Shoot For The Stars
This year’s E3 showing from AAA studios was… well, a bit rough. Lackluster showings from Capcom, Square Enix, Ubisoft and others have left a large portion of viewers dissatisfied with the online conference experience. However, one thing that can’t be denied is the stellar quality of the dozens of indie titles revealed over the weekend. From cyberpunk action-platforming in RETURNED to timeloop thrillers in Twelve Minutes, smaller studios really took up the slack left by the giants. However, one stood head and shoulders above the rest, claiming the coveted Most Anticipated Indie Game of E3 title – Falling Frontier by Stutter Fox Studios.
Falling Frontier is a sci-fi RTS about conquering procedurally-generated galaxies in a fleet of custom-designed ships. What really sets it apart from other RTS titles, though, is a focus on the realistic logistics of running an interplanetary empire – for example there is no global resource system, instead supply lines are vital as materials must be transported across your territories to where they’re needed. Similarly, intelligence gathering is a key aspect of a successful empire, as scout ships, recon stations and probes must be deployed to monitor movement both within and outside of your borders. All this information has been streamined into a slick UI, preventing things from getting too overwhelming while telling the player exactly what they need to know.
Todd D’Arcy, the game’s developer, commented on the momentous win:Â “I’m incredibly humbled by this award. There were so many great indie games featured at E3, and I was honoured to simply be included among them. I’m thankful for the support of my player community and my publisher Hooded Horse, and the faith they have shown both in Falling Frontier and in myself as a developer.”
Previously scheduled for a June 2021 launch, Falling Frontier is now due to release on PC in late 2021 – You can add it to your Steam wishlist right now!