Atlas Reactor: Turn-Based Tactics From Trove Devs
Think Frozen Synapse
Trion Worlds, the crew most notable for MMOs Defiance and Trove, have turned their attention to the small scale. Well, comparatively anyway. The studio's been working on a new free-to-play, team-based, turn-based tactical combat team called Atlas Reactor [official site], an amalgamation of XCOM tactics with Overwatch aesthetic, from the look of it. Check it out for yourself after the jump.
Here's the idea: five "Freelancers" with unique skills go head-to-head against five uniquely skilled freelancers. Each turn gives the player 30 seconds to decide their next move, which is taken by each player on their team simultaneously. You know, a bit like Frozen Synapse. As the Trion lads say a few times throughout the announcement trailer, they want to take the waiting out of turn-based gaming.
"Then why not just make it a real-time strategy game then, genius?"
Well, try to think of it as a little genetic variation. Atlas Reactor seems to have the kind heavy focus on strategy that fuels turn-based games. Fog of war means you can't be sure what the enemy's next move will be, complicating your plans for how to deal with them. Matches are pretty short too, expected to last between 10 and 20 minutes, and the game even supports uneven teams. You can try your hand at one-on-five, if that's what you're in to.
I think it looks neat, although - as expected - the trailer's YouTube commenters are already wary of the existence of another F2P project.
Atlas Reactor is scheduled to hit October 2016.
