Season 1 of The Cycle: Frontier, by developer/publisher YAGER, started not long ago with the release of Patch 1.2.0. This was my first time jumping into the series, just starting out with the Fortuna Pass. Here is a description of the content from the developers: “Our Fortuna Pass works like any other battle pass you may have seen in other games. It will run for a whole season, and you will be able to unlock items for free in the pass. The pass will also have a paid version, for 950 Aurum you will unlock the paid part of the pass. This includes XP boosters for the pass, new Prospector skins, melee weapons, emotes, banners, charms, and more. Additionally, you will be able to find things like Weapon Supply crates, resources, Aurum, and Salvage Tokens in the free track of the pass.”
The Cycle: Frontier is a free-to-play first-person shooter that takes place on the outskirts of civilized space. As the name suggests, we take on a life on a new frontier in the hopes of making a living as a prospector. We live on the Station while taking on tasks from three factions. We can very easily go it alone and find opportunities planet side by prospecting for minerals, hunting the wildlife, or attacking unsuspecting players.
One of the newest items in the update aims to tweak the game’s internal anti-cheat measures. The game is not playable without first installing anti-cheat software, so I believe that the developers are working to make everyone’s experience as fair as possible despite the recent complaints of hackers. It is always refreshing to see a team respond to fan feedback directly like this. No one wants to see their project derailed or having players’ experiences derailed by something as annoying as cheaters.
Shortly after launching the game, you start the tutorial in the Swamp region and carry out mock objectives, learning the ropes. The tutorials lasts not even ten minutes, but already simplifies the concepts of the game. The UI handles itself like any other first-person shooter or survival title. Inventory management is easy and straightforward. Over time you upgrade your gear so that you can carry even more. The short keys work very well too, whether you are looking for a stim or a pickaxe.
After returning to the Station you can pick up quests immediately and start applying yourself for real rewards and character progression. The Fortuna Pass skins are something out of Turok and Robocop, from what I have seen so far. You can look like you skinned the wild animals and are fitted in their hides. The same thing can be said for the firearm skins. It gives me the impression of paying homage to the frontier. Other skins look like color schemes with complimentary colors, like orange and blue, that stand out from the usual crowd. Weapons can also receive charms, like little keychains.
You can definitely enjoy your time in the frontier regardless of the Fortuna Pass. I think it is just the first of many passes that give an extra layer of expression to players looking to customize their avatars. The game is available on steam, is free, and takes a little more than 30 GB to install. I like how it looks and feels so far and wouldn’t mind spending more time here.
The Cycle: Frontier is free-to-play for PC via Steam.
Related: Reviews by John Pruitt
I like to think of myself as the average Joe who grew up alongside video games. I have fun playing strategy games, RPGs, shooters, sandboxes, the whole shebang! Every game provides an experience whether it strikes you as profound, mundane, or someplace in between. I'd like to weigh in my two cents before you spend a single penny.
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