“To build a city at the bottom of the sea: insanity. But where else could we be free from the clutching hand of the parasites? Where else could we build an economy that they would not try to control, a society they would not try to destroy? It was not impossible to build Rapture at the bottom of the sea. It was impossible to build it anywhere else.”

–Andrew Ryan

Publisher OverSeer Games recently announced that Digital Reef Games’ upcoming survival simulation game, Aquatico, will receive a new public Beta test on Steam beginning Friday, 11 November, with a full launch to follow on 19 January, 2023.

This underwater city-builder allows players to construct their own submarine metropolis- one free from those land-dwelling parasites!

*Ahem.

Here’s the official breakdown of Aquatico from OverSeer Games, followed by a recent trailer:

After Earth’s surface became a barren and inhospitable wasteland, humanity poured their hopes into beginning a new life under the waves. Building a sustainable future, however, doesn’t come easily. Set across multiple levels of the ocean floor, players will need to survive the briny depths to build their very own utopia.

The Beta event will feature two unique scenarios for players, including a “fresh start” and brand new tutorial, or a ready built city to expand from. Players who dive in next week will also get to grips with all new features, ranging from Expeditions that allow you to send your inhabitants out into the depths of the ocean to scout and secure resources, to creating Dome connections that bridge the gap between the lower and upper levels. The Beta is also set to include pet systems, newly redesigned panels, a smart tips system and engine optimizations.

Featuring regional based biomes with various temperatures and depth levels that impact how players build their underwater civilization, Aquatico presents unique challenges. Whether it’s being wary of the natural sea life, or adapting to unknown ecosystems to avoid triggering unwanted conflicts, management of your population and your expansion is key to survival.

Aquatico’s vertical layered construction is unique for city-building. Atop the sea bed lie the core infrastructure and production facilities and this layer is accessible to mechanized robots working efficiently to maintain the city’s operations. The layers above are enclosed within massive domes, creating a habitable life for society. Sustaining this newfound daily routine will come with difficulties, as players must work towards fulfilling the requirements for enduring sea life.

After its hugely successful October Next Fest debut as one of the most played and downloaded demos of the event, Aquatico will be heading straight to 1.0 on January 19th, 2023.

Key Features

• Build Your Water World – Build a unique city underwater to escape a dying world. Survive the challenges of the sea and construct your base over multiple levels. Use the seabed to build core infrastructure and production facilities, while the domed layers above will house your people from the dangers of the depths.
• Survive The Ocean – Discover diverse biomes, gather resources, secure temperature readings and manage the multiple levels of your underwater base. Just be wary of natural sea life, as provoking creatures as you build and harvest may trigger dangerous events. Sharks and whales swarming your city may not be ideal…
• Choose Your Development – Unlock new technologies and buildings through a vast research tree to determine how you construct your underwater city. From defense grids and drone recycling to sushi houses and oxygen extractors. The route you take will determine the city you create.
• Explore The Depths – Use drones and submarines, construct production lines and oversee expeditions to investigate the dark depths of the sea. Expeditions will bring rewards and rare resources that are crucial to life. Success brings the opportunity to delve deeper into the unknown. Who knows what secrets hide across the ocean floor?

The public Beta for Aquatico will begin on Friday, 11 November via Steam PC. The full release is scheduled for 19 January, 2023 via Steam and the Epic Games Store.

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