Artificial Extinction

About

"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.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player Play through the game's story or campaign solo

75%

Audience ScoreBased on 408 reviews

story32 positive mentions

stability10 negative mentions

The game offers a unique blend of first-person shooter and tower defense mechanics, providing a fresh experience.
The graphics and sound design are impressive, creating an immersive atmosphere during gameplay.
The developer is active in addressing bugs and taking player feedback into account for future updates.

The game feels unfinished with numerous bugs, clunky controls, and a lack of polish in certain areas.
The narrative can be excessive and preachy, detracting from the overall gameplay experience.
The game is relatively short, with only nine levels, which may not justify the price for some players.

story
108 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
30%
67%
4%
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 somewhat predictable, with a few expressing disappointment in the ending. Overall, while the story has its merits, it appears to be overshadowed by gameplay issues and a lack of variety in mission design.
- “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.”
graphics
66 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
61%
33%
6%
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 note issues such as a lack of polish, performance problems, and contrast difficulties that can detract from the experience. Overall, while the visuals are generally considered impressive for the price, there are areas that need improvement.
- “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.”
- “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 with all graphical settings set to low or off, then crashes.”
- “Sounds and graphics are a bit potato.”
- “Gun and hand graphics - poor.”
gameplay
50 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
40%
54%
6%
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 reviewers note a lack of content and polish, with some expressing disappointment over the game's apparent abandonment. Overall, the gameplay is rated around 7/10, with potential for improvement in user interface and additional content.
- “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.”
- “I really like the concept/gameplay and do hope that there will be more content in the future for this game; it was quite enjoyable!”
- “Gameplay: enjoyable even if a little repetitive, though the mix of different types of encounters makes it better - 7/10”
- “What a game failing mechanic.”
- “Just really needs more polishing in UI and gameplay interactions when building things and controlling.”
- “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.”
replayability
22 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
27%
59%
14%
Overall, the game's replayability is viewed positively, with players appreciating the ability to approach levels differently and the inclusion of an endless mode. However, some users express concerns about limited replay options after completing missions, suggesting that additional content or procedural generation could enhance the experience. Ratings for replay value vary, with some giving it a score of 7/10.
- “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.”
- “Replayability shouldn't be a concern, since there's an endless mode for those who manage to get through nine out of the ten levels available, and as long as the game is updated with fresh new content.”
- “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.”
- “I'd love to see the developer add a procedurally generated game mode, because otherwise the only replayability is getting a higher score.”
- “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.”
music
20 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
30%
55%
15%
The music in the game has received mixed reviews, with some players finding it immersive and fitting for the setting, reminiscent of "Tron" and "Interstellar." However, others noted that the music can be too loud and harsh, making it difficult to hear important dialogue from the AI companion. Overall, while the soundtrack is appreciated for its quality, it can detract from the gameplay experience due to volume issues.
- “The music is actually pretty nice, ironically.”
- “Graphics are really good, the music is practically from Tron... really immersive... fun.”
- “But the idea is solid, the strategy changes every day are interesting and fun, the sounds are amazing (airstrikes being my favorite) and the music is tight.”
- “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.”
- “The music was too harsh on the ears while trying to listen to the help bot.”
- “Annoying music.”
stability
10 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game is reported to be very buggy, with numerous glitches that can disrupt gameplay, although some are minor and not game-breaking. Users express frustration with the overall stability, describing it as annoying and repetitive, leading to a consensus that it is not worth purchasing even at a discount.
- “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 happens with the sniper scope).”
- “It's buggy, annoying, boring, and frustrating.”
optimization
8 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
25%
25%
The game's optimization has been criticized, particularly regarding technical issues that affect performance, which is rated at 7/10. Players have noted that these optimization problems detract from the overall experience, impacting graphics, gameplay, and enjoyment.
- “*** Graphics, gameplay, fun factor, and performance count for triple.”
- “Performance: 7/10”
- “Especially if it's because of technical issues or lack of optimization.”
- “With a rather low-performance rifle weapon.”
humor
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is highlighted by its insistence on a particular theme, which players find amusing. Additionally, the mechanics, such as having to hold down the shift key to sprint, contribute to the comedic experience.
- “The message or theme behind the game is kind of hilarious, especially with how insistent it is.”
- “It's funny because sprinting requires you to hold down the shift key.”
monetization
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The monetization strategy of the game has been criticized as a blatant cash grab, with many users feeling that it appears incomplete and primarily designed to extract money from players rather than provide a polished experience.
- “It's clearly just a half-finished cash grab.”
- “They seem to be trying to do a cash grab.”
atmosphere
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game's atmosphere is highly praised for its interstellar-inspired visuals, particularly the spacecraft camera shots, which create an immersive experience. The soundtrack complements this ambiance effectively, enhancing the overall atmosphere of the game, which is described as a refreshing blend of tower defense and first-person shooter elements.
- “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.”
grinding
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
150%
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.”
- “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
- “You'll need a second life for grinding.”