Systemic War: When HOI4 Meets Broken Arrow — A First Look at the Steam Demo

If you’ve ever wished you could fight the battles you wage in a grand strategy game — or wanted your RTS skirmishes to actually matter on the world stage — then the demo for Systemic War (Steam, October 2025) might scratch that itch. It’s rough, rough enough to make you cringe in places, but it’s also one of those rare experiments that insists you pay attention. Here’s my take on it after an hour in the trenches.

You may also be interested in:

• Sea Power Review – A Cinematic Jump Into Cold War Naval Strategy

• WARNO Review – A Deep Dive into Cold War Tactics

🎯 What is Systemic War?

At its core, Systemic War aims to fuse two strategy genres:

• A grand strategy layer (a la Hearts of Iron IV) where you manage nations, economies, diplomacy, and logistics.

• A modern-era RTS mode (think Broken Arrow / WARNO) where frontline encounters are fought in real time.

Its Steam page describes it as a modern grand strategy game spanning 2008 to 2025, where your strategic choices are tested in RTS battles that alter the course of the war. Steam Store

The demo is available as part of Steam Next Fest, free to try for a limited time.

🧩 My Demo Experience: Rough, But Intriguing

Let me be clear: the demo is very, very rough. It’s filled with placeholders, limited functionality, UI quirks, and parts that feel more like a concept than a polished build. But despite all that, there’s something compelling about it that kept pulling me back.

Here’s how it plays out:

Grand Strategy Layer

• The strategic layer is minimal in the demo. You can move divisions, manage frontlines, and deploy artillery support. That’s about it.

• Infrastructure, production, and macroeconomic systems (that promise to exist) are barely functional here.

• You can mostly ignore the RTS battles if you choose — the game will “auto‑resolve” them. But that feels like throwing away a teaser of what the project could be.

RTS Battles

• When two opposing units collide on the strategic map, you have the option to dive into a real-time battle.

• In the battles, you control modern hardware: tanks, infantry, some support units, and artillery. I didn’t see naval or air support in this build (though they might be planned).

• The battlefield feels like a specialized Total War style map: certain cities get their own layouts, terrain matters, and objectives aren’t always obvious. There’s an option to not micromanage and just issue high‑level priorities instead.

So, yes — it feels like HOI4 letting you scratch that RTS itch.

🔍 Pros & Cons

What Works (Even in This State)

• Ambition & Concept: The idea of marrying grand strategy and tactical RTS in modern warfare is bold and rare. That duality is the heart of why this demo stuck with me.

• Setting & Stakes: A modern-day theater means the battles feel weighty. You're not moving abstract units on a map — you're dealing with places people recognize, weapon systems that feel current, and strategic decisions with lived-world implications.

• Optional Depth: You can bypass the RTS entirely, which gives flexibility depending on how much micromanagement you want.

What Needs Work

• Unfinished Systems: The grand strategy systems barely exist right now, making much of the experience feel hollow.

• Polish & Usability: UI bugs, placeholder text, and rough balancing impede the show‑piece enough that it can break the mood.

• Limited Scope: No air or naval forces (in demo), and battles lack some of the force multipliers you’d expect in a modern war game.

🧭 Why You Should Watch This Game

Even if the demo is too rough to fully recommend now, here’s why I’m watching it:

• It dares to bridge two genres that often exist in isolation. If done right, success or failure in a single battle could ripple into state-level outcomes.

• It’s set in modern times — a bold move. That opens up tensions, technologies (drones, EW, cyber), and conflicts that feel relevant.

• The scaffold is already there: real maps, 150+ unit types, diplomacy, and infrastructure promises. The challenge now is filling in the skeleton.

✅ My Verdict (For Now)

Don’t expect a finished product. Don’t expect deep strategy systems yet. But do expect potential. If you like watching ambitious strategy experiments, this demo is worth at least one or two hours of curiosity.

You may also be interested in:

• Sea Power Review – A Cinematic Jump Into Cold War Naval Strategy

• WARNO Review – A Deep Dive into Cold War Tactics

Nuclear Option Review: A Tactical Flight Sim You Didn’t See Coming

Nuclear Option by Shockfront Studios arrives as a compelling mix of action and simulation—a “flight sim lite” that squeezes strategic nuclear warfare into dogfights, missiles, and broad battlefield control. In its early access stage, it’s already making waves among fans seeking something between arcade ease and hardcore realism. With a modest price tag and surprising depth, it aims to scratch the flight‑combat itch in a way few games dare to try.

In this review, I’ll break down what works, what doesn’t (yet), and whether this nascent title deserves your attention right now.

Nuclear Option is a semi-realistic, single and multiplayer air combat simulator developed by Shockfront Studios. Set in a fictional near-future conflict, it blends accessible flight mechanics with tactical battlefield planning, dynamic combined-arms warfare, and the thrilling power of deployable nuclear weapons. Players can fly a wide variety of fictional but plausibly-designed aircraft—from nimble fighters to heavy bombers—across open, large-scale maps while engaging AI and player-controlled units in missions that range from surgical strikes to full-scale escalation wars. With mission editors, modding support, and a low barrier to entry, it offers a refreshing alternative to grind-heavy or overly complex sims.

First Impressions & Core Vision

From the moment you load up Nuclear Option, it’s clear the developer had a vision: small, focused, and bold. The idea of combining flight simulation elements with tactical nukes feels risky, but the execution is audacious. The game lets you fly near‑future aircraft, engage air, ground, and naval threats, and yes—unleash nuclear weapons when the battlefield allows it.

That said, it’s still early access; some systems are rough around the edges, but the foundation is very promising.

Firing off a couple of air to ground missiles while evading an incoming air to air missile in the Compass in Nuclear Option.

Flight & Control Mechanics

One of Nuclear Option’s strongest points is how it handles flight controls: it bridges the gap between arcade and full sim in a satisfying way.

• The game supports a variety of control schemes—gamepads, keyboard + mouse (virtual joystick), and even HOTAS setups.

• While the keyboard is used for a few critical commands (e.g. ejection, map navigation), the bulk of handling falls to your primary flight input.

• The learning curve is real: takeoffs and basic maneuvers feel manageable, but advanced moves—high speeds, tight turns, managing g‑forces—demand finesse.

• The damage model is detailed: each aircraft comprises dozens of simulated parts, and damage to wings, control surfaces, and even internal instruments can cripple your performance.

  In short, it’s forgiving enough to let you get into the air quickly, but punishing enough that sloppy flying gets punished—just the right balance for many players. It is easy to learn, but has the depth you would expect from a game about futuristic combat aircraft.

Aircraft, Units & Strategic Layer

Roster & Unique Roles

The game offers a variety of craft, each with distinct strengths and quirks. Here are a few, and more are being added all of the time.:

• Cricket — light, low speed, stealthy

• Compass — multirole, good all-around loadouts

• Revoker / Ifrit / Vortex — faster jets, better air-to-air capability

• Darkreach — the strategic stealth bomber, your main nuke delivery platform

• Chicane — stealth attack helicopter, with co‑pilot gunfire support

• Medusa — the EW (electronic warfare) option

These fictional craft are inspired by real designs but are free from licensing constraints, which allows creative flexibility.

Battlefield & Map Systems

• The game launches you into a 100 km–wide map that features varied terrain (mountains, deserts, forests, ocean). It’s the only map currently but versatile enough for many mission types.

• A surprisingly robust map interface plays an important tactical role. You can zoom in, view unit names, preselect targets, and plan your route.

• While the game supports beyond-visual-range weapons, much of the combat is within visible range—targeting is done via reticle + HUD interface.

Overall, there is a nice synergy between battlefield awareness, mission planning, and flight execution.

Missions, Modes & Replayability

The content on offer is already rich.

• Single missions: A dozen or so prebuilt missions, varying in length (5–15 minutes), with objectives like destroying convoys, bombing depots, interceptions.

• Conquest / Escalation mode: This is where Nuclear Option shines. You pick a side (North vs South), and a dynamic war unfolds—capturing bases, destroying factories, pushing lines with AI ground and air units.

  • No fixed front line, but nuanced gameplay lets you choose which targets to strike or support.

  • Nukes become a high-stakes wildcard: powerful, but risky if defenses aren’t cleared first.

• Mission Editor: Perhaps one of the biggest hooks. Players can create custom missions and scenarios, mod and experiment. This adds enormous replay potential.

There is also always the steam workshop, where user created content is sure to fill the gap in Singleplayer options.

Nuclear Weapons: The Showstopper

Of course, the name Nuclear Option sets expectations, and the game delivers—though with caveats.

• You get to deploy tactical nuclear bombs and cruise missiles (1.5 kt and up to ~20 kt yields). These are visually impressive—the explosions, shockwaves, and devastation are dramatic.

• Nukes can wipe out whole swathes of units or bases at once, but they’re not a “free win.” They're expensive, must be protected from anti-air/AA, and often require you to clear defenses first.

• There is no current penalty mechanics for radiation, area denial, or long-term consequences from nuking zones—yet. That means nukes feel powerful, but somewhat “clean” in their effect.

In many matches, nukes act like the ace up your sleeve: a last‑resort knockout card more than a routine weapon.

Fighting another plane in the Revoker in Nuclear Option.

Strengths & Highlights

• Balanced accessibility + depth: Not so forgiving as an arcade, but not so punishing as a hardcore sim. You can drop in quickly yet still be rewarded for mastery.

• Strong visual and damage feedback: Craft break apart, explosions leave lasting scorch marks, and the world feels destructible.

• Mission editor & community potential: The ability to create, share, and play new content is a huge plus.

• Clever use of the map as a tactical whiteboard: It’s more than just a navigation tool—it helps you plan strikes, preselect targets, and monitor the war front.

• High value for price: With what’s in already, many players feel it delivers far more than its relatively modest price tag.

Weaknesses, Bugs & Missing Pieces

• Dual map limitation: Just two battlegrounds for now—which feels a little repetitive if new maps are not released soon.

• UI quirks & inconsistencies: Weapon descriptions sometimes fail to show, aircraft unreserving logic is awkward, FOV resets during zoom transitions, etc.

• Multiplayer instability: Co‑op/multiplayer is hosted locally; if the host drops, the session goes down. Some players report hosts disconnecting mid-match.

• Overpowered missile/radar ranges: Some weapons (cruise missiles, radar locks) feel overly generous in range, making defenses less meaningful in some scenarios.

Experience & Impressions

From my time flying missions, experimenting in the editor, and trying escalation battles, Nuclear Option feels like a rare breed: a war game that’s also truly fun to fly.

Early on, you’ll crash, get shot down, misdrop bombs—but gradually, you see nuance. I’ve had flights where I limped back in a damaged jet, dumped countermeasures, outflown missiles, and scored an epic nuke on an enemy airfield. That feels special.

I also came from players of War Thunder and other heavier sims like DCS: many seem to agree Nuclear Option offers a refreshing alternative—less grind, more action, fewer inscrutable systems.

Communities seem excited. On Reddit, you’ll find fans calling it “a beautiful game” and praising how it reminds them of classic combat flight experiences.

Verdict & Recommendation

If you like:

• Flight combat but dislike excessive grind

• Games where the thrill of dropping nukes is balanced with real risk

• Sandbox mechanics and player creativity (missions, mods)

Then Nuclear Option is a must-watch—and probably a must-own.

It isn’t perfect yet: stability, UI improvements, and expanded content remain needed. But as an early access title, it’s already outperforming expectations. The gamble taken by a small dev team is paying off.

Score: 8 / 10

• Strengths: Balanced flight mechanics, satisfying combat, strategic depth, strong core systems

• Weaknesses: Limited maps, multiplayer fragility, UI issues, lack of nuclear aftermath mechanics

• Potential: High — future updates could push this into cult classic status

If you’re curious about tactical, mid‑spectrum flight games (neither arcade nor hardcore sim), give Nuclear Option a shot now. You’ll be supporting devs pushing bold ideas—and likely get in on early development conversations.

Best Fortnite Settings — Performance + Quality Balance

Fortnite continues to dominate the competitive gaming scene. Whether you're aiming for the next Victory Royale or grinding in Arena, performance and visibility are crucial. The right settings can make the difference between hitting your shots or missing due to input lag, blurry visuals, or frame drops.

This guide breaks down the best Fortnite settings on PC, showing you how to maximize FPS without sacrificing image quality—perfect for competitive players and casual gamers alike.

⚙️ Display & Core Settings

These are the foundational settings that impact latency, frame timing, and overall smoothness.

• Window Mode: Fullscreen
  Keeps input latency at a minimum—vital for competitive gameplay.

• Resolution: Native monitor resolution
  Avoid downscaling; keep everything sharp for better clarity.

• VSync: Off
  Prevents added input delay—especially important for shooters.

• Frame Rate Limit: Match monitor refresh rate
  For example, set to 240 FPS if you have a 240Hz monitor.

🛠️ Rendering & Upscaling Options

Choose based on your GPU and performance needs.

• Rendering Mode:

  • DirectX 12: Best for modern PCs that support multi-threading.

  • Performance Mode: Best FPS boost, but with lower graphics.

• Anti-Aliasing & Super Resolution: Off
  For competitive sharpness, disabling this ensures a cleaner image.

• DLSS / FSR / TSR (Upscaling):

  • DLSS (Nvidia GPUs): Use Quality mode for more FPS + clarity.

  • FSR (AMD GPUs): Use Quality, though it can appear softer.

• 3D Resolution: 100%
  Keeps textures sharp and targets clear.

• Dynamic 3D Resolution: Off
  Prevents resolution fluctuations that reduce visual clarity.

🌈 Visual Settings Breakdown (for Max FPS)

Here’s where you gain the most performance without losing competitive visibility.

An infographic of the best Fortnite Settings.

These settings drastically reduce GPU load while maintaining essential visibility in-game.

🧪 Special Enhancements & Tweaks

For users with Nvidia or AMD cards, you get additional tools:

• Nvidia Reflex Low Latency: On + Boost
  Reduces system latency—critical in fast-paced fights.

• Colorblind Mode: Tritanope

  • Strength: 7
    Enhances color contrast to spot enemies more easily in certain environments.

• Show FPS: Turn it on to monitor stability during gameplay.

📉 If You're Still Lagging — Extreme Performance Settings

If you’re still struggling with FPS after applying the above:

1. Switch Rendering Mode: Set to “Performance (Lower Graphical Fidelity)”

2. Use Upscaling Options:

   • Set Temporal Super Resolution to Quality

   • Enable DLSS / FSR based on your GPU

This will dramatically boost FPS, but expect visuals to take a hit.

🧪 Testing and Tuning Best Practices

• Change one setting at a time to see individual effects.

• Monitor 1% lows, not just average FPS—this shows frame drop behavior.

• Keep GPU drivers updated via Nvidia/AMD software.

• Use GeForce Experience or AMD Adrenalin for real-time tuning.

🎯 Sample Competitive Preset for 240Hz Monitors

High FPS / Competitive Loadout:

• Window Mode: Fullscreen

• Resolution: 1920×1080

• Rendering Mode: Performance

• Shadows, Reflections, Effects: Off / Low

• View Distance: Far

• Textures: Medium

• DLSS / FSR: Quality

• Reflex Low Latency: On + Boost

✅ Conclusion: Settings Built to Win

Your Fortnite settings are your secret weapon in 2025. Prioritizing high FPS and low input latency, while keeping just enough graphical fidelity, ensures you stay competitive without burning out your PC.

Active Matter Review: A Bold Extraction Shooter That Breaks the Mold

In the ever-expanding world of extraction shooters, few titles stand out—until now. Active Matter, developed by Matter Team and published by Gaijin Entertainment, takes the genre to extraordinary new dimensions, quite literally. This is not just another looter shooter; it's a high-stakes, physics-defying, multiverse adventure wrapped in hardcore PvPvE action.

Here’s why Active Matter might just be your next obsession.

🌌 A Multiverse That Reinvents Battlefield Dynamics

The first thing you notice in Active Matter is the setting: you're not just fighting enemies, you're surviving in unstable zones where the laws of physics are rewritten. The game's quantum anomalies—warped gravity, shifting terrain, and hallucinogenic visuals—turn every raid into a strategic puzzle. One moment you're running on a wall; the next, the ceiling becomes your escape route. It’s not a gimmick. It’s immersive, intentional, and brilliant.

Facing down a distorted PvE enemy in Active Matter

⚔️ PvPvE That’s Unpredictable and Ruthless

This isn’t just PvE with some random PvP encounters thrown in. Every raid feels like a psychological thriller, where you're hunted by monstrous anomalies and rival players simultaneously. Enemy NPCs behave unpredictably, creating a sense of dread with every footstep. Chaotic and varied PvE encounters interact seamlessly with PvP against other players. Add in the constant risk of losing your loot and the pressure of extraction, and you’ve got a pulse-pounding experience.

🔫 Realistic Arsenal Meets Sci-Fi Madness

Weapons in Active Matter are meticulously designed. Over 60 firearms—ranging from standard issue pistols to heavy sniper rifles—bring realistic handling and feedback. You can also craft melee weapons, throwables, and upgrade gear to suit your raid style. While anomalies bend reality, the weapon mechanics stay grounded, adding a sharp contrast that keeps gameplay balanced and satisfying. Different weapons behave very differently, and so you’re sure to find favorites among the massive arsenal. There are even vehicles!

Looting a fallen player in Active Matter

🧠 Tactical Depth & High Replay Value

With a mix of gravity-defying maps, raid contracts, faction-based conflicts, and emergent anomalies, no two sessions feel the same. Players can approach missions solo or in squads, utilizing vehicles, drones, and even bait strategies. Whether you're a sneaky solo looter or a coordinated team brawler, Active Matter caters to multiple playstyles.

🛠️ Early Access Polish and Player-First Design

Despite being in early access, Active Matter feels incredibly well-conceived. Frequent updates, responsive dev communication, and a growing community have already begun shaping the game’s evolution. Performance is surprisingly solid for such an ambitious project, with bugs being addressed quickly and features added based on player feedback.

🔥 Standout Features

• Gravity manipulation & wall-running through anomalies

• Extraction raids with PvPvE layers that build suspense

• Smart loot economy that rewards risk but cushions loss

• Dynamic environments—no static maps or predictable enemy spawns

• Stunning visuals powered by anomaly effects and lighting design

🧩 Minor Weaknesses (That Should Be Polished Over Time)

• Steep learning curve for solo players (There is a tutorial but it doesn’t explain the progression mechanics very well)

• Some weapons and loadout customization still under development

• Occasional visual glitches and balancing quirks (expected in early access)

Fighting off anomalous Turned Soldiers in Active Matter

💬 Final Verdict: 9/10 – A Must-Watch in 2025

Active Matter is an audacious entry in the extraction shooter genre—one that dares to challenge conventions and succeeds more often than not. It's tactical, atmospheric, occasionally terrifying, and full of surprises. With continued development, this title could become a cornerstone of competitive PvPvE gameplay.

If you're tired of formulaic shooters and ready for something bold, brutal, and brilliantly bizarre, Active Matter is a must-play.

Hollow Knight Silksong vs. GTA 6: A Tale of Two Titans

Hollow Knight: Silksong arrived on September 4, 2025, to an earth-shattering response. Developed by just three people at Team Cherry, this Metroidvania sequel crashed multiple digital storefronts—including Steam, Nintendo eShop, PlayStation Store, and Xbox platforms—due to overwhelming demand. Within 45 minutes, it recorded over 100,000 concurrent players on Steam, and soon soared to a peak of more than 500,000, making it one of the most-played games ever at launch for such a modestly priced indie ($20).

In stark contrast, Grand Theft Auto VI—Rockstar’s next mega-franchise installment—is still brewing behind the scenes. Officially delayed to May 26, 2026, the game is being framed as the world’s first "AAAAA" title—a step above even AAA, promising unprecedented levels of scale, detail, and immersive design.

Though we’re over eight months from release, anticipation is already off the charts. Some industry insiders even speculate another delay is likely, given the project’s monumental scope.

Why Comparing Them Feels 'Odd'—But Revealing

This comparison feels strange because these two games occupy almost opposite ends of the RPG spectrum. Silksong is the triumph of restraint, craftsmanship, and creative vision from an intimate team, while GTA VI embodies excessive ambition, technological spectacle, and blockbuster scale.

Yet, both share one powerful trait: they illustrate the cultural weight of anticipation. Silksong shows how indie games can ignite the community, disrupt platforms, and push creative benchmarks. GTA VI, even before its release, is already shaping release calendars, industry chatter, and expectations for what gaming experiences will look like moving forward.