world is always changing around you adding to your challenge.
“New Cycle is not only a game that will put you to the test of settlement building but will challenge you to make sure everyone in your community works together not only to survive but grow as a whole.”
The first time I played New Cycle, I went through the tutorial to learn the basics of the game and understand how everything worked, rather than jumping into the game blindly and having no idea what to do. While it took me a little while to get going and realize that where you place your various structures and buildings can have a big impact on how your game will play out, in no time at all I was off to the races and had my own little community and was learning how to take care of its population.
At least until I learned how resources can run out, leaving you to problem-solve and find more, throughout my first playthrough of New Cycle, I found it difficult to grasp all the concepts and learn how everything was interconnected and had to work together to function properly and efficiently.
At least until I learned how resources can run out, leaving you to solve problems and find more. During my first playthrough of New Cycle, I struggled to grasp all the concepts and learn how everything was interconnected and had to work together to function properly and efficiently.
It wasn’t until a little while after when I started digging deeper into the game, that I was able to truly get a real appreciation for New Cycle and the mechanics that it holds. Trying the game a few days later with a better understanding, I was able to very quickly build a thriving settlement that was able not only to grow but also thrive off the resources I was able to locate.
The gameplay was similar to that of a typical “city builder” style game such as SimCity, but the survival aspects give New Cycle a truly challenging feel to the game that I have not experienced with any other game I have tried out in the past. New Cycle not only had me carefully deciding what my community would need but also gave additional thoughts into how I would allocate what people would do to ensure proper survival.
The graphics and visuals in New Cycle were quite impressive compared to other similar games I have played, as you can zoom right into different individuals and even click on them to hear their opinions on how life is for them. In various types of weather, you can see precipitation falling briefly or dust blowing during sandstorms, etc.
At least, in my opinion, New Cycle is not only a game that will put you to the test of settlement building but will challenge you to make sure everyone in your community works together not only to survive but grow as a whole. While it can take some time to truly master this style of game, once you get the hang of how everything works, you can easily find yourself playing for several hours on end without even realizing how much time has passed. I look forward to seeing what games Core Engage will produce in the future, as New Cycle has thoroughly captured my attention.
