Silence of the Siren is an Alpha title that aims to hit Early Access in 2024. The demo version is limited, but I can see the strong potential on offer. Moreover, the art style, excellent UI, and impressive depth kept me coming back for more. However, due to my restricted access, I am only able to give you a highlight of my time with this title.
This turn-based strategy title was developed and published by Oxymoron Games. Moreover, it comprises some exploration elements and can be enjoyed casually between other titles. At the moment, it is restricted to single-player action. Yet, the team assured me that multiplayer action will be at the core of everything they do. Alongside this, there will be an interesting and rich story as well as fun and challenging skirmish maps.
Silence of the Siren parallels humanity.
Unfortunately, humans are greedy and untrustworthy. As such, whenever they see something of worth, they’ll do anything to get their hands on it. Unfortunately, this horrific idea forms the backbone of Silence of the Siren. Accordingly, you’ll experience betrayal, extinction, and never-ending feuds.
The Siren star system has been cut from the rest of the galaxy. As such, the remaining civilisations form a flimsy alliance to preserve their way of life. However, few of the creatures acknowledge these rules and ungodly warfare is the result. Subsequently, you must stay ahead of the game and fight to stay alive.
Plenty of trial and error.
Though this is a demo, the core gameplay is strong and every mechanic is well-considered. Yet, a lack of a tutorial ensured that I was stabbing about in the dark to find a solution. Moreover, much of my time was spent testing new ideas and stumbling my way through. Now, this may seem like a negative, but I liked being left to my own devices. What’s more, when I got things right, the action was rewarding.
The skirmish mode allows you to face off with an AI opponent. Along the way, you’ll discover armies of monsters, buildings to explore, and plenty of resources and collectables. Additionally, you must expand your base, hire new commanders, and convince soldiers to join your ranks. If you can do this, you can make an all-powerful army that can tackle the toughest of opponents.
Combat and exploration.
The exploration element of the gameplay asks you to scour vast spaces. During your expeditions, you’ll stumble across valuable assets that can improve your bank balance or your XP. However, where there is reward, there is risk. Unfortunately, you may discover a powerful army of bugs that want to slice you apart.
The combat aspect of the action focuses on classic turn-based mechanics. As such, you must utilise any special abilities or upgraded units to your advantage. What’s more, you soon learn that your troop’s placement is paramount to your success. Accordingly, you must understand your troops and your opponents’ if you wish to succeed.
Silence of the Siren looks great.
As Silence of the Siren is an Alpha demo, I set my hopes accordingly. As such, I expected it to be laced with bugs and glitches and to crash repeatedly. However, other than some minor issues, I have nothing but high praise for the development team. Alongside this, the game looks great! I adore the top-down perspective and the earthy colour palette. Moreover, the fantasy elements are fascinating and well-considered. On top of this, the UI is easy to navigate and the screen is clutter-free.
The audio is just as good. The haunting soundtrack is dramatic and atmospheric. Additionally, the cruel sound effects are disgustingly brilliant. Therefore, you’ll lose yourself in this oppressive and daunting fantasy world.
A steep learning curve.
It would be remiss of me to ignore the steep learning curve. However, if you love this genre, you know the score. Yet, once you get over the initial hurdles, you’ll love the depth and complexity of each mechanic on offer. Thankfully, once the tutorial element is added to the Early Access build, I believe that this issue will be vastly reduced.
The road map for Silence of the Siren looks promising. With plenty of factions to test out and multiplayer action on the cards, I think this will ooze replay value and longevity. Additionally, there will be a story mode to keep you busy and plenty of units to unlock and upgrade. As such, it’ll be loaded with depth and challenging action.
Silence of the Siren has a promising future.
I loved this game at EGX 2023 and I can’t wait to see how it evolves. In its current build, it was fascinating to play. However, I think it can only get better. The developers are keen to deliver an exceptional experience and by this evidence, 2024 will be a wonderful year for them. Consequently, show them your support and wish list it here!
