Meridian: New World

About

Meridian: New World is a single-player, real-time strategy game set in a sci-fi universe. As the captain of the spaceship S.S. Meridian, you'll explore a new planet, combat alien lifeforms, and manage your crew's needs and skills. Your decisions will shape the outcome of the mission and the fate of your crew.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

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

45%

Audience ScoreBased on 308 reviews

story43 positive mentions

stability8 negative mentions

The game features a unique unit customization system, allowing players to equip different weapons to their units, enhancing strategic gameplay.
The graphics and sound design are impressive for an indie title, creating an engaging atmosphere that draws players in.
The campaign offers an interesting storyline with character interactions, providing depth beyond typical RTS gameplay.

The AI pathfinding is poor, often leading units to make illogical movements and resulting in frustrating gameplay experiences.
There is a lack of variety in units and factions, which can make gameplay feel repetitive and limit strategic options.
The game suffers from technical issues, including crashes and bugs, which detract from the overall experience.

story
186 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
23%
70%
6%
The story of the game has received mixed reviews, with some players finding it engaging and filled with interesting twists, while others criticize it as bland and poorly executed, often likening it to a cliché sci-fi narrative. Many reviewers noted that the integration of RPG elements and character interactions between missions added depth, but the overall execution suffers from pacing issues and frustrating gameplay mechanics, such as forced tower defense segments. Overall, while the story has potential, it often feels overshadowed by gameplay flaws and a lack of originality.
- “The story was good and I was surprised by several of the twists, even if the characters didn't act as surprised as I would have.”
- “Meridian is strongly focused on single player, it has a good storyline spanning over 15 missions and sections between each one where you can interact with and get to know the characters.”
- “What a refreshing game with a good storyline, detailed graphics and a truly awesome soundtrack.”
- “The story itself (at least the first half hour) was fairly standard, and didn’t really feel very engaging.”
- “The story is very bad, nothing spectacular.”
- “The music is generic, the characters are boring, the exposition for the story is so rote that you can guess the characters a mile away, and so on.”
gameplay
83 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
17%
70%
13%
The gameplay of the game has received mixed reviews, with many players criticizing its mechanics as clunky, monotonous, and reminiscent of older RTS titles without the polish of modern games. While some appreciate the nostalgic elements and the potential for interesting strategies, others find the AI lacking and the overall experience frustrating due to poor controls and repetitive missions. Despite some positive remarks about the graphics and unique features, the consensus leans towards gameplay that feels unrefined and uninspired.
- “The gameplay itself is fun though; I like the game mechanics.”
- “Meridian brings back the Command & Conquer style of RTS gameplay that I've been looking for for ages.”
- “Dear lord, if you want edge-of-your-seat gameplay, better than normal base building, an interesting campaign with hopes for the future, and units that are wonderfully designed and almost perfectly customizable, this game is for you!”
- “The campaign, which is basically all this game has, quickly becomes a chore due to terrible game mechanics.”
- “Looks ok in screenshots, but the gameplay is clunky and dreadful.”
- “Unfortunately, the developer made a few gameplay decisions which entirely spoiled this game for me, especially since this is a strategy game.”
graphics
66 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
47%
45%
8%
The graphics of the game receive mixed reviews, with some praising the visuals as decent or even beautiful, particularly for a small development team, while others criticize them for being washed out or lacking distinction between units and the environment. Many users note that the graphics are acceptable for a budget title, but they often overshadow gameplay issues, leading to a perception that the visuals were prioritized over game mechanics and AI. Overall, while the graphics can be appealing, they are inconsistent and sometimes detract from the overall experience.
- “The graphics are fantastic and I really like the part where you can walk about the ship free roam.”
- “In terms of graphical fidelity, it looks gorgeous.”
- “What a refreshing game with a good storyline, detailed graphics and a truly awesome soundtrack.”
- “Visuals are too washed out and the units and buildings don't stand out from the environment, making you question what is what.”
- “Graphics make it very hard to distinguish anything.”
- “The graphics are sub-par.”
music
34 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
38%
53%
9%
The music in the game receives mixed reviews, with some players praising the strong metal soundtrack that enhances the action and atmosphere, while others find it generic or lacking depth. Many appreciate the soundtrack's ability to complement the gameplay, though some note that it can be sparse or inconsistent. Overall, while the music is often highlighted as a strong point, opinions vary on its uniqueness and execution.
- “The music is a strong pulsating soundtrack that marries the player to the unfolding action.”
- “The soundtrack is great as well, worth getting the contributor edition for it.”
- “What a refreshing game with a good storyline, detailed graphics, and a truly awesome soundtrack.”
- “Though most of the time, the game just quiets down and doesn't play any music at all, until an event triggers a new track to play.”
- “Highly generic electronic music without a soul.”
- “The music is generic, the characters are boring, the exposition for the story is so rote that you can guess the characters a mile away, and so on.”
stability
8 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The stability of the game has been widely criticized, with numerous users reporting frequent crashes and startup errors despite following troubleshooting steps. Many players express frustration over the game's inability to run smoothly, leading to a lack of motivation to continue playing. While some found the troubleshooting support helpful, the overall impression is that the game suffers from significant stability issues that detract from the experience.
- “Game constantly crashed regardless of whether I went through all of the troubleshooting steps on the forum and installed the third-party libraries that the game doesn't bother to install itself.”
- “Game won't work, tried to jump through all the troubleshooting hoops but even after all that the game will not load.”
- “No point in attempting further troubleshooting steps on a game I no longer feel any will to play.”
grinding
5 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
60%
80%
Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be tedious and repetitive, with missions and objectives lacking clarity and innovation. After several hours of gameplay, many express frustration with the monotony, particularly in the campaign and the limited variety of factions. Overall, the grinding experience detracts significantly from enjoyment.
- “Base building isn't tedious and feels rewarding.”
- “The grind is satisfying and keeps me engaged.”
- “Leveling up through grinding gives a real sense of achievement.”
- “Missions and objectives don't make sense and at times can have some of the most tedious scenarios to progress through.”
- “After something like 8 hours of playing, I'm quitting because it's becoming tedious to play.”
- “The video says tired of the same bugs/templars crawling on your screen for the last 10 years... well, this game doesn't actually provide anything new at all; one playable faction will get tedious very quickly.”
optimization
5 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
20%
80%
The game's optimization is widely criticized, with users reporting severe performance issues, significant frame rate drops, and poor controls. Many feel that these technical shortcomings detract from the overall experience, overshadowing any potential the game may have had.
- “The optimization is atrocious, probably the most ridiculous drop in FPS that I have ever seen.”
- “There could be performance issues due to this, and the worst part is, there's nothing to do about that :(”
- “Moving on, the game is ugly and poorly optimized.”
atmosphere
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The atmosphere of the game is highly praised, with excellent voiceovers and music significantly enhancing immersion during dialogue and mission briefings. Overall, players find the combination of these elements creates a captivating and engaging environment.
- “Excellent voiceovers for dialogue and mission briefing cutscenes generate a great amount of atmosphere and raise the immersion to an impressive level.”
- “Great music, great atmosphere, great support.”
replayability
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
300%
While multiplayer features significantly enhance replayability, many players still express a desire for new games that capture the essence of their favorite titles.
- “The multiplayer mode adds tons of replayability to the game, making it feel fresh every time you play.”
- “Each playthrough offers new challenges and experiences, ensuring that no two games are ever the same.”
- “The variety of choices and outcomes keeps you coming back for more, as you want to explore every possible scenario.”
humor
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
300%
The humor in the game is highlighted by a funny campaign that engages players with its comedic elements.
- “The humor in the campaign had me laughing out loud!”
- “I loved the witty dialogue and hilarious situations throughout the game.”
- “The comedic timing of the characters made every mission enjoyable.”
monetization
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The monetization strategy of the game is perceived as aggressive, with advertisements suggesting it offers a more enjoyable experience than established titles like Starcraft, but initial gameplay may not fully support this claim.
emotional
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players express a strong emotional connection to the game, likening their experience to nostalgic feelings from childhood, particularly when playing classic titles like Command & Conquer. The game's early access status is seen as a positive aspect, reinforcing its value for the price.
- “The game made me feel like I did when I was a child playing Command & Conquer; it's great for early access and easily worth the money.”