Cataclismo Hands-On Preview: Surviving the Night

Cataclismo is the next game by Digital Sun, the indie developer behind the hit action RPG Moonlighter, but instead of being an action RPG, it’s a real-time strategy game by day and a tower defense game by night. It’s not every day an RTS comes from an indie developer. In fact, it’s not every day an RTS comes at all. Apart from some of the more well-known RTS franchises (Age of Empires, Command & Conquer, Warcraft, and Starcraft), the genre’s new releases are few and far between. Even so, Cataclismo might be coming at the right time, based on current gaming trends and other indie games that have already achieved massive success in 2024.

Cataclismo accomplishes everything it sets out to do, bridging the gap between real-time strategy, base-building mechanics, and tower defense gameplay. Cataclismo comes out of the oven looking like a hybrid game of games that can compete in a much larger arena than a simple RTS could. While such an all-star cast of genres might normally scream “master of none,” Cataclismo appears to do it with aplomb, based on our time with the game.

Cataclismo’s Story-Driven Campaign

Cataclismo‘s premise is rather typical for a post-apocalyptic game, but its unique art style and approach to gameplay ultimately set it apart in the ways that truly matter. At one time, the world was lush and full of life, and then mysterious orbs called “perlas” (pearls) appeared, revealing a great power called the “Palido,” behooving humanity to obtain it. However, their attempts to obtain this power came with a price. A devastating event known as the “Cataclismo” covered the world in a thick mist, leaving everything in ruin and transforming those caught within the mist into foul, pale creatures known as “Horrors.” Now, the player begins their journey in search of a gifted user of magical abilities, Iris, who will lead an expedition in search of an artifact that she believes can help humanity thrive once again.

The campaign’s three tutorial missions introduce Cataclismo‘s story, as well as bits and pieces of its gameplay. As players progress through the narrative, they are gradually shown the ropes, with each of the game’s various mechanics slowly introduced at a fairly accessible pace. While some of Cataclismo‘s gameplay utilizes traditional RTS mechanics, where it shines the most is in its combat and base building. There is plenty of pre-established scenery in Cataclismo that can be used as a starting point when creating a base, but its brick-by-brick building mechanics inspired by LEGO make it a one-of-a-kind experience. In fact, Digital Sun says it’s best to think of Cataclismo as “LEGO meets They Are Billions.”

Cataclismo’s Roller Coaster Gameplay

The main enemies in Cataclismo are Horrors that arise from the mist players are occasionally required to traverse. These terrifying creatures generally appear in large numbers and immediately make a run for the Citadel, the heart of the player’s base. This is where base building comes in, as walls and fortresses can be built to slow the onslaught long enough to take each Horror down one by one. Aside from the Horrors, however, players will spend the majority of their time fighting one other nearly unstoppable antagonist: time itself. It certainly takes a cue from games where time is the enemy, like Fallout and Dead Rising, as its regular day and night cycle can often mean success or failure. Horrors attack less frequently and in smaller numbers during the day, but nightfall will see them coming en masse, meaning daytime is the player’s best opportunity to build a structure formidable enough to withstand their attacks.

Cataclismo‘s combat happens in real-time and sees players strategically placing units atop the walls they’ve built, and these units will automatically attack any enemies that get close. The strategy behind unit placement, however, comes with placing each unit at its optimal height. Certain units may function better from a height of four or six meters, which inevitably factors into what players build and how tall. Attacks can happen at any time, and there is hardly any warning, so the game regularly urges its players to remain active. Thankfully, it’s possible to pause time while building, and although any pre-established resource-gathering or city-growth buildings require time, custom structures can be built instantaneously, even while time is paused.

During the day in Cataclismo, players will spend the majority of their time taking care of their base, and this includes building resource-gathering and city-growth structures that function similarly to those in a typical RTS game. Resource-gathering buildings like the Sawmill and Quarry collect wood and stone over time, and those resources are then used to build the game’s various structures. Even a Barracks can be built to train more soldiers and the Citadel can be upgraded to increase military capacity. The whole gameplay loop is one massive roller coaster, as it can feel so peaceful during the day, yet defined by nonstop action during what can often feel like a very long night.

Like many RTS games, there are a lot of things happening all at once in Cataclismo. In some respects, it feels like a survival game. For instance, Oxygen is a resource and is required for building almost anything. To counter this, Air Filters can be built to produce a certain amount of Oxygen for the entire base every minute. However, as the base grows, more Oxygen is used, so more Air Filters are needed. Other survival mechanics find their way into the game as well, like rain, which can cause ranged units to miss their shots if they aren’t covered while shooting. The only option then is to either risk them missing most of their shots or build a structure with a roof that they can stand under during combat. These are just more ways Digital Sun attempts to mix things up for the RTS genre, and it all works.

One feature Cataclismo handles well is its atmosphere. The entire game is bathed in darkness, even during the day, and the ominous soundtrack conjures Diablo, serving to reinforce that darkness. Cataclismo never manages to feel like a horror experience, but it also never feels safe. The dark, foreboding nature of the game encourages the assumption that danger is around every corner, as it’s impossible to know which corner the danger will come from.

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Cataclismo’s Gameplay-Focused Skirmish Mode

Apart from its campaign, Cataclismo has a Skirmish mode with six different terrains to choose from. In the Skirmish mode, the gameplay loop sees players building up their base during the day and then ensuring it all doesn’t come crumbling to the ground throughout the night. Here, it functions just about as expected, as new structures and capabilities are unlocked the more a base is upgraded. And while the whole point is to make sure the Citadel is protected from a nightly onslaught, it’s immensely satisfying simply watching the base come alive over time and experimenting with different layouts to see what works.

Exploration is possible in Cataclismo, but it’s not recommended without a decently sized army of troops. Horrors cover so much of each map that exploring every inch of one is very dangerous. However, there are plenty of resources to be found in the wilds, so long as players are adequately prepared for combat. It’s not the most beginner-friendly RTS with its slight learning curve, but it can be an incredibly rewarding experience for those who put in the time to learn its ways and adapt to its unique gameplay.

Other game modes in Cataclismo were unavailable during the preview, like an Endless mode, a Creative mode, and a Level Editor. The most intriguing mode, however, is the Community Levels mode, as it will be interesting to see what the Cataclismo community is capable of creating once the game is released in July. Overall, Cataclismo is already proving to be a great example of innovation, and it is clear that the devs have learned a lot after making Moonlighter.