Cities Skylines meets Mass Effect for a new Steam city-building game

Cities Skylines offers both the detail and the density that you need to manage your micro-areas. But it is not without melodrama. BioWare’s Mass Effect, on the other hand, is a sweeping space opera where the fate of the very universe hangs in the balance. Although they might not sound like the most exciting matches, Ixion is a survival-based game that you can play on Steam. You will be managing your space station in sci-fi to ensure humanity’s survival.

It seems that Earth is in a non-videogame world. It has been destroyed by pollution and natural disasters. As Administrator of Tiqqun’s space station, you are responsible for creating, building, and maintaining a viable habitat for your survivors while you search for a place that humanity can call home.

Space is not a picnic. Electrical fires, hull breaches, and the threat of other survivor factions, who – to paraphrase H.G. Wells – regard Tiqqun with envious eyes, mean you’re constantly battling for your life, and your incipient society’s survival. Ixion is a story about your choices. You must balance the immediate needs of your people with the resources needed to find other Earth refugees and build a better future.

It looks fantastic, too, a spectacular mix of harsh industrialism and florid sci-fi colours – think the original Alien meets Cyberpunk 2077. Ixion is available on Steam today, December 7. You will love city builders and taking on a challenge.

If you are feeling confident enough to handle all the power, you may also consider some of the best building games. Alternatively, check out our guide to the best RTS games, if you’re feeling a bit more action than planning.