FULL REVIEW: Cygnus [Enterprises]

[Two Clicks]

RANKING:

AVOID | LACKING | MAYBE | WORTHWHILE | COMPELLING | UNMISSABLE

SYNOPSIS:

ASSESSMENT:

Cygnus is a strange one. Hard to do it justice. Its lite, unconventional mish-mash of The Sims(tm) with Helldivers style combat is conceptually great, delivering at times a captivating experience. Yet, the lack of optimisation and random CTD causing bugs make it a struggle to finish.

The Avataresque setting proves a great foil for the tongue-in-cheek, anti-corporation, sci-fi themed story. An expansive game loop starts off pleasant and involving, but becomes unwieldly due to a rising need for micromanagement despite some automation. Character customisation provides interesting abilities for combat. Which is a blast due to a variety of weapons and their alt. fire modes. Story missions are as substantive as the action gets. Repetitive filler missions are over too quickly. The leisure resort centric base management is well-balanced and engaging, but much of it feels on-rails by being linked to the story.

Difficult to enjoy, with perseverance it can feel rewarding. With all its problems, sadly it would be best to AVOID.

STATUS:	Playable, but unoptimized and unfinished. Now abandoned
APPEAL:	Despite its merits, only fans who can look past its many faults and have the determination to struggle past its issues may enjoy it
VALUE:	No longer available on the Steam store

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More info below....

https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3453252752

CONTENT:

► PREMISE incorporates Helldivers style ARPG combat in an extraction looter format. The Sims(tm) style base building takes place alongside employee and visitor management similar to Theme Park. Wrapped in a corporate sci-fi themed story and setting. Concise character customisation generate abilities to use in combat. Acquiring resources is required to feed NPCs, to keep the resort functioning and to purchase or craft inventory to use or sell on.

► The solitary GAME MODE consists of a CAMPAIGN of story-led missions on a WORLD MAP with a select few minor side-missions. This is buffed by a never-ending*, everchanging set of filler missions used to level-up, gain resources and a little extra inventory.

► Mission LEVELS are a mix prefab maps and scripted story. They tend to be linear, but provide a little scope for exploration and avoiding non-essential areas. Some doorways are dead ends. The few environmental hurdles and activities that take place during missions are enough keep play interesting out of combat. Not-so quicksand, mines, aggressive fauna and more in later biomes. Crates and buried resources contain loot to bulk out victory rewards.

► Of the x3 MISSION types; story and filler combat missions are the only fleshed out. Objective driven and extraction looter in format. Objectives lack variety, and combat makes them feel overly repetitive. Some have timed elements. Non-combat options that reward resources or visitor happiness are instantly resolved, but unsatisfying. Level requisites ensure missions beyond the character's equipped inventory and capabilities are not taken on.

ATMOSPHERE:

► The futuristic SETTING is a little of the planet in Avatar without the humanoid natives. The basis for a leisure resort in space is unique. Like a corporate version of The Sims(tm) lite. Brought to life with some really good attention to sci-fi detail such as the use of technology, language and more.

► The STORY is completely linear full of scripted combat missions with extensive cutscenes. Every element does a very good job of immersing the player in the character's predicament. WRITING is on the whole great, with humour and a not so subtle tongue-in-cheek dig at corporations. The final act seems indicative of being cobbled together for a rushed release.

► The alien planet provides an interesting GAMEWORLD only experienced in combat missions. Partitioned across a number of varied biomes that are unlocked through story progression. Hostile fauna is benign at the start, but becomes a challenging enemy in its own right in later zones. Seems a waste that not more events occur at the base.

► AUDIOVISUALS are great. VISUALS are crisp, on a par with Helldivers when in mission. The techno inspired SOUNDTRACK is atmospheric. Most tracks capture the mood when in combat and when out of it. SOUNDEFFECTS enhance the immersion. VOICEACTING expresses the futuristic characters and NPC very well. Decent use of CUTSCENES provide emphasis during important story moments.

EXPERIENCE:

► An expansive GAME LOOP keeps investment in playing high. Base management grows when it needs expanding. Assigning employees to buildings provides some automation of production queues, but requires micromanagement as the AI isn't perfect. Which exceeds the the time spent in combat missions.

► Combat and Base Mgmt are the mainstay of GAMEPLAY which proves to be an absorbing experience despite a rushed release that has left some features not completely fleshed out. Additional such as item and resource production, resource harvesting, research and training ensure there is much to do between combat encounters.

► Full CHARACTER CUSTOMISATION is limited to the main character. Skill investment in x6 masteries defines the class which determines what passives, abilities and inventory become accessible. Player preference in these comes from the distinct bonuses they offer. Weapon masteries are open and levelled simply by using a weapon from the x6 types: pistol, assault weapon, precision rifle, heavy weapon or launcher.

► The Helldivers style COMBAT is enjoyable. Enough tactical abilities allows players to define their preferred playstyle. A mix of impressive offensive attacks or supporting buffs such as shields or healing. Of the numerous weapons some are tremendous fun to use, especially the alt. fire modes. The final two biomes provide a bonafide set of environmental obstacles that harry the player. These and some weapons/abilities can cause a dedicated set of states such as: crits, poison, slow, vulnerable or weaken, to put the player (and AI) off-balance. The constant flurry of overly short missions can make it feel old fast.

► BASE BUILDING is without complexity and much of it linked to the story. Every building provides is necessary to overall management of the colony which is limited to: inventory crafting & production, base power, visitor demands, resource production and collection. Since there are no alternative building strategies it kind of feels on-rails. Only the merest of dependencies affect building positioning. While each resource are mostly single use. Expanding the resort in later game can prove addictive. Especially as it can be done on the fly and resources are never lost.

Micromanagement grows with the base until employees can be posted to certain buildings to provide automation. Even then the AI doesn't always manage queues adequately, so specifically canteen and resource collector need some hands-on interaction. This feature requires the lightest amount of QoL.

► The UI has numerous shortfalls. The worst being the lack of logistical overview of visitor and base requirements. Wish all info was put on the same screen where needed to reduce the effort in micromanaging. Having significant resources hidden away forces the player have to delve into a sub-screen too much.

https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3453252196

MECHANICS:

► The VISITOR HAPPINESS aspects is not fully fleshed out as preferences never rise to include endgame inventory or recipes. There are too few buildings included to affect this beyond a basic level. Managing individual visitor happiness is difficult as there is no visible indicator above NPCs wandering around the colony.

► The range of INVENTORY is cool and the need to change happens organically. Across the x5 weapon categories an auto-seeking rocket launcher, laser cutter and miniguns are the most impressive. Some alt. fire modes devastatingly fun. Armour is class dependent. Only the accessories that augment currently assigned class abilities should be equipped. Artefacts are the only items that lack abundance, as they are quite powerful and can even prevent death.

► A LACK OF RESOURCES demands a fair amount of filler missions be initially conducted, alongside scavenging for them around the base. Even so late game resources are still rare enough that they must be farmed for, to craft the necessary equipment for the final missions.

► Visitor NPCS can be invited to the resort and recruited as EMPLOYEES to man buildings to boost their output. While they cannot be added to the character's party and taken on missions, they can be assigned to hands-off EXPEDITIONS instead. Of the two types soldiers go on combat missions. Non-combatants go on base missions. Success offers fairly paltry rewards.

► Being able to RESPECC skill point investment or craft EXTRA LIVES by spending resources in the cloning facility is useful.

► The way CRAFTING and RECYCLING are needed to produce items to sell visitors or keep the base power on, is an exhaustive if basic feature.

► The FISHING minigame is remindful of the one in Torchlight. Limited by the number of fish available and character action points between missions. Though there are several of these locations to go to. Just wish there were more of these types of minigames.

► Using the TRAINING CENTER to level up employees its not as efficient as simply firing lower skilled ones and replacing them with those that become available later on.

► RESEARCH is a means to an end, unlocking better armour, weapons, ingredients and more by scaling with the story.

► PROMOTIONS are underwhelming. Perhaps another unflushed feature that just provides an aim for the player to gather resources or complete story quest arcs. Their only function other than awarding a few items is to increase the building area of the colony.

► The ARACDE building allows players to replay past story missions for a few additional rewards. Seems out of place for a game that has strategic turns, as there isn't enough incentive to undertake these over story or even filler missions.

CHALLENGE:

► ENEMIES come in two types: beasties and technological. Both possess a raft of abilities and attacks. Though organic foes are reskins with similar abilities across biomes. Technological foes offer different challenges. Their ability to disappear and teleport particularly impressive. Some variants would have have been great. Plus as more hostile environments for biomes at the start.

► The AI works on a simple premise, go on all out attack when within sight of its target. It has an overall herd mentality. Some mobs work in groups. At times accompanied by pairs if foes. The larger, stronger enemies act on their own or by accompanying smaller groups. Anomaly drones act in their own unique way. Foes with distinct abilities use them well.

► Of the scripted BOSS FIGHTS in mid and end game stages, these offer the best challenges and experiences. With attack abilities and patterns that go beyond those of standard mobs. Just wish there had been a few more set-piece encounters.

► Through determination the ENDGAME can be gotten to. Though crashing in some of the scripted story missions can be bypassed by completing other missions and trying another game day.

https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3453536650

COMPLEXITY:

🔶 ACCESSIBILITY - Short, useful info screens with each new concept, after the initial 'basics' tutorial. Some text is bugged. They can be accessed again if required.
🔶 DIFFICULTY - Initially its trivial due to the on-rails nature of the first act. By around mid-game some combat encounters become tricky, especially story ones. Final missions require the best equipment and a high level character with access to corresponding passives and abilities.
🔶 BALANCE - Depends on the character's equipment level and the region missions are being undertaken. Since resources are rare, every single aspect of finding or generating them must be milked to the fullest for much of the game.
🔶 PACE - Action limits per day ensure the player doesn't get too bogged down doing too much per game day. The more intensive aspects of base mgmt can be also be automated to a degree. The first act is slow, but later story missions give an impression that they were cobbled together to get a 'complete' game out the door. Character levelling is fast. Short missions ensures a fast tempo. Dealing with visitors the slowest aspect of base mgmt.
🔶 SCALING - Is organic as regions are unlocked with requisite equipment. Base-building is scripted and feels heavy at the start, lulls in the middle and picks up in the final act. The availability of new facilities is hardwired into the story. Mission rewards do scale with the intro of new resources, but these remain scarce without exploring each map to the fullest.

STAYING POWER:

🟨 REPLAY VALUE - Its linear story-driven campaign and 'on-rails' base building does it few favours. Character customisation choices allow for completely different playthrough. Filler missions provide some freedom of experience.
🟨 LONGEVITY - Beyond completing the game and getting all achievements there really is not much else to strife for after. Though the filler missions and base mgmt can be continued post story completion.

PRODUCTION:

🟣 QUALITY - Many bugs at release. Numerous remain and spoil the experience to different levels. Incorrect item descriptions. Some achievements trigger too early. Several achievements appear glitchy. Much of the game has some polish. A lot of QoL would make this a better and finished game. Cobbled together endgame missions indicate a game rushed out.
🟣 OPTIMISATION - Though my specs are supported fps was between 1 and 46. It needs every byte of the 8GB RAM and some gamers with better specs have complained about optimisation.
🟣 STABILITY - Experienced a dozen or so crashes. Linked to scripted story missions. Progressing a game day and trying the same mission again seemed to rectify the problems. Never closed down properly.

MISC:

🟣 SETTINGS - Comprehensive for graphics and audio. General gameplay has a few options. Full keyboard rebinds. Privacy for game data sending, set to off by default.
🟣 CONTROLS - Standard WASD KB/M. No issues.
🟣 STEAM - Has both overlay functionality and screenshot capture.

REVIEWED
WITH:

Build v1.00.8 & 1.00.20
INTEL i5 6600 3.3GHz, 8GB RAM, GTX970 @ 1GB 1920x1080 fullscreen, EVO850 SSD

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