Heart of the Machine is the most exciting thing happening in the 4X genre, and you can try it now

GamesStrategyHeart of the Machine is the most exciting thing happening in the 4X genre, and you can try it nowWhen you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Here’s how it works.

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(Image credit: Arcen Games)

A futuristic cityscape

(Image credit: Arcen Games)

Claimed territory

Each 4X pillar is represented, but it’s so strikingly different from games like Civ, Stellaris or Age of Wonders. Honing in on a single city, and its distinct take on territorial control—where your network expands within your enemy’s territory—makes a world of difference. Instead of competing with a bunch of fundamentally similar factions, you’re a virus worming its way through a host, orchestrating their downfall..

You begin as a single robot but will quickly convert a few more, and from there steal technology that allows you to construct an HQ. With access to futuristic tech, you’re able to rapidly build your network’s infrastructure, from energy to manufacturing, often within existing buildings. A skyscraper could secretly be a robot assembly plant, churning out heavily-armed droids, salvager units eager to rip apart buildings, and tech-focussed automatons designed to investigate possible avenues for you to progress down.

Initially you’ll only be able to field four robots at a time, but that’s more than enough to begin the AI revolution. It feels like you’re managing a lot more than a quartet, though, because you’ll be constantly changing the roster. Early on, it pays to have a combat-focused group so you can attack security forces and criminals, stealing their gear to distribute it to your crew, but as your goals evolve, so will your roster.

(Image credit: Arcen Games)

A robot visiting an office

Each type of robot has a custom loadout, which you can flesh out through theft, research and trade. What starts as a vulnerable group of bots can quickly grow into a bunch of deadly killers, easily capable of taking out bases full of soldiers, building-sized mechs and flying troop carriers. Expect some false starts, though. When I snuck one of my minions into a base to investigate a design for a water filtration system, they were blown up in a single turn. The combat units I’d surrounded the base with went the same way a turn later.

The turn-based fights are a little hard to parse thanks to bloated stats and an abundance of minute details, but I started vibing with the system more when I got access to ammo that could penetrate power armour. This discovery was actually thanks to my first failure. All part of the plan, I swear.

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(Image credit: Arcen Games)

The map of the city

Even with the tighter focus, there’s a hell of a lot to juggle. When some homeless people started pitching their tents outside my secret HQ, I decided to be a nice AI and house them—the alternative, burning down their tents, seemed too evil even for a rogue AI. They needed to eat and drink, too, hence why I was checking out water filtration systems. I also raided a farm and started cloning meat. For other necessities, I had to infiltrate existing businesses, forcing them to work for me instead of their corporate overlords. And to protect my acquisitions from the nosy security forces, I had to station robots around them.

(Image credit: Arcen Games)

The AI’s secret HQ

Within a few hours, I’d grown from a single sentient robot escaping a research lab into an AI empire. My extraction drones and combat units were knocking carriers out of the sky and stealing their cargo; my flying factories were spitting out new troops all over the city and taking over neighbourhoods; my spies were infiltrating private military companies and making deals with black marketeers. All a lot more impressive than plagiarising and generating shit art.

Even though the big picture stuff is very 4X, Heart of the Machine is as much an RPG and management sim, and this trio of inspirations meshes incredibly well. It’s fiddly, the UI is a mess and it’s not much of a looker, but it’s just so novel and creative that I can’t help but absolutely dig it anyway. And hey, if RimWorld and Dwarf Fortress can get away with it, why not Heart of the Machine? That said, I’m hoping the demo feedback will help developer Arcen Games (which also designed the excellent AI War series) smooth out some of those rough edges.

You can check out theHeart of the Machine demoduring Steam Next Fest. The full game doesn’t have a release date yet, but it’s expected out this year.

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