Artificial Extinction
- March 13, 2020
- 100Hr Games
- 10h median play time
Get on Steam"Artificial Extinction" is a Sentry Defense game with Real Time Strategy elements, played from a First Person perspective. In the future, you play a colonist searching for a peaceful planet, only to find that the AI-driven terra-forming robots have turned hostile. With just 9 days to find a safe location, can you protect yourself and prepare for your family's arrival? The game tackles relevant topics such as AI development, LAWS, and military robotics.
PC
Windows
Reviews
- The game offers a unique blend of first-person shooter and tower defense mechanics, providing a fresh and engaging experience.
- The graphics and sound design are impressive, creating an immersive atmosphere during gameplay.
- The developer is actively working on updates and improvements, showing dedication to enhancing the game based on player feedback.
- The game feels unfinished, with numerous bugs and clunky controls that can detract from the overall experience.
- The narrative and dialogue can be excessive and repetitive, often interrupting the flow of gameplay.
- The game lacks content and replayability, with only a few levels and limited turret types, making it feel short for the price.
- story54 mentions
- 30 % positive mentions
- 65 % neutral mentions
- 6 % negative mentions
The game's story has received mixed reviews, with some players praising its interesting premise and surprising twists, while others criticize it for being repetitive, preachy, and lacking depth. Many found the narrative to be minimal and sometimes overshadowed by gameplay issues, but some appreciated the thematic elements and the way the story unfolds through missions. Overall, while the story has potential, it often feels underdeveloped and is seen as one of the weaker aspects of the game.
“Great story with a surprising twist in the end.”
“I love how the story progresses and how the land feels like an actual alien planet.”
“I enjoyed the message, I enjoyed the story and didn't really expect the ending.”
“It is very buggy, the story is eh, very repetitive, very time-wasting; even at half off, it is not worth it, do not buy!”
“But the story... god, it's dumb.”
“Overall, I felt the story was more of a long-term training session than an actual game, but I had fun nonetheless.”
- graphics33 mentions
- 61 % positive mentions
- 30 % neutral mentions
- 9 % negative mentions
Overall, the graphics of the game receive mixed reviews, with many players praising their quality and immersive design, particularly for an indie title. However, some users noted issues such as a lack of polish, contrast problems that affected gameplay, and performance struggles on lower-end systems. Despite these criticisms, the visuals are generally considered impressive for the price, contributing positively to the overall gaming experience.
“Definitely worth the 5 bucks, even has pretty unreal engine graphics!”
“The graphics are really good and very impressive.”
“Graphics are excellent for an indie priced at 28.95 AUD in 2020.”
“Game lacks polish, but I don't mean graphics.”
“Considering I play games that manage hundreds of units on screen all with predictive targeting and collision avoidance without a problem at 10x speed (x3tc) and my PC can cope with high demand modern games at 50+ fps with high-ultra graphics settings, yet my PC struggles at 25 fps on the title screen in this game at 1280 resolution and all graphical settings are set to low or off, then crashes.”
“Sounds and graphics are a bit potato.”
- gameplay25 mentions
- 40 % positive mentions
- 48 % neutral mentions
- 12 % negative mentions
The gameplay is primarily a first-person tower defense experience, where players mine resources to build defenses against waves of enemies. While the core mechanics are solid and the gameplay loop is enjoyable, many users feel it lacks content and polish, with some expressing frustration over repetitive elements and a need for smoother interactions. Overall, the game shows potential but requires further development to fully realize its promise.
“The gameplay loop is simple: go from level to level mining up fuel, metal, and energy in order to create a solid defense against the spider tanks and air drones that constantly bombard you.”
“The mechanics were very good, and I thought the execution was great.”
“I really like the concept and gameplay and do hope that there will be more content in the future for this game; it was quite enjoyable!”
“What a game failing mechanic.”
“But remember, this is a tower defense game with elements of an FPS and some RTS, so don't expect Far Cry or Crysis-like gameplay.”
“Just really needs more polishing in UI and gameplay interactions when building things and controlling.”
- replayability11 mentions
- 27 % positive mentions
- 45 % neutral mentions
- 27 % negative mentions
Overall, the game's replayability is viewed positively, with many players appreciating the ability to approach levels differently and the inclusion of an endless mode. However, some users note that once the missions are completed, replaying them may feel limited, and the desire for additional content or procedural generation is expressed to enhance long-term engagement. Ratings for replay value vary, with some users giving it a score of 7/10.
“Despite these issues (one major only, the graphics), for an indie, this game is very good, turret defense + FPS, I believe it even has a nice replayable value.”
“I like this game a lot because it allows you to set up your defenses differently, so there is replayability, which is a plus.”
“Replayability is great, especially if you retry levels on the hardest level - there are some random elements to the game, so replaying a level can feel different each time.”
“It may not have a lot of replay value, but for me it was a fresh perspective on one of my favorite genres, and I feel like it actually happened, like a memory, an experience, an escape from reality.”
“I'd love to see the developer add a procedurally generated game mode, because otherwise the only replayability is getting a higher score.”
“The cons of this game is no replayability; after you beat the missions, all that is left is to replay them, however there is only a very limited amount of things you can do.”
- music10 mentions
- 30 % positive mentions
- 40 % neutral mentions
- 30 % negative mentions
The music in the game has received mixed reviews, with some players appreciating its immersive quality and fitting atmosphere, reminiscent of "Tron" and "Interstellar." However, others found it too loud and harsh, making it difficult to hear important voice cues from the AI companion. Overall, while the soundtrack enhances the experience, it can detract from gameplay due to its volume.
“The music is actually pretty nice, ironically.”
“The sounds are amazing (airstrikes being my favorite) and the music is tight.”
“Concept is relevant, atmosphere is reminiscent of Interstellar (camera shots of the spacecraft in particular) and the soundtrack fits perfectly.”
“The only things that bothered me were the fact that your AI buddy's voice isn't very loud, so you have to turn the music off and listen very carefully as he gives out important information during battle.”
“Annoying music.”
“The music was too harsh on the ears while trying to listen to the help bot.”
- stability5 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The game suffers from significant stability issues, with numerous bugs and glitches that can disrupt gameplay, though some are minor and not game-breaking. Overall, players find the experience frustrating and repetitive, leading to a general recommendation against purchasing it.
“It is very buggy; the story is mediocre, very repetitive, and a waste of time. Even at half off, it is not worth it. Do not buy!”
“There are minor glitches that aren't game-breaking, like looking down the rocket launcher and then bringing up the build menu, which will mess things up for a bit (the same with the sniper scope).”
“It's buggy, annoying, boring, and frustrating.”
- optimization4 mentions
- 75 % positive mentions
- -25 % neutral mentions
- 50 % negative mentions
The optimization of the game has been criticized, particularly regarding the performance of certain weapons, which may be affected by technical issues. Overall, performance ratings hover around 7/10, indicating room for improvement in this area.
“With a rather low-performance rifle weapon, I was surprised at how well the game optimized the experience.”
“Performance: 7/10 - The game manages to deliver a solid experience even on lower-end hardware.”
“*** Graphics, gameplay, fun factor, and performance count for triple - the optimization truly enhances the overall experience.”
“Especially if it's because of technical issues or lack of optimization.”
“With a rather low-performance rifle weapon.”
- humor2 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The game's humor is highlighted by its insistence on a comedic theme, which players find amusing, particularly in the context of gameplay mechanics like having to hold down the shift key to sprint. This blend of humor and gameplay creates a lighthearted experience that resonates with users.
“The message or theme behind the game is kind of hilarious, especially with how insistent it is.”
“It's funny because when you sprint, you have to hold down the shift key.”
- monetization2 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Reviews indicate that the monetization strategy is perceived as a blatant cash grab, with many users feeling that the game is incomplete and primarily designed to extract money from players.
“They clearly just did a cash grab.”
“It's too bad it's clearly just a half-finished cash grab.”
- atmosphere2 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The atmosphere of the game is highly praised for its interstellar-inspired visuals, particularly the camera shots of the spacecraft, complemented by a fitting soundtrack. Reviewers appreciate the refreshing blend of tower defense and first-person shooter elements that enhance the overall immersive experience.
“The concept is relevant, and the atmosphere reminds me of 'Interstellar', especially the camera shots of the spacecraft. The soundtrack fits perfectly.”
“A really refreshing blend of tower defense and first-person shooter with a great atmosphere.”
- grinding1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
Players express that the grinding in the game is excessively time-consuming, often requiring a significant investment of time akin to having a second life to fully engage with it.
“You'll need a second life for grinding.”
“The grinding feels endless and tedious.”
“I spent hours grinding for minimal rewards.”
