– New Cycle blends Frostpunk’s survival pressure with Anno’s economic depth and a dark dieselpunk aesthetic.
– The game is currently 50% off ($15), its lowest price ever, but is not supported on Steam Deck.
– Players rebuild civilization after solar storms, focusing on resource chains, social classes, and industrial expansion.
– 79% positive Steam reviews praise the survival-city builder mix, but critics note similarities to Frostpunk and unfinished mechanics.
– A 1.0 release is planned for later this year, with a likely price increase after Early Access ends.
New Cycle Blends Frostpunk Survival with Anno Strategy
Take the harsh survival pressure of Frostpunk, mix it with the economic depth of Anno and add a heavy dose of dieselpunk flair. The result is New Cycle. Players looking for a city builder with a distinctive setting may find plenty to like here. The game is currently 50% off, bringing it down to around $15 – its lowest price to date, according to SteamDB. Steam Deck users, however, are out of luck. New Cycle is currently not supported on Valve’s handheld.
A dark world shaped by solar storms
Set in 2073, New Cycle takes place in a world devestated by catastrophic environmental disasters. Unlike Frostpunk, where humanity battles an endless winter, the apocalypse hear was caused by destructive solar storms. Players must rebuild civilization from the ground up. What begins as a small settlement of makeshift shelters gradually grows into a sprawling industrial metropolis with factories, rail networks and complex infrastructure. As in Anno, resource management, social classes and intricate production chains play a central role. Visually, the game leans into a dark dieselpunk style with rust-covered industrial facilities, smoke-belching chimneys and massive machinery. The overall aesthetic feels closer to the Industrial Revolution then to a traditional science-fiction setting.
Steam reviews and early access details
New Cycle has recieved roughly 2,800 user reviews on Steam, 79% of them positive. Players often praise the combination of survival mechanics and city-building strategy. Criticism, however, is aimed at the games obvious similarities to Frostpunk, various technical issues and several mechanics that still feel unfinished. Some trailers previously showed a first-person perspective, but that feature does not appear to be available in the current Early Access build. Even so, the current discount could make the game an attractive option for anyone interested in the concept. An official release date for version 1.0 has not yet been announced. The developers still plan to leave Early Access later this year, and the price is expected to increase once the full version arrives. The Early Access roadmap can be found here.