IXION

Beautiful setting and sound design, fantastic story, and perfectly implemented gameplay mechanics make IXION an easy 10 for me.

Starting at $19.48Buy now

Get on Steam

"IXION is a single-player strategy game with a captivating story, whereyou oversee the survival of humanity on a drifting space station. Manage resources, maintain infrastructure, and respond to the needs of your population to ensure their trust and the success of the mission. Despite some bugs and grinding, IXION offers a unique and immersive experience with its atmospheric visuals and humor-laced narrative."

Play Modes

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

Reviews

81%

Audience ScoreBased on 6,600 reviews

story1,548 positive mentions

replayability56 negative mentions

Engaging story with a unique sci-fi premise that keeps players invested.
Beautiful graphics and an outstanding soundtrack that enhances the overall experience.
Challenging gameplay that requires careful planning and resource management.

Frequent bugs and glitches that can disrupt gameplay and lead to frustrating experiences.
Linear progression with limited replayability, as choices often lead to predetermined outcomes.
Micromanagement can become tedious, with cumbersome logistics and resource transfer systems.

story
3,556 mentions
44 % positive mentions
54 % neutral mentions
2 % negative mentions
The story of *Ixion* is widely praised for its engaging narrative and atmospheric presentation, drawing players into a compelling sci-fi tale of survival and exploration aboard a space station. Many reviewers appreciate the intricate world-building and the emotional weight of the story, although some express disappointment with the pacing and resolution, particularly in the later chapters. While the game offers a rich storyline, it is noted that the linear progression and lack of replayability may limit its long-term appeal.
- “Ixion offers a beautiful story that truly enhances the city-building experience.”
- “The combination of sci-fi, space exploration, survival, and time pressure elements, along with an evolving storyline, makes this a wonderful experience for me.”
- “The story is captivating and emotional, drawing players into the narrative as they manage the survival of humanity aboard a space station.”
- “The story was very strong initially.”
- “The story developer is on reddit and has said that they initially planned for an additional final chapter but had to cut it due to development constraints, and that wasn't surprising to read after playing through the game.”
- “The story starts off strong but struggles and seems rushed towards the end.”
gameplay
2,056 mentions
32 % positive mentions
62 % neutral mentions
6 % negative mentions
The gameplay of *Ixion* has received mixed reviews, with many players praising its intricate mechanics and engaging story, while others criticize its punishing systems and lack of clarity. Players appreciate the challenge of managing resources and navigating the game's unique mechanics, likening it to *Frostpunk* in its difficulty and strategic depth. However, frustrations arise from poorly explained mechanics, frequent accidents, and a sense of urgency that can detract from the overall enjoyment, leading to a steep learning curve and the need for multiple playthroughs to fully grasp the gameplay.
- “Post-launch changes positively affect the gameplay loop and make the game enjoyable.”
- “Absolutely love the mechanics and trying to optimize my sectors! 10/10!”
- “The gameplay is both challenging and rewarding, requiring careful planning and strategic thinking.”
- “This feels unpolished; the gameplay was rather frustrating.”
- “The accident mechanic is poorly thought out, poorly implemented, and feels super arbitrary.”
- “The gameplay is shallow, events in the station just flavor text, and the constant ticking clock on resources strikes some as a far too confined forcing style.”
music
1,184 mentions
64 % positive mentions
35 % neutral mentions
1 % negative mentions
The music in *Ixion* has received widespread acclaim, with many reviewers praising its exceptional quality and atmospheric contribution to the game. Composed by Guillaume David, known for his work on *Warhammer 40k: Mechanicus*, the soundtrack is described as hauntingly beautiful, perfectly complementing the game's sci-fi themes and enhancing the overall immersive experience. While some players noted the limited number of tracks leading to repetition, the majority found the music to be a standout feature, elevating the game's emotional and narrative depth.
- “The soundtrack is a masterpiece.”
- “The soundtrack complements the visuals perfectly, with a hauntingly beautiful score that enhances the overall experience.”
- “The music is one of the best I've ever heard in a game, deserves awards.”
- “I had to turn the music off starting chapter 4.”
- “I'm tired of hearing the same part of the soundtrack over and over again.”
- “The music is dull, the scenery is dull, the systems are dull.”
graphics
824 mentions
67 % positive mentions
32 % neutral mentions
1 % negative mentions
The graphics of *Ixion* have received widespread acclaim for their stunning visuals and attention to detail, creating an immersive atmosphere that enhances the game's narrative. Many players praised the art style, particularly the beautiful space environments and well-designed cutscenes, although some noted performance issues and inconsistencies in graphical quality, especially in the game's interior views. Overall, the combination of impressive graphics and a captivating soundtrack contributes significantly to the game's appeal, making it a standout in the city-building genre.
- “With orchestration from the developers of Warhammer 40k: Mechanicus, Ixion bears impeccable graphical design with a latching story, all cradled by an immaculate soundtrack which will have you grasping onto every fleeting moment.”
- “The graphics are detailed and atmospheric, bringing the cold, dark expanse of space to life.”
- “The visuals are stunning, and the music is probably worth shelving out for the soundtrack if you're into futuristic synth tracks that range from 'Star Trek optimism' to 'hung over aboard the Nostromo'.”
- “The graphics in the game leave a lot to be desired, but with some minor tweaks in the difficulty settings, this game is very fun and can be very addicting.”
- “The graphics are a bit sub-par given it's quite new, but still above 'ok'.”
- “This game is poorly optimized, and is not really playable, runs extremely slow even on low graphic settings and low resolution.”
atmosphere
309 mentions
68 % positive mentions
30 % neutral mentions
1 % negative mentions
The atmosphere of the game is widely praised for its immersive and engaging qualities, with many reviewers highlighting the stunning graphics, evocative soundtracks, and detailed world-building that effectively convey a sense of isolation and tension in a harsh sci-fi environment. The combination of atmospheric music and visuals creates a chilling yet captivating experience, reminiscent of titles like Frostpunk and Homeworld, making it a standout feature that enhances the overall gameplay. However, some players noted that while the atmosphere is compelling, it can sometimes overshadow gameplay mechanics, leading to a mixed reception regarding the balance between atmosphere and player engagement.
- “Frostpunk’s icy landscapes and somber music create a chilling atmosphere, while Ixion’s detailed space environments and evocative soundtrack immerse you in the vastness of space.”
- “The atmosphere, story, art, music, and gameplay blend together to form a uniquely surreal experience.”
- “The atmosphere is bleak and oppressive, emphasizing the harshness of the environment.”
- “A potentially great narrative and atmosphere are ruined by intrusive and unrewarding gameplay loops.”
- “Add the Guillaume's crushingly oppressive soundtrack, and the general sense that you are utterly unwelcome in the cold vastness of space, and that basically everything will kill you, and I think you have the game with the most oppressive atmosphere I've ever played or watched.”
replayability
259 mentions
15 % positive mentions
63 % neutral mentions
22 % negative mentions
Overall, the game's replayability is generally considered low due to its linear narrative structure and lack of procedural generation, which leads to repetitive experiences after the initial playthrough. While some players appreciate the challenge and story-driven elements, many express a desire for additional content, scenarios, or modes to enhance replay value. Despite its engaging gameplay and aesthetics, the consensus is that once the story is completed, there is little incentive to replay the game.
- “Great challenge and good replay value!”
- “Choices have consequences, so there is replayability also if you want to go down some other narrative paths (but what kind of monster doesn't rescue the dog?! :D)”
- “With its procedurally generated universe and branching storylines, ixion offers a high degree of replayability.”
- “Unfortunately, the game does lack a lot of replayability; you can play again to go after certain achievements, endings, or make different choices, but as far as general playthroughs go, there's very clearly 'right and wrong' and 'better and worse' choices to make that funnel your playstyles down a certain path.”
- “The game is very linear and story-based, so don't expect it to be very replayable.”
- “The main downside of the game is the relatively low replayability.”
grinding
219 mentions
0 % positive mentions
6 % neutral mentions
94 % negative mentions
The grinding aspect of the game has been widely criticized for being excessively tedious and frustrating, often requiring players to engage in repetitive micromanagement of resources and logistics. Many reviewers noted that while the game has a compelling story and interesting mechanics, the constant need to manage resources and resolve issues detracts from the overall enjoyment, leading to a gameplay experience that feels more like a chore than fun. Overall, players expressed a desire for improved quality of life features to alleviate the grind and enhance the gaming experience.
- “The game is not tedious; it is demanding, and you’d have to be very clever in how you manage the station, considering all the potential pitfalls.”
- “Overall, after the first 15 hours, I spent more time being plagued with UX and gameplay design issues than having fun, and the end game was just about grinding. There is no real excitement or decision-making there anymore; I just wanted it to end, and because of some early bad decisions I could not know about, I had to reload and resave so many times to grind all that is needed - that does not match my description of 'fun'.”
- “The game is difficult, tedious, and frustrating at times, but that's what makes it great.”
- “The UI varies from unhelpful to completely opaque, and requires constant mental arithmetic from the player to actually figure out how healthy their economy is - information that is readily available in similar games is either misleading or completely absent, and many of the game's systems require a tedious amount of micromanagement that was not necessary in the developer's previous title, Frostpunk, a game that looks benign in comparison.”
optimization
184 mentions
17 % positive mentions
68 % neutral mentions
15 % negative mentions
The optimization of the game has received mixed reviews, with many players reporting significant performance issues, particularly in the later chapters and when managing multiple sectors. While some users noted improvements over time, others still experienced severe lag, stuttering, and bugs that hindered gameplay. Overall, the game's optimization is seen as a major drawback, with calls for further updates to enhance performance and address the persistent issues.
- “If you love to optimize games like I do, then optimization in Ixion will hit your bloodstream like a drug.”
- “Once you discover the tricks to optimization, the challenges of the last 3 chapters are easy to overcome and you'll likely be trying to get rid of resources more than anything.”
- “There was always something that could be made more effective and more efficient, so if you love optimization this is totally something to check out.”
- “This game is poorly optimized and is not really playable; it runs extremely slow even on low graphic settings and low resolution.”
- “The developers seem to have only focused on bloating the game without caring to address any performance issues.”
- “Game is horribly optimized.”
stability
118 mentions
9 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
91 % negative mentions
The game's stability has been widely criticized, with many players reporting numerous bugs and glitches that can disrupt gameplay, including game-breaking issues and performance problems, particularly in late-game scenarios. While some users noted improvements after patches, the overall consensus is that the game remains quite buggy and unpolished, leading to frustration for many players. Despite these issues, some still find the game enjoyable, suggesting that the experience can be captivating if one is willing to overlook the technical flaws.
- “Ixion is a good, bug free game with an interesting story line but it isn't easy.”
- “The game plays, looks and even runs great on a gaming PC or higher-end desktop.”
- “The story is enthralling, the music is gorgeous, and the gameplay is, from what I've experienced, entirely bug free.”
- “This game is really rough: it's frustratingly janky/buggy, the game mechanics are not well explained and it's far too long for what it is.”
- “The game is a buggy and unbalanced and ultimately broken mess.”
- “Incredibly buggy right now with lots of game-breaking bugs that either soft lock or hard lock your game that also persist on re-loading, causing entire campaigns to be defunct, even with backups.”
emotional
35 mentions
97 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
3 % negative mentions
Players find the emotional aspect of the game to be deeply engaging, with a captivating story and strong audio-visual elements that enhance the experience. Many express a sense of attachment to characters and the narrative, leading to moments of hope, frustration, and heartbreak, particularly as they navigate the challenges of survival. While some note that the emotional weight diminishes upon replaying, the overall sentiment is that the game successfully evokes a wide range of feelings, making it a memorable experience.
- “The characters are interesting, the story is always in motion, you fight with the unknown all the time, and the best of all - this game has absolutely terrifying villains and even more heartbreaking endings!”
- “So many fun story beats, sad moments, sweet ones, and fighting tooth and nail trying to survive at points really got me emotionally invested in my little space crew.”
- “I admit that I got attached to my big pretty doughnut ship, and having to separate with the end of the story campaign made me feel something.”
- “At this point, I want to warn you, because if you're reading this and think 'holy sh*t this is a boring story' - just wait, it gets incalculably worse :) - so I do the hoop jumping to eventually get the alloys out.”
humor
29 mentions
100 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is characterized by its absurdity and irony, with players finding amusement in the nonsensical mechanics and the often ridiculous situations that arise, such as crew members going on strike over missed meals or the comically small starting building area. While the game presents serious challenges, the exaggerated difficulties and quirky events lead to a blend of frustration and laughter, making the experience both entertaining and infuriating. Overall, the humor is a mix of dark comedy and playful absurdity, enhancing the game's narrative and gameplay despite its flaws.
- “It's funny that half the crew coming out of cryosleep are 'non-workers' and won't work, but the ones who do break stuff with an insane regularity.”
- “The technology research system is hilarious... it takes like 30 minutes+ of in-game time to research a single thing.”
- “The starting building area is hilariously small, like so small that you can't even fit one of each of the starting buildings in the area.”
monetization
9 mentions
33 % positive mentions
-22 % neutral mentions
89 % negative mentions
The monetization aspect of the game has received mixed reviews, with some players feeling it resembles a cash grab due to a lack of content updates and misleading advertising. However, others appreciate that the game is a complete product without additional monetization, presenting it as a passion project rather than a typical "early access" title. Overall, while some players are frustrated by the game's issues, others commend its straightforward purchase model.
- “Ultimately gets a thumbs up for feeling like a passion project and a straightforward 'buy game, get game' with no additional monetization.”
- “The monetization model is refreshing, focusing on fair pricing without any aggressive microtransactions.”
- “I appreciate that the game offers a complete experience without pushing for extra purchases; it feels like a true value.”
- “Editing this for people to see, no update for months, looks like a cash grab, actually almost 1 year without content upgrade, rofl 35 euro for that ??????”
- “Huge potential, turned into another cash grab.”
- “It is too close to a paid advertisement.”
character development
1 mentions
0 % positive mentions
100 % neutral mentions
0 % negative mentions
While the game's environments and character designs are praised for their quality and aesthetic appeal, there is no specific mention of character development in terms of narrative or growth, suggesting that this aspect may not be a focal point in the reviews.