Helldivers 2 took the gaming community by storm for a wide range of reasons. Obviously, its chaotic co-op gameplay and the explosive battles against the Illuminate, Teriminids, and Automatons played a part, as have the galactic map, attractive $40 price tag, and consistent updates. Yet it’s the game’s humor that arguably played the biggest role in its success, as the fight for democracy across outer space resulted in some brilliant marketing and even more brilliant memes. Now, a Steam game called Pax Autocratica is aiming to recapture that kind of magic while also looping in elements of the beloved automation game Satisfactory.
Satisfactory has all the automation staples down, but it goes a step further than connecting pipes and building factories. In addition to a hugely satisfying take on the core mechanics of the genre, elevated by some great sound design and stunning graphics, there’s an impressive open-world to explore with some rewarding exploration. Having that something extra is what truly sets Satisfactory apart, which, in addition to borrowing the first-person perspective, Steam’s Pax Autocratica is striving to do via its roguelike FPS battles.
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Pax Autocratica Features at a Glance
- ENJOY a combination of genres, with simulation, base-building, FPS, and roguelite staples.
- BUILD a colony, MANAGE survivors, LEARN new upgrades through research, and streamline your empire.
- FIGHT in battles you cause through your rule, experiencing bouts of tactical FPS gameplay as you strive to sway battles in your favor.
- CHOOSE a benevolent or tyrannical approach to leadership, with inspiration and fear-driven methods to rule.
- UPGRADE your colony with hundreds of potential buffs per expedition.
- GATHER resources and TRADE with wandering NPCs.
…shape a grand colony where every life bends to your will. Feel the weight of absolute power as you decree laws, then lead your squads in roguelite FPS battles from brutal skirmishes to large-scale battlefields and unite the Tyris System under your banner.
Guess the games from the emojis.
Guess the games from the emojis.
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Pax Autocratica Embraces Helldivers’ Style of Humor, But With Satisfactory’s Depth
Helldivers isn’t exactly subtle with its parody of an overly patriotic way of thinking, and neither is Pax Autocratica with its own critique of monarchies. The game is a “darkly satirical” take on totalitarianism, with players able to choose between being a leader that genuinely seeks the best for their citizens or a cruel monster that seeks nothing but more land to lord over. In addition to Pax Autocratica poking fun at the dictators of the world, its developer, Multiverse, is doing something to impact those affected by conflicts in the real-world. From the moment of release onward, 1% of all revenue from the game will be donated to the Norwegian Refugee Council, a politically neutral group that provides “life-saving assistance” to anyone displaced by worldwide conflict.
While a great cause gives potential players an extra incentive to purchase the game, its actual mechanics seem to be extremely promising as well. Gamers have full control over their state apparatus, from its buildings to its population. They’ll start with a handful of shelters and eventually build massive buildings to house an expanding population, with the citizens in the area commanded to serve a purpose. Games like Satisfactory see players automating machinery, but in Pax Autocratica, they’re automating an entire society. Players will be able to research numerous upgrades, building types, and technology types, and they can use them to make things run more smoothly. If the citizens are properly motivated and carrying out their jobs, efficiency can be boosted drastically, though players will have to choose how they deliver that motivation.
While the goal is to create a hardworking, successful society, the path to that point is yours to forge in whatever way you see fit. Citizens have four traits to manage — Fear, Happiness, Hunger, and Loyalty — and through these traits you can shape your society. Some players will want to take the approach of a benevolent leader, and can do so via comfort, healthcare, and comfortable living areas. Others will want to be the most evil dictator that can be, and Pax Autocratica pulls no punches in this regard. Players can whip workers to make them mine faster, order public executions, place surveillance towers around their colony, and use propaganda to indoctrinate citizens into believing all is well. This kind of freedom would make for a fun colony sim and automation game, but there are also roguelike FPS elements to consider.
Pax Autocratica is Also Worth a Look For Fans of Shooters
As players grow their empire (named Auroria), they’ll eventually have to conquer more land in the fractured territories of the Tyris System. If they do so, they’ll find important citizens to expand their reach, new resources to acquire more upgrades, and trade opportunities. However, if players want to get and keep this land, they’ll have to do so through battle. Succeeding at these conflicts will unlock advanced class skills for the leader and the army, but instead of watching these conflicts play out from a top-down perspective like one might expect, they actually directly involve the player via FPS gameplay.
In the clips shared for this promising indie game, players will wield grenades, futuristic assault and sniper rifles, and more against ground forces, mechs, and tanks. Not every battle will include the latter two enemy types — some territories players fight for will be held by weaker factions — but it will take a lot of effort to come out of larger conflicts on top. For players who need something more to do and struggle to immerse themselves in pure automation games, this aspect could be game-changing. Pax Autocratica’s genre blend is hitting a lot of different target audiences, and if everything comes together to create a smooth gameplay loop, it could be a massive hit.
Those interested in Pax Autocratica, but unsure if they want to add it to their Steam wishlists yet, will be glad to know that a demo can be downloaded for the game right now.
Drag weapons to fill the grid
Drag weapons to fill the grid
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Obviously, Helldivers 2 fans who love the game primarily for its co-op may want to find a different Helldivers alternative. Sure, the humor and tone are there, as is the sci-fi setting and weaponry, but it is fully singleplayer. Still, for those willing to try something a bit different, Pax Automatica seems to have a ton of depth and unique elements to its name. It certainly seems immersive on paper, and players won’t have to wait long to see if everything melds together nicely since this hodgepodge of genres comes out in May.
