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In the vast universe of indie games, it’s a rare occasion to discover a game that truly revolutionizes storytelling and gameplay dynamics. New Cycle is the newest sensation that has recently taken the gaming community by storm, offering a groundbreaking experience that combines a compelling narrative with innovative gameplay mechanics. So, I decided to cover a quick New Cycle review that aims to introduce the core of the game and explore its multifaceted storyline, immersive gameplay, stunning graphics, and exceptional auditory quality. Join me as I analyze New Cycle and uncover why this game is not just another addition to the gaming world but an innovative cycle in interactive entertainment.
A Story That Transcends Time
At the heart of New Cycle is a story that weaves complex characters, a richly built world, and a narrative that challenges players to think deeply about their choices and their repercussions. The game introduces us to a post-apocalyptic world where society has been forced to start anew, pushing players to navigate through moral dilemmas, alliances, and the struggle for survival in a beautifully crafted storyline that is both engaging and thought-provoking.
In the year 2073, a series of catastrophic solar flares caused widespread devastation, throwing human society into chaos. The technological advancements of the past were almost entirely lost, leaving the remaining humans struggling to survive. Despite these challenges, there is still hope for a new era to begin. Your task is to establish a settlement and develop it from a small community to a thriving industrial metropolis. Your primary goal is to ensure the survival of your people against all odds.
For me, the story of the New Cycle immerses players completely, making every decision weighty and every consequence meaningful.
Gameplay: A Blend of Innovation and Nostalgia
New Cycle is a video game that focuses on city building and survival. The game reinvents the wheel with its gameplay, seamlessly blending strategy, action, and role-playing elements to offer a unique gaming experience.
You’ll design and expand your settlement using either a free form or grid-based format and collect and produce new resources to advance your civilization. As you progress, you will learn the more advanced and complex methods of the past for producing goods on a large scale.
The game also stands out for its dynamic world, where environments change, and player actions truly shape the course of the game. This hostile world will challenge you with sand storms, shortages, wildfires, and other natural disasters. It is also worth knowing that the game currently has a Meadow, Tundra, and Steppe biome, with a Mountain biome slated to be released in the future.
In order to succeed in the game, it’s important to ensure that your people’s basic needs are met. This includes providing them with food, water, tools, and clothes, as well as regulating their daily work schedule. Additionally, if you can enrich their lives with entertainment, prevent diseases, and improve their overall health, you’ll have a better chance of achieving success.
New Cycle currently offers two main game modes: the campaign and sandbox mode. Two more game modes, Old Ways and Sanity, are slated for release in the future. The game features three different biomes, each with unique debuffs, environmental conditions, and resource differences, making each playthrough unique. Similar to other city-building games, New Cycle has seasons, with winters being particularly brutal. Additionally, various environmental effects can sometimes destroy buildings.
In addition to the basic city-building concepts, the game has several other unique mechanics. For instance, it has a World Map that can be explored by sending surveying parties to discover neighboring regions. Workers and resources can then be allocated to these new regions to provide additional raw materials, although building in these new areas is not possible. Residents will also make requests in the form of missions to improve their overall quality of life, helping players navigate the game’s more complex concepts. Certain decisions made in the game may provide buffs or debuffs to the city.
New Cycle Available Platforms and System Requirements
New Cycle is kind of an indie game, even though it doesn’t seem like one. So you may expect to see the game to be accessible to a wide audience, but it’s not.
New Cycle is currently available only on PCs on Steam. And you need at least the following system requirements to run the game on your PC:
- OS: Windows 10/11 64-bit
- Processor: Intel Core i5-4590 @ 3.3 GHz | AMD FX 8320 @ 3.5 GHz
- Memory: 8 GB RAM
- Graphics: GeForce GTX 960 (3GB VRAM) | AMD Radeon R9 280 (3GB VRAM) or equivalent
- DirectX: Version 11
- Storage: 8 GB available space
- Sound Card: DirectX-compatible using the latest drivers
- Additional Notes: Target Performance: >30FPS @ 1080p using medium graphical settings
Here are the recommended system requirements for the New Cycle:
- OS: Windows 10/11 64-bit
- Processor: Intel Core i5-7400 @ 3.0 GHz | AMD Ryzen 5 2600X @ 3.6 GHz
- Memory: 16 GB RAM
- Graphics: NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 SUPER | AMD RX 5700-XT or better
- DirectX: Version 11
- Storage: 8 GB available space
- Sound Card: DirectX-compatible using the latest drivers
- Additional Notes: Target Performance: 60FPS @ 1080p using high graphical settings
Final Words on New Cycle
New Cycle is a new city-building strategy game that has a lot to offer. It has many different features that make it feel deep and replayable. However, it may feel overwhelming to beginners due to the sheer number of mechanics. Also, the game is just getting started when you consider it is still an early-access game. As we mentioned above, even its early access mode has some cool gaameplay features like advisors, trade agreements, agriculture systems, disasters, and challenging maps. Some of these changes will help the game come into its own, but even now, it’s a good game with some smart changes to an already strong formula. The pacing could be improved, especially for people who are new to city builders, but overall, New Cycle‘s worth checking out.
