New Cycle

About

"New Cycle" is a city-building survival game set in a post-apocalyptic world. After solar flares devastate human society, players must establish and develop a settlement, starting from humble beginnings and advancing to an industrial metropolis. Challenges include natural disasters, resource shortages, and societal issues such as refugee crises and disease outbreaks. Free-form or grid-based design allows for creativity in building and expanding the settlement.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

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

84%

Audience ScoreBased on 1,970 reviews

gameplay208 positive mentions

stability40 negative mentions

The game features stunning graphics and a captivating atmosphere that enhances the overall experience.
It offers a unique blend of city-building and survival mechanics, providing depth and complexity to gameplay.
The developers are responsive to community feedback and actively work on updates, showing commitment to improving the game.

The pacing can feel slow, especially in the early game, leading to periods of waiting without much action.
There are issues with resource management and balancing, making it difficult to keep up with the demands of the growing population.
Some mechanics, such as the conveyor belt system, are underdeveloped and can lead to frustration during gameplay.

gameplay
558 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
37%
60%
3%
The gameplay of "New Cycle" is characterized by polished mechanics and a rich blend of city-building and survival elements, offering a rewarding experience as players manage resources and citizen needs. While the initial complexity can be overwhelming, the game becomes engaging as players familiarize themselves with its systems, leading to a satisfying gameplay loop enhanced by dynamic challenges like natural disasters and seasonal changes. However, some mechanics lack clarity and could benefit from better explanations, and while the game shows great potential, it currently feels somewhat derivative of other titles in the genre.
- “The game offers a solid foundation with a creative blend of mechanics and a fresh approach that keeps things engaging throughout.”
- “The gameplay is engaging, with a richly detailed world and atmospheric effects that add depth and immersion.”
- “The depth and micromanagement involved will reward players who take the time to understand and master its mechanics.”
- “The gameplay didn't pull me in.”
- “Some of the game mechanics could be better explained, such as the later game transportation methods.”
- “A significant portion of the game's mechanics and symbols are introduced without sufficient explanation, potentially overwhelming new players.”
graphics
392 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
59%
40%
2%
The graphics of the game have received widespread praise for their stunning detail and immersive art style, often described as a blend of realism and unique aesthetics that enhance the overall atmosphere. While many players appreciate the beautiful visuals and smooth animations, some have noted issues with consistency, such as texture pop-ins and a tendency for buildings to blend into the environment, making differentiation challenging. Overall, the graphics contribute significantly to the game's appeal, though there are calls for further optimization and refinement as it continues to develop in early access.
- “Also, the graphics are truly unique; it's like a painting, but realistic and alive.”
- “The graphics are stunning, bringing the world to life with intricate details and smooth animations.”
- “The game impresses with polished gameplay, engaging resource management, and stunning graphics that enhance the realistic decision-making experience.”
- “I was hesitant to post this, but I played the game for a few hours and couldn't look past the visuals.”
- “The graphics make the whole city look the same and it was difficult to remember which building was what function.”
- “This game right now should be called the brown cycle owing to its 400 shades of brown used in its art style... seemingly exclusively.”
story
202 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
24%
71%
5%
The game's story is described as engaging yet flawed, with a grim narrative that captivates players but lacks significant variation and meaningful choices that impact the ending. While the world-building and atmosphere are praised, many reviewers express a desire for more depth and complexity in the storytelling, as well as better integration of quests and objectives that align with the narrative. Overall, the story has potential but currently feels rushed and simplistic, leaving players wanting more from their experience.
- “I love the story and am really enjoying this game.”
- “The intricate world-building and dynamic gameplay keep you engaged, while the captivating storylines drive a sense of purpose.”
- “As you delve deeper into the world, uncovering its secrets and interacting with its inhabitants, you become increasingly invested in the unfolding story.”
- “My biggest gripe is on the 'closure' to the story side of things.”
- “The story doesn't make a ton of sense, but I can move past that.”
- “Weak storyline, choices that kind of do something, but don't really change the game.”
music
130 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
63%
34%
3%
The music in the game has received a mixed response, with many praising its immersive and beautiful qualities that enhance the overall atmosphere and gameplay experience. While some players find the soundtrack calming and nostalgic, others criticize it for being repetitive or overly melancholic, detracting from the game's vibrancy. Overall, the audio design is noted as a strong point, complementing the visuals and contributing to a captivating environment, despite some minor issues.
- “The audio design is amazing and the music makes me feel like I am deep in thought; I found myself vibing to the music a lot of the time.”
- “Its inviting atmosphere is significantly enhanced by soothing background music, creating a peaceful environment that makes city planning and management a truly enjoyable endeavor.”
- “Everything is then dramatically enhanced by a wonderful original soundtrack that adds dynamic beauty or tension to each moment.”
- “The music is sad and it's like there's no life in the game.”
- “That said, I do not like the constantly sad, dreary music.”
- “The music can get repetitive after a while, which is one of the only things that really makes this feel early access.”
optimization
72 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
47%
47%
6%
Overall, the game's optimization is generally well-received, with many players reporting smooth performance even on high settings and minimal bugs or crashes. However, some users noted mid-game performance issues, particularly with larger populations and during seasonal changes, indicating that further optimization could enhance the experience. While the graphics are praised, occasional texture pop-ins and lag suggest that graphical optimization remains a work in progress.
- “Game performance is excellent, even when running all quality settings on 'ultra', making it accessible for a wide range of systems.”
- “Amazing game, almost perfectly optimized for an early access game.”
- “This smooth performance really lets you immerse yourself in the game without any distractions.”
- “Optimization could be a lot better though.”
- “Encountering texture pop-ins and occasional lag highlighted the need for graphical optimization.”
- “The performance does dip in the later stages of the game when more is built; this is to be expected, but it could also do with some optimization.”
atmosphere
70 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
66%
30%
4%
The game's atmosphere is widely praised for its immersive and visually stunning design, enhanced by beautiful graphics, a captivating soundtrack, and impressive weather effects. Players appreciate the richly detailed world that creates a unique post-apocalyptic setting, though some note that the bleakness may not appeal to everyone. Overall, the atmosphere contributes significantly to the game's engaging experience, making it a solid choice for fans of strategy and city-building genres.
- “The game captures a Frostpunk-like atmosphere with impressive weather effects and deep gameplay mechanics.”
- “The game's immersive atmosphere is further enhanced by high-quality menus and music that work together to create a captivating environment.”
- “The atmosphere of the game is very nice, it is prepared in great detail, and it is a great experience for those who love city and resource management games.”
- “The atmosphere is rather bleak and somber, which might not appeal to everyone.”
- “The main problem of this game is that the resources are just magically transported everywhere; the people that you see walking around are just for the atmosphere.”
- “It copies a lot of the formats that front punk has, but it's missing the challenges and atmosphere.”
stability
42 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
2%
2%
95%
Overall, the game's stability in early access is mixed; while many players report smooth performance with minimal crashes and no significant bugs, others highlight the presence of various glitches, particularly with specific systems like the conveyor. Most agree that despite these issues, the game remains playable and enjoyable, suggesting it has potential for improvement as development continues. Players are generally optimistic about the game's future, provided the developers address the existing bugs and enhance user experience.
- “For a beta version of a game that is not yet released, there were almost no glitches, and the game ran smoothly.”
- “The conveyor system, while cool, is super buggy.”
- “At the time I wrote this review (2024, January), the game was still quite unbalanced and buggy.”
- “At early access, this game is buggy as hell.”
grinding
34 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Reviews highlight that while the game offers enjoyable city-building and survival mechanics, it suffers from repetitive and tedious grinding elements, particularly in NPC tasks and resource management. Players express frustration with the lack of quality-of-life features that could alleviate micromanagement, leading to boredom during extended play sessions. Overall, the game is better suited for short bursts of play rather than long-term engagement due to its grinding aspects.
- “A notable issue is the repetitive tasks assigned by NPCs, which, after some time, can become tedious.”
- “The game is sorely lacking quality of life features; give the players the tools to succeed, because the game is complicated, but unnecessarily tedious and difficult because of the lack of these tools.”
- “Eventually your people run out of food because no one is hunting, farming, or gathering, and they all starve to death while you sit in your chair pulling your hair out because there isn't actually anything you can do about it.”
replayability
18 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
33%
50%
17%
The game's replayability is a mixed bag; while some players find substantial potential and depth once they master the mechanics, others feel it currently lacks variety and storyline engagement, limiting its replay value. Optimizing map layouts may appeal to some, but overall, many users express concerns about the game's ability to sustain long-term interest.
- “The game offers substantial replay value.”
- “Overall, the game feels deep and replayable.”
- “The game seems to have a lot of potential and replayability once you have a grasp on all the different mechanics.”
- “A good game if lacking in replay value right now.”
- “Replay value seems a little diminished without much storyline variation.”
- “Some of us want to go through and just get the story while building everything, and we'd do replay value one each map just on easy mode.”
monetization
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The monetization strategy of the game has been criticized for being deceptive, resembling typical mobile game ads that misrepresent gameplay, leading to feelings of betrayal among players. Many feel it prioritizes profit over genuine engagement, likening it to a cash grab. Overall, the experience has left players frustrated and disillusioned with the developers' transparency.
- “You know those mobile game ads that make it look like it's a proper city/settlement builder, only to trick you into some stupid thing where you don't actually build anything? It's the biggest bait and switch.”
- “It really seems like a cash grab, especially after my messages with the devs. This review is all over the place because as I was writing it, I was messaging with the devs. In the early part of my review, I was not angry, but now I am after being lied to.”
emotional
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Reviewers feel that the game falls short in delivering emotional depth compared to titles like Frostpunk, which effectively evoke distress through meaningful storytelling and high-stakes scenarios. They suggest that for a game focused on resource management and crisis, it should enhance its narrative and emotional engagement to resonate more with players.
- “If the goal is to be a game about resource management, present better metrics and progression; if the goal is to be a game about a population in crisis, craft a story with meaningful problems, stakes, and emotional impact.”