Terra Invicta: New Grand Strategy Game Pits Humanity Against Alien Invasion – and Itself
A complex geopolitical simulation has arrived with the early access launch of Terra Invicta, challenging players to navigate a world on the brink of extraterrestrial conflict while simultaneously contending with deeply fractured human factions.
The game, released today, immediately throws players into a global power struggle as a second alien fleet appears on the edge of our solar system. However, the immediate threat from above is quickly overshadowed by the intricacies of earthly politics, as players find themselves embroiled in a clandestine battle for influence.
One of the core dilemmas presented in Terra Invicta revolves around differing ideologies for dealing with the alien presence. Players can align with the Resistance, fighting for humanity’s survival, or the Protectorate, a shadowy organization believing appeasement is the only path forward. As one player described it, the Protectorate embodies a “Saruman sucking up to Sauron in The Lord Of The Rings,” prioritizing survival through submission.
This ideological conflict manifests in a complex web of resource management, technological development, and covert operations. Players, assuming the role of “Gandalf” in the Resistance, must secure resources and build a defense fleet, starting with a space station equipped with solar panels and a shipyard. This requires controlling nations – prioritizing those with strong economies, stable governments, and robust scientific output.
However, infiltrating major global powers like the United States or China proves difficult. “The ‘control points’ of those larger economies are borderline impossible to infiltrate and hijack with my current resources and councilors – aka, secret agents,” a player noted. This leads to a strategic focus on East Africa, attempting to gain momentum by influencing smaller nations with weaker defenses. The challenge? A rival faction, mirroring the appeasement policies of “spineless Neville Chamberlains,” is pursuing the same strategy.
Terra Invicta’s ambition extends beyond simple conquest. The game meticulously models present-day Earth, incorporating real-world events like the war in Ukraine, while simultaneously projecting forward to encompass the colonization of the solar system and the escalating alien presence. The simulation is a dynamic, evolving system where “nested lines and colours come to life” as the Earth turns and events unfold, from forest fires to shifts in public opinion.
The gameplay loop blends real-time strategy with turn-based elements. Players assign missions to their “councilors” – essentially secret agents – and manage the investment priorities of controlled nations. While the game’s complexity rivals titles like Europa Universalis V, it offers robust tutorials and narrative objectives to guide new players. One helpful simplification, according to early players, is to view the game as a highly complex version of Risk, focusing on securing control points and generating resources.
Maintaining a “parasitic underground empire” requires careful management of national economies, ensuring prosperity, contentment, and security. Agents can be upgraded and placed on corporate boards to influence their capabilities, adding another layer of strategic depth. A key tactic involves leveraging geographical proximity – nations are easier to influence when neighboring territories are already under control.
Currently, the player is focused on establishing a “Resistance enclave” in East Africa and securing Kazakhstan, a nation with a crucial Cosmodrome inherited from the Soviet Union, as a strategic foothold. The surrounding nations, including Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan, are being positioned as a defensive buffer against rival organizations.
Despite the overwhelming complexity, the player expresses cautious optimism. “I think so, which seems strange given that I’ve spent a lot of my eight hours to date helplessly watching the simulation do its stuff,” they admitted. The evolving dynamics of the alien invasion and the promise of future space combat are driving continued engagement. A full review is anticipated, contingent on successfully preventing the Protectorate from gaining control of Mozambique.
