The bosses at Bohemia Interactive have given the green light for a Steam Early Access version of a new video game called ‘.silica‘. It is actually the first project of Bohemia Incubator, a development program that encourages projects in the independent segment. Through this subsidiary, Ev tests, supports and supports the market with risky and innovative bets that do not have the budget of the big licensees in the industry.
mix of species
It is difficult for a publisher to choose between such offers, but it was easy for the situation in Bohemia, as this is a game with a very striking visual part that mixes hitherto reserved genres as much as water. and Oil: First-person action formulas and real-time strategy exercises. “Silica” tries to unify them, and a priori it does so under one principle with surprising ease, but we still don’t know how they coexisted at later stages, because what we’ve tested with the hood is still very old. early developmental status.
‘Silica’ is a space adventure with inescapable similarities to ‘Dune’: a planet with precious and limited resources, armies interested in capturing them, local fauna that will defend their lands to their last teeth, and loads of sand covering everything. At the start of the game, at this stage of launch (we insist) the user finds himself with the option to play as a real-time strategy study or a first-person shooter experience.
Choose game type
For the first of the options, the goal will be the Balterium collection, for which we need to deploy the typical infrastructures of the action formats in real time: collectors, barracks, radars, research buildings, workshops, etc. With them we form units that will serve both to exploit resources and to attack rival units. On the “insects” side we have the same options, but with added attributes of the creatures of the planet; very fast and fierce, but ineffective at long range.
As a strategy or RTS proposal, it’s graphically stunning both from afar (our camera units move much farther than normal until we leave them as pixels on the screen) and up close, where we can augment vehicles and soldiers to explore the unusual. detail. In this context, perhaps the challenge is to find a middle ground without perhaps getting too caught up in perspective. Units are fluid to use, although it depends on the characteristics of each vehicle; Using an agile Light Quad or Siege Tank is not the same thing.
with shots
On the other hand, the gameplay as an FPS is more traditional, although it maintains huge distances and huge open scenarios filled with sand, where battles of hundreds of players can be hosted. Once again, the architecture of the maps is also a challenge here, as sometimes the action is right next door, while at others we will have to travel great distances to find a confrontation.
The title comes out in Early Access with a few game modes, but we assume more are to come: “Strategy” combines both RTS and FPS and offers the possibility to join the game in any combination, but this mode “Prospector”, while the story of “Silica” unfolds It is the one that offers the best solutions to start playing as it allows you to learn and experiment with the main principles of the game gradually.As usual, Arena mode proposes conflicts between players in various areas.
keep growing
Currently there are 6 locations, 3 modes, 11 vehicles and 8 creatures in ‘Silica’, but the company has promised that the number of features will increase in the future. It’s already available in early access and will allow us to see how its development grows during that time, which will take between 9 and 12 months. A very stunning title with a fantastic setting, a video game in development, not a finished product, and therefore, this experience should be taken as it is: an innovative project that will take shape over the next few months, thanks in full, to the contribution of its community.