Deal | This strategy city-builder with nearly 80% positive reviews is 50% off on Steam

City builders are everywhere. It's a pretty successful genre on its own, but New Cycle has been quietly doing something most of them don't: making you feel the weight of every decision. Developed by Turkish studio Core Engage and published by Daedalic Entertainment, the game takes you to a post-solar-flare world in 2073 where human civilization has been reduced to scattered settlements — and asks you to build it back from nothing.

The game is currently 50% off at $14.99 on Steam, which SteamDB confirms is the lowest price the game has ever been recorded at. The promotion runs until July 30, 2026.

The comparison points that come up most often in reviews are Frostpunk, Banished, and Anno, which tells you a lot about the tonal register. New Cycle isn't a relaxed city builder by any means. Winters are harsh, disease outbreaks are common, and resource chains tend to collapse at the worst possible moments. The production trees are deep and extremely complex, especially rewarding towards players who think several steps ahead and punishing towards those who don't. Starting with basic corn farming and rudimentary infrastructure, your aim is to eventually build an industrial metropolis, but getting there involves surviving a long list of things that want to stop you.

The Steam reception across 2,800-plus reviews sits at 79% positive overall. It launched into early access in January 2024 and is still there, though the developer has been consistently active with updates throughout that period, and recent reviews are more positive than the lifetime average, whivh is a good sign, regardless.

For $14.99 (and at its all-time low), it's a very solid entry point for anyone who has been watching it from a distance. If you're into punishing, systemic city-building, this is the moment to try New Cycle. Check out the official page for the game here.

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