Cubic Odyssey emerges as a standout contender in the latest Steam Next Fest, showcasing the ambitious vision of developer Atypical Games. Known for their previous ventures into open-world survival crafting, the studio now invites players to embark on an expansive journey across vibrant planets. In this game, players will craft tools, construct vehicles, and confront the ominous Red Darkness. The demo, reminiscent of a blend between Minecraft and No Man’s Sky, aims to deliver an experience rich in RPG-style depth.
Gameplay Experience
The gameplay of Cubic Odyssey is brisk and engaging, even in the absence of advanced tools like a jetpack or a functional spaceship—my own vessel having met an unfortunate end. The game swiftly bypasses the typical survival checklist, diving straight into an extensive tech tree that unfolds as players create and upgrade various facilities. A particularly appealing feature is the sub-crafting system, which allows players to produce the necessary ingredients for their desired items directly from the crafting bench. This thoughtful design enhances the crafting experience, making it feel more organic and interconnected, rather than a mere exchange of arbitrary currencies.
Players quickly find themselves in the familiar flow state characteristic of survival games. The objectives become clear: gather glass to create a chip for drone upgrades, collect wood for charcoal to smelt sand into glass, and ensure a robust base is fortified with stone before nightfall brings forth lurking threats. The sci-fi backdrop introduces useful scanners and finders, streamlining the often tedious search for resources.
Visually, Cubic Odyssey impresses with its sharp graphics, akin to an HD Minecraft texture pack, while maintaining a commitment to a freeform voxel aesthetic. The game feels intuitive and comfortable to navigate, although the character’s exaggerated limb movements during jumps add a humorous touch to the experience.
While evaluating a sprawling survival game based on a brief demo can be challenging—akin to sampling a single spoonful of sand from a vast desert—the initial impressions of Cubic Odyssey are solid. Despite the potential for fatigue with similar games, the promise of this title remains strong, even without the added excitement of cooperative play. Scheduled for release later this year, it is certainly one to watch.
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