Xsyon: Prelude

About

Xsyon: Prelude is a multiplayer open world role playing game. It was developed by Notorious Games and was released on December 29, 2014. It received mostly positive reviews from players.

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.

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71%

Audience ScoreBased on 496 reviews

graphics24 positive mentions

grinding108 negative mentions

The game offers a true sandbox experience where players can shape the world, build, hunt, and survive, fostering a strong sense of community.
The crafting and building systems are in-depth and allow for creative freedom, making it enjoyable for players who like to construct and customize their environments.
The player base is friendly and helpful, with many players willing to assist newcomers and share knowledge about the game mechanics.

The game suffers from a low player population, making it difficult to find others to play with, especially on the PvP server.
The graphics and user interface feel outdated and clunky, which can detract from the overall experience.
The game has a steep learning curve and can be confusing for new players, with some mechanics not being intuitive or well-explained.

grinding
110 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
1%
1%
98%
The game is widely recognized for its heavy emphasis on grinding, particularly in the early stages, which can feel slow and tedious for some players. However, many find the grinding rewarding as it leads to a sense of progression and mastery over various skills like farming, crafting, and building. While the grind may deter casual players, those who enjoy a slow-paced, sandbox experience with a supportive community may find it enjoyable and fulfilling.
- “I might recommend this to people who felt that Ark wasn't grindy enough.”
- “The game is without question the most grinding I have ever seen.”
- “It has some potential but it looks like it's been out for over 12 years, there aren't any ranged weapons yet, finding some resources is stupid grindy, like yes people like hardcore survival but having to trek 30 in-game minutes to find one rock resource or one trash pile baffles me.”
- “But the journey is really, really long and tedious.”
graphics
80 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
30%
57%
13%
The graphics of the game have received mixed reviews, with many players noting that they appear outdated and reminiscent of older gaming engines, often comparing them to titles from the early 2000s or even the 1980s. While some appreciate the unique style and atmosphere created by the graphics, others criticize the quality, stating that they fall short of modern standards and require significant updates. Overall, the consensus suggests that while the graphics may suffice for an indie title, they do not meet the expectations set by contemporary AAA games.
- “Graphics and sound/music do what they need to do, and in fact, I find the graphics to be just right for this style of open world.”
- “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 and controls are terrible for a game that's been in early access forever.”
- “The graphics don't look too bad in the screenshots, the animals especially look good, but in-game it feels far more dated.”
- “It is a dated game, on a dated engine, with dated graphics, a dated interface, and has connection to too few servers.”
gameplay
58 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
28%
62%
10%
Gameplay in this title is characterized by a slow progression and a steep learning curve, with many players finding it initially confusing but ultimately rewarding as they become familiar with the mechanics. While the game emphasizes teamwork and offers a rich survival crafting experience, it suffers from some poorly designed mechanics and a lack of clear communication systems. Overall, it appeals to dedicated survival gamers who appreciate complex systems and are willing to invest time in mastering the gameplay.
- “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.”
- “The world building aspects of the game have great potential, but it gets lost in some terrible game mechanics.”
- “The immediate downfall of the game is that the communication systems in-game are horrible and most people are into solo gameplay.”
- “There is a lot of ambiguity, and a lot of hidden mechanics that even the veteran players don't know.”
story
16 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
19%
62%
19%
The game's story is largely player-driven, featuring an underused quest system that allows players to create and set goals for one another, emphasizing individual skill specialization. While it encourages collaborative adventure and land manipulation, it lacks a structured narrative and extensive guidance, making it unsuitable for those seeking a traditional, plot-heavy RPG 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.”
- “You as players can set quests for people to do, you can build your own structures, you can manipulate the land under most circumstances.”
- “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.”
- “The game has an underused quest system that lets players set goals for other players.”
- “It was meant to be a role-playing game that is player-driven, with quests that players created, and players would specialize in 1-2 skills.”
optimization
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
33%
67%
The game is criticized for being poorly optimized, with significant performance issues, particularly in forested areas, and awkward character movements that can feel sluggish. Despite having a capable computer, players report frustrating gameplay experiences due to these optimization shortcomings. Overall, the need for performance updates is a common concern among users.
- “Completely un-optimized, just bad.”
- “Believe me, I have a very good computer as well, so I think the game needs a bit more optimization.”
- “Xsyon may not be the most beautiful game on the market (graphically), but it needs performance updates as at times it runs quite poorly in forests. Some of the character’s movements are a bit wonky; running can be almost 'slow-motion-like' on certain surfaces, while walking anywhere seems as if your character’s legs have been placed in spleens and he/she was then refused to use crutches.”
atmosphere
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
67%
33%
The game's atmosphere is highly praised, with users consistently rating it 10/10 for its engaging settings and the variety of activities available. Overall, players find the atmosphere to be a standout feature that enhances their gaming experience.
- “The atmosphere of the game is nice, as well as the settings.”
- “Atmosphere = 10/10”
- “I love the atmosphere of the game and that there is so much you can do.”
stability
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game has been reported as very buggy, with users experiencing significant issues that affected their gameplay, particularly in windowed mode. However, some players noted that switching to full screen resolved many of these problems, leading to a more stable experience. Overall, the game's stability remains a concern, especially given its limited features and pay-to-win elements.
- “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.”
- “[update]: Full screen fixes the mouse issue, and at least for me it is no longer buggy (full screen used to crash a lot).”
monetization
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
75%
25%
The game features a reasonable subscription model without any microtransactions, which many players appreciate as a preferable alternative to the common microtransaction systems found in other games. Overall, the monetization approach is viewed positively, contributing to a well-designed game experience.
- “In all, it's got a very well-designed game world, robust crafting system, and a friendly player base (at least on the PvE server; 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
100%
The reviews indicate a lack of replayability, with users expressing dissatisfaction and comparing the game unfavorably to others, suggesting that it fails to engage players for multiple playthroughs.
humor
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is perceived as understated, with some players finding it so underrated that it becomes almost ironic. Overall, the comedic elements may not resonate with everyone, leading to mixed reactions regarding its effectiveness.
- “This game is so underrated that it's not funny.”
music
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
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.