RTS automation games can be incredibly addictive, especially if you love optimizing things. The developers at Stage Games Inc. are bringing something new to this genre with their game, Desynced. It’s refreshing to see them move away from the usual conveyor belt mechanics, which are so common in other popular games like Factorio and Dyson Sphere Program.
First Impressions of Desynced
Desynced kicks things off by placing you on a randomly generated planet, helped by an AI from your mothership called ELAIN (Emergent Logistics Artificial Intelligence Network). The main objective is to repair your mothership and leave the planet, a concept that might remind you of Factorio’s rocket-building goal.
Setting up my base for the first time felt a bit like playing Red Alert 2. The map’s environment also seems influenced by Starcraft and Dune. One feature I appreciate is the multiplayer support, allowing for both Co-op and PvP modes. I can already imagine having a weekend filled with teamwork and strategy with friends. Playing solo, however, poses its own unique and challenging experience.
Buildings & Components
Buildings are your essential structures for producing raw materials and surviving attacks from bugs. Each of these buildings has component slots: Internal, Small, Medium, and Large.
Early in the game, you’ll mostly be focusing on Small and Medium Components, constructing items like Fabricators and Assemblers. Don’t overlook Internal Components, as they provide important “buffs” for your bots and buildings later in the game. Despite being an early-access title, Desynced offers a surprising amount of content, and I still haven’t explored large components yet.
Automation
The automation system in Desynced has a UI that reminds me of Mass Effect. It feels a bit like coding in Unity when setting up automation for bots. While digging into the details of coding each bot isn’t really my thing, I noticed that most buildings come with some default automation, so it’s not necessary to customize everything. Setting up bot behaviors requires research in the game’s Tech Tree.
The Dashbot is a quick and cheap bot that can become an auto-repairing turret tank. Certain Internal Components, like the Auto-repair Kit and Sign Board, unlock after researching the Basic Tech Tree and are very useful for ensuring survival and managing bots.
Bot Creation
Bots play a central role in both work and combat in Desynced. Building bots reminded me of Mars First Logistics, minus the frustrating physics. Exploring structures gives you valuable resources, and though building bots doesn’t feel like assembling Legos, it’s enjoyable to design them for specific roles. You have worker bots, miner bots, and customizable bots with various components.
Navigating through bot creation is straightforward. Left-click on the WiFi button to connect the bot to the Logistics Network, and right-click for more advanced options. These bots make up the backbone of your operations in Desynced.
Overall, Desynced offers a fresh and immersive experience for fans of RTS automation games. Its blend of familiar and unique elements makes it a noteworthy addition to the genre.