Utopia Must Fall from Pixeljam, and Datassette is a “Work in Progress” vector arcade-style, fast-paced base-defending shooter.
The game looks absolutely fantastic with its retro visuals and flashy effects, and it immediately caught my eye. So is it worth checking out while it’s still in development?
What Is Utopia Must Fall?
In Utopia Must Fall, players will take on the role of a base commander tasked with protecting a futuristic city from complete and utter devastation from an alien force. You will be able to fire off projectiles at alien ships and asteroids, and you need to keep anything from touching your city. As days go by and you survive wave after wave of enemy attacks, you will unlock new perks which augment your city’s damage output or other capabilities.
Roguelite Upgrades and Replayability
This is where the roguelite nature of the game kicks in. As you survive and protect your city, you will gain resources which can be used to purchase further unlocks. Some of these unlocks are permanent and will help you in future runs; however, since enemies are procedurally generated, no two runs through the game will ever be the same. This gives it literally endless replayability, and honestly, this type of game would be perfect on the Steam Deck to play on the go in short bursts.
Simple Yet Addictive Arcade Gameplay
Gameplay is actually rather simple. You will simply aim your city’s defences towards whatever is heading your way and hope for the best. Obviously, this gets more complicated when you unlock better weapons or defences such as shields, drones and nuclear warheads.
However, things are not that straightforward as simply becoming more powerful over time, since some upgrades might even harm your own city’s population. Oftentimes you’ll face off against some immense alien threat that will completely obliterate you because of the sheer numbers thrown at you. It’s truly exhilarating not knowing what’s coming next, and the game’s core gameplay loop is incredibly addictive.
Challenging Gameplay Inspired by Arcade Classics
The game is quite hard so expect to die and lose your city quite often. However, as with most games in this genre, you’ll want to push yourself to survive longer and go further and Utopia Must Fall has really nailed that vibe perfectly.
When you really boil it down to its essence, Utopia Must Fall is extremely reminiscent of both Missile Command and Space Invaders. Two all time classic video games from an era long gone. Throw in the roguelite elements and the gorgeous vector graphics and flashy effects and you have a recipe for success.
Building Better Defences and Finding Your Strategy
When you unlock drones and tower defences, things become slightly more complicated since you can adjust your defenses to be more conservative or go on the offensive. At first, these outposts seem quite weak but with further upgrades, they can really come in handy and keep you alive when you least expect it.
Since no two runs will ever be the same, you’ll quickly learn what strategies work and what doesn’t work. As well as what to target first and what to avoid. The learning curve isn’t exactly steep here but wasting your precious railgun shots on an asteroid when a cloaking enemy ship is closing in is something that you’ll have to quickly realize is not ideal.
Final Thoughts on Utopia Must Fall
The game might still be in Early Access but even as it stands right now, I can wholeheartedly recommend picking this up. You’ll easily sink a couple of hours into it without even realizing it because it’s so much fun playing this game. Utopia Must Fall is an excellent game that draws inspiration from some arcade greats and it’s a hidden gem on Steam.
Read more awesome previews >>here<<.
The game was provided to us for the express purpose of reviewing.
The Code was Provided to us to preview the game in early access NOT to review as the game is not complete.
What is Utopia Must Fall?
Utopia Must Fall is a fast-paced arcade shooter from Pixeljam and Datassette, where players defend a futuristic city against waves of alien attacks.
What platforms is Utopia Must Fall available on?
Utopia Must Fall is available on PC through Steam in development.
What is the gameplay like in Utopia Must Fall?
Players aim their city’s defences at incoming alien ships and asteroids, unlocking weapons, shields, drones and other upgrades to survive increasingly dangerous attacks.
Does Utopia Must Fall have roguelite elements?
Yes. The game features procedurally generated enemy encounters, run-based upgrades and permanent unlocks that help players progress across future attempts.
Is Utopia Must Fall difficult?
Yes. Enemy waves can quickly overwhelm your defences, and players must learn which threats to prioritise and how to use their limited firepower effectively.
What games is Utopia Must Fall similar to?
Its arcade-style gameplay and retro visuals draw strong comparisons to classics such as Missile Command and Space Invaders, with roguelite progression adding replayability.
Is Utopia Must Fall worth playing in Early Access?
Yes. Its addictive gameplay, gorgeous vector graphics and satisfying progression make it an easy recommendation for fans of challenging arcade shooters.
