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In the sandbox MMORPG, Xsyon: Prelude, players are survivors in a post-apocalyptic world that has reverted to a medieval state. Set up camps, scavenge for resources, and craft items to progress, while interacting with a living world and other players in this unique virtual world. A website account is required to play and participate in the game's community and development discussions.

Xsyon: Prelude screenshot
Xsyon: Prelude screenshot
Xsyon: Prelude screenshot
Xsyon: Prelude screenshot
Xsyon: Prelude screenshot
Xsyon: Prelude screenshot
Xsyon: Prelude screenshot
Xsyon: Prelude screenshot
Xsyon: Prelude screenshot
Xsyon: Prelude screenshot
Xsyon: Prelude screenshot
+9

74%
Audience ScoreBased on 598 reviews
graphics34 positive mentions
grinding148 negative mentions

  • Xsyon offers a unique and immersive sandbox experience with a focus on crafting, building, and survival in a post-apocalyptic setting.
  • The community is friendly and helpful, providing support to new players and fostering a collaborative environment.
  • The game features a deep crafting system, allowing players to create a wide variety of items and structures, enhancing the gameplay experience.
  • The game has a steep learning curve and can be overwhelming for new players, with limited guidance in the early stages.
  • Combat mechanics are clunky and not well-developed, which can detract from the overall experience.
  • The player base is relatively small, leading to a lack of interaction and making it difficult to find groups or tribes to join.
  • grinding
    150 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The game is widely regarded as very grindy, particularly in the early stages, requiring significant time investment to level up skills and craft items. While some players find enjoyment in the slow-paced progression and the depth of crafting, farming, and building systems, others view the grinding as tedious and lacking in immediate rewards. Overall, it appeals to those who appreciate a sandbox experience centered around gathering and skill development, especially if they are part of an active community.

    • “I might recommend this to people who felt that Ark wasn't grindy enough.”
    • “As for the game itself, it is grindy.”
    • “The game is without question the most grinding I have ever seen.”
    • “Not entirely my type of game as the pace for gathering and crafting can be arduously tedious at first.”
  • graphics
    118 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The graphics of the game have been widely criticized as outdated and sub-par for the current genre standards, with many users noting that they appear better on low settings. While some appreciate the unique atmosphere created by the graphics, others find them clunky and in need of a significant overhaul to enhance performance and visual quality. Overall, players suggest that the game is enjoyable despite its graphical shortcomings, but an update would be beneficial for its competitiveness in the market.

    • “The graphics are not triple A, but they are good and unique, which creates a great atmosphere for the game.”
    • “This game's graphics may not be state of the art, but at least it's very solid with the animations and environment and gets the job done pretty well.”
    • “The graphics are pretty good for a true sandbox with a full terraforming and piecemeal building construction system, as well as trees that are actually removed when chopped.”
    • “The graphics are also sub-par for the genre in this time period.”
    • “The graphics and controls are terrible for a game that's been in early access for so long.”
    • “Graphical quality is extremely poor.”
  • gameplay
    78 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The gameplay is characterized by a slow progression and grindy mechanics, appealing primarily to survival gamers who appreciate complex systems and teamwork. While the game offers a rich world with engaging building and scavenging elements, it suffers from some frustrating mechanics and a lack of clear communication tools, which can hinder the experience for new players. Overall, it provides a solid foundation for exploration and community interaction, though it may not suit those seeking fast-paced action or polished mechanics.

    • “The gameplay is a fun survival crafter that puts a big emphasis on teamwork and working together as a tribe.”
    • “I’ve been playing this game almost since the beginning, it has changed a lot, adding tons of new features, improvements and so on, but the concept and gameplay has been always brilliant.”
    • “It is a game to discover little by little, exploring, figuring out how the mechanics work, meeting people, having fun.”
    • “Honestly, communities in this genre are used to buggy games, but ignoring game-breaking mechanics was what strangled this game in my opinion.”
    • “The world-building aspects of the game have great potential, but it gets lost in some terrible game mechanics.”
    • “Gameplay is lacking.”
  • story
    30 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The game's story is largely player-driven, emphasizing a quest system that allows players to create their own goals and adventures rather than following a predefined narrative. While it offers opportunities for collaboration and creativity in building and quest-making, it lacks a structured plot or missions, making it ideal for those who prefer a sandbox experience over guided gameplay. Players are encouraged to specialize in skills and shape the world around them, fostering a unique and personal storytelling experience.

    • “It's designed to be a player-driven RPG with player-crafted quests where each person specializes in a few skills.”
    • “You can adventure together, and you can create quests together.”
    • “If you are looking for a strong quest system and a lot of hand-holding through an involved plot line, this is not the game for you.”
    • “This game is not Warcraft; nobody tells you what to do. Surviving is the quest; you make your own adventure.”
    • “The game has an underused quest system that lets players set goals for other players.”
  • optimization
    18 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The optimization of Xsyon is widely criticized, with users reporting significant performance issues even on moderate settings. Many players emphasize the need for a graphical overhaul and performance enhancements to improve gameplay, particularly in forested areas where the game runs poorly. Overall, the game is described as "completely un-optimized," with character movements often feeling sluggish and awkward.

    • “The graphics do not need to be amazing, just smoother and higher performance.”
    • “There are performance issues running the game on moderate settings.”
    • “A graphical overhaul including performance enhancements is an essential first step toward making Xsyon competitive in the genre.”
    • “Believe me, I have a very good computer as well, so I think the game needs a bit more optimization.”
  • stability
    8 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The game is criticized for its significant stability issues, with many users reporting game-breaking bugs that detract from the overall experience. While some players found that switching to full screen resolved certain problems, the general consensus is that the game remains quite buggy and limited in features, leading to frustration, especially in a pay-to-win context.

    • “Honestly, communities in this genre are used to buggy games, but ignoring game-breaking mechanics was what strangled this game in my opinion.”
    • “It is very buggy.”
    • “The features were pretty limited and it was buggy, so I didn't play for very long, especially since it's heavily pay-to-win.”
  • atmosphere
    6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The game's atmosphere is highly praised, with users highlighting its immersive settings and the variety of activities available. Many reviewers rate the atmosphere a perfect 10/10, emphasizing their enjoyment and appreciation for the overall ambiance.

    • “I love the atmosphere of the game and that there is so much you can do.”
    • “The atmosphere of the game is nice as well as the settings.”
    • “Atmosphere = 10/10”
  • monetization
    4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The game features a reasonable subscription fee without any microtransactions, which players appreciate as a preferable alternative to the common monetization practices in other games. Overall, the monetization model is viewed positively, contributing to a well-designed game experience.

    • “The subscription fee is very reasonable, and I prefer it to microtransactions.”
    • “In all, it's got a very well-designed game world, a robust crafting system, and a friendly player base (at least on the PvE server; I've never played on PvP). There are no subscriptions and no microtransactions.”
    • “The subscription fee is very reasonable, and I prefer it to microtransactions.”
    • “The subscription fee is very reasonable and I prefer it to microtransactions.”
    • “The subscription fee is very reasonable and I prefer it to microtransactions.”
  • replayability
    2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The reviews indicate a negative perception of replayability, with users expressing that the game lacks engaging content and is less enjoyable compared to other titles, such as Wurm Online. Overall, the sentiment suggests that players do not find sufficient motivation to replay the game.

  • humor
    2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The humor in the game is perceived as understated, with some players feeling that its underrated nature detracts from its comedic potential. Overall, the humor may not resonate strongly with all players, leading to mixed reactions.

    • “This game is so underrated that it's not funny.”
  • music
    2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The music in the game effectively complements the overall experience, fulfilling its role without overshadowing the gameplay. While not groundbreaking, it aligns well with the open-world style, enhancing the atmosphere.

Buy Xsyon: Prelude

47h Median play time
33h Average play time
3-62h Spent by most gamers
*Based on 4 analyzed playthroughs

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