Bohemia Interactive from the Czech Republic today presented its latest game project, Silica. This is a somewhat more innovative mix of real-time strategy game and first-person shooter.
The RTS-FPS crossover is set on the fictional planet Baltarus, thousands of light-years from Earth. You either take on the role of commander in strategy mode or as an infantryman in FPS mode you control all units and vehicles along with their respective arsenal. The mission on this seemingly barren planet seems simple: find and harvest Balterium, an element with vast untapped potential that can power human civilization for generations to come.
The game, with some StarCraft vibes, comes from Bohemia Incubator, a new label from the studio aimed at helping indie game makers develop their games and get them out to a global audience. In this case, the game was primarily developed by Martin “Dram” Melicharek, Lead Developer of Take on Mars. It will stay there for around 9 to 12 months; during this time there will be several major updates.
In the shooter mode you have to deal with all kinds of extraterrestrial biters, which you can not only defend yourself against with various weapons, but also with countless available vehicles such as the colossal Harvers, the fast Light Quad or the siege tank. But you can also side with the insect-like aliens with Hive Mind and switch between different creatures such as the stealthy crab, the agile hunter or the armored goliath.
As the commander, you give your orders from orbit in the classic strategy game manner. So you can send harvesters to silicon crystal fields to collect resources, build structures and produce units.
It all comes down to three different game modes that you can choose from. The “Strategy” mode is the flagship of the game. Here you fight for supremacy by building, harvesting and attacking enemies. The strategy mode seamlessly combines real-time strategy and FPS elements and is playable in any combination, up to and including a 3-way clash between factions.
The “Prospector” mode serves as a tutorial. It is offered as an FPS that can be played in single or multiplayer mode. After starting near a landing site, the task is to explore the area in search of a bacterial environment. Along the way, you will encounter enemy troops and must complete all objectives to survive. The third mode called “Arena” aims to provide a fun and wacky environment where you choose your favorite unit and compete in an unbalanced FPS free-for-all.
At the start of Early Access there are six different areas, the above modes, single player and multiplayer options, five infantry classes, eleven vehicles, eight alien creatures and also AI controllers for commanders and troops.