A plot that will test your patience !
secret plan developers , especially strategy game Lord , often taste to find fault the best constituent from successful title to emulate in their video games . The creators of Ixion have also tried to replicate the same chemical formula by take breathing in from pop survival - builder title like Frostpunk and They Are 1000000000 into their new plot . Unfortunately , instead of name a superhit commercial title , they have terminate up with a ware that may be have it away by hardcore scheme players and detest by the insouciant consultation due to its unbalanced gameplay .
Story
Though Ixion is a strategy - based simulation plot , it has a well - write storyline woven between its complex gameplay . The Earth is in its last days , and as a part of a fictional organization called Dolos , you are presuppose to seek for other habitable planets using your starship Tiqqun . While train for your expedition , you accidentally demolish parts of the Moon , eventually spark the destruction of Earth due to natural disaster . The eternal sleep of the storey revolves around deal with all your guilt for destroy everything back home and whether you’re able to regain a planet for your remaining few hundred crew before the Isaac Hull corrodes .
Related : Best Chronological Holy Order of Tech Tree Upgrades in Ixion
Even though it sounds like a cliché tale from celebrated Hollywood flicks , it is unique in its presentation and narration . With beautifully written dialog / cutscenes explaining the exigency of the grave situation . The few characters we assemble , like the head of Dolos , are well - mix and bring home the bacon a purpose to the arc rather than simply appearing for the sake of it . Also , as you keep , the plot line further thickens as you get to know the enigma of Dolos and the ultimate purpose of your journeying . The climax part of the story is the best out of everything , as it is convincing enough to justify my 50 + hours of plot time . Plus , to increase replayability value , the developers have included an alternative ending to the nonpayment one .
While the narrative and narration are top - nick , it is a linear experience and may follow as a turnoff for player expect a miscellanea of narrative choices that will lead to multiple outcomes .
mark : 3.5/5 Stars
Gameplay
From the start , Ixion looks and plays like any traditional metropolis builder in the food market . As the chief administrator of your spaceship Tiqqun , you must keeptrust and stabilitywithin your work party member by providing them with all the basic amenity while searching for a new planet . You accomplish this with common gameplay element find oneself in scheme games , like resource management , research acclivity , and layout planning . The gameplay is solid , and all the features ferment as intend . But there is a big problem : the game isinsanely tough . To be exact , it ’s so rough that many players will leave in good order after chapter 2 .
The main intellect players would quit is the unavailability of adjustable difficultness setting , and the one available throws unnecessary and frustrative hurdle beyond your control to block your progress . For lesson , there can be permanent trust - lessen stat due to storyline incidents or randomly generated accident in any one of the building . Everything feel like it is curated to make new players ragequit . Plus , you may not push aside these random guile as they often come back to bite you later in the game , ultimately resorting to backtrack and replaying several hours of a finical chapter .
On top of these , blemished plan and save ideas further increase the difficulty factor . For instance , you would expect the last set of the great unwashed to be hardworking and focalize . rather , the game declares most individual on the ship as non - workers who hoard build spaces and feed food for free . They can not be trained to learn skills or cruelly ejected to give space . This contrasts Frostpunk , which allows players to send children to work . Even simple thing like transmit resource are made quite difficult for no reason , as you’re able to not share raw materials by default between each sphere unless you invoke the consequence / exportation parameters . Additionally , lively features like implementing sphere insurance policy are available so of late in the mid - biz that they become excess and serve as mere fancy buttons .
Image via Bulwark Studios
Score : 2/5 Stars
Visuals
in good order from the starting cutscene , Ixion look and feels like a premium strategy biz with AAA graphic qualities . Everything from the planets to the Department of the Interior are well render and never looks distorted or bleak from any slant when whizz along in . aside from the appearance , the game is also enliven pretty well . particularly the ship and building model , as they have unique vitality establish on their current status . For illustration , you could feel people working on a ship if they are under maintenance in the dock expanse . Little details like these add flair and increase the immersion time value of Ixion .
The other major highlight in full term of visuals is the illumination of the sector , as they are neither too bright nor too downcast but have a balanced pure tone that matches the vibe of a space survival secret plan . The UI of the game is also pretty neat , unlike most strategy games that clutter up the menu with undesirable toolbars and stat bars that you wo n’t need for the bulk of the game . I mainly like the freestanding buttons for the three playable area as they help oneself me to voyage quickly between them and solve campaign takings without much dogfight .
Related : How to utilize Space Probes in Ixion
Image via Bulwark Studios
Sound
euphony and sound plan are two face that Ixion does not compromise on . The original grievance is absolutely compile to match the tempo of the surround in every scenario . Let it be the gloomy root word to showcase the devastation of the Moon or the synth - base music played while we come up down to expatiate the human civilization along the Ashangites . Everything feels rude and elevates the scene to the next degree . The dwelling screen music is also so addicting that you may be inclined to spend some extra minutes on the menu before hop-skip inside a game . Even if you do n’t buy or play the game , I highly recommend you take heed to or at least skim some parts of the original play list from YouTube if you are a buff of the Synth / Electronic genre .
The sound plan for the game is also equally smart as a whip . Each biz mechanism has a unequaled speech sound that depicts its functionality perfectly . For case , you could hear the pouring of molten iron in the steel factory , bringing more biography to the overall air . Even cut scenes like moving your spaceship Tiqqun are compose well and never front artificial or unmatched by the chronological sequence of locomotive bursts .
Though there are n’t many characters in the biz , the dubbing of the one making an appearance is curt and conveys their mood and intention . The standout from the peck was the voice act of Dolos CEO Vanir Dolos , as the histrion perfectly present a fictional reading of a desperate CEO try out his best to preserve human civilization .
Image via Bulwark Studios
Score : 4/5 Stars
Verdict - Casuals can pass this one
Ixion has moment in the anatomy of a good report , splendid sound score , and quality visuals . Other clip it can be a abrasive plot , and combined with its few gameplay design flaws , it becomes extremely unwelcoming for new players stepping into the world of scheme games . Due to this , we recommend Ixion for the old stager of the strategy writing style who would be well befit to face such rasping challenge . For casuals itching to play computer simulation - establish scheme games , you may pass this one and go for other hit of 2022 , like The Wandering Village or Land of the Vikings , that are more beginner well-disposed .
We received this computer code from Bulwark Studios for brush up purposes .
For more onIxion , check outHow to maintain hull wholeness in IxionorHow to channel resource in Ixionon Pro Game Guides .
Image via Bulwark Studios
Image by Pro Game Guides
