Calyx

I dove into Calyx on day one of Early Access and kept coming back longer than planned. The hook is immediate: instead of the usual wave of robots or infantry, your enemy is a living, spreading carpet of plant‑aliens that terraform the map as they grow. That twist forces you to think differently about defence, mobility and power management, and it feels like a refreshing mash of classic C&C tactics with Creeper World’s map‑control tension. Studio 568 already shows a clear roadmap and community focus, so if you like iterative Early Access with a strong core loop, Calyx deserves a look.

Root Control: Fighting a Living Map

The main gameplay loop revolves around mining ore, building processing chains and defending zones against the Calyx as it spreads. You place Harvesters, set up refiners and pipe resources into launch towers to cash out Credits while at the same time wiring up power networks that keep turrets, walls and boosters online. Combat is less about single‑unit micro and more about positioning, area denial and timing: lay down turrets, roll tanks and call in artillery to blunt root advances, or go on the offensive and surgically cut roots before they become toxic swarms. Energy management is a constant tension—lose a power line and key defences flicker off, which leads to that frustrated, “oh no” moment that forces rapid triage. There’s a satisfying rhythm to alternating between base consolidation and mobile strikes, and each map’s ore placement nudges you to adapt your strategy.

When the Planet Fights Back

What makes Calyx stand out is the enemy itself: the Calyx variants feel like ecosystem threats rather than scripted waves. Roots spread, anchor and mutate into different behaviours—some choke movement, others spawn aggressive tendrils that sap your defences. You can scan roots to learn their traits, protect Data Archives to earn Research Points, and unlock meaningful upgrades in the tech tree: flamethrowers that roast vines, hover tech to speed up heavy units, or orbital weapons that feel genuinely earned. The game encourages experimentation—turtling behind layered walls works on some maps, while others punish static play and reward nimble taskforces. Skirmish mode beefs this up with configurable seeds, root density and starting resources, so you can recreate a brutal challenge for friends.

A Gritty, Functional Presentation

Visually Calyx opts for clarity over flash: terrain, roots and buildings read well even when the screen is busy, which is crucial for an RTS that asks you to monitor power lines and spread rates. The sound design is unobtrusive but effective—weapon impacts land with satisfying weight and the ambient planet noise sells the lonely mining outpost vibe. Performance is solid on my test rig; I did hit a couple of UI rough edges and one mission where pathing caused a hilarious pile‑up of units, but nothing game‑breaking. Accessibility options are basic but sensible: pause/tactical speed controls, difficulty settings and a tutorial that actually teaches the power‑grid quirks. In short, the presentation does the job, leaving polish and cinematic flourishes for later updates while the gameplay remains the star.

Calyx is a clever, well‑paced Early Access RTS that rewards experimentation and careful power management. It’s perfect for players who miss tactical base‑building and like a slower, strategic tempo rather than frantic micro. If you enjoy C&C or Creeper World’s map tension, buy the demo or grab Early Access to support the devs—just expect balance tweaks and gradual polish over time.