Terran Shield – Overview

Terran Shield is a turn-based strategy game developed in the same vein as X-COM and Jagged Alliance.

In-game Background Story

Most of the action takes place in an underwater environment. The storyline is aligned with the current paleo-astronautical trend, attempting to combine a hyper-technological future with a worldwide ecological crisis and an alien invasion on top of that. Terran Shield has been designed as a strategy game that will test the player’s ability to adapt, plan and reflect on their own actions. The more difficult game modes require an intense mental effort in order to find strategic and tactical solutions for achieving the mission goals.

Gameplay info

Terran Shield is a complex underwater fighting simulator. The technologies presented in the game have a real-world equivalent and the invasion mechanics are not scripted, but instead, attempt to simulate strategic objectives that an actual alien civilization would have when invading Earth. The approach will appeal to the player, who will not be under the impression of playing a simple game, but instead will always wonder whether what they are seeing could be real. This will make the player approach the game as a real task, keeping them constantly on the edge of their seat, as the AI will attempt to confirm the hidden fear.

Besides the complex strategy and diplomacy aspects, Terran Shield will offer an AI that is capable of handling intricate strategic scenarios and challenge the human player on higher difficulty levels. The AI is built of two parts: an active one which makes decisions, commands troops and manages resources and a passive one that analyzes the player’s approach and strategy in order to find weak points. It is precisely this permanent analysis that will impact game decisions and force the player to acknowledge their weaknesses and attempt to reinvent themselves in order to overcome the traps set by the maleficent alien overlords.

Another aspect that sets Terran Shield apart from other TBS games of this genre is the fact that the majority of the action takes place in an underwater environment. This approach requires the implementation of different game mechanics than what is currently offered by other games. Movement on the tactical map will, therefore, be over shorter distances, given the dense nature of the underwater environment, and will, therefore, shift the focus to whoever discovers their enemy first and manages to attack. As a general rule, the developers are looking to avoid using heavily armored units equipped with lots of health, as this reduces game flow and restricts the number of enemies on the map. Of course, such units will be included, but the majority of alien units will be vulnerable to specific types of damage and will be able to be killed with 1 or 2 shots.

Key features

• Terran Shield will be a game that will allow every player to apply their own preferred tactics, even if unconventional and unusual. Each strategy-game player should have the right to a place in which to test his or her ideas.
• We also wish to offer to the player varied and surprising gameplay, which can extend the strategy’s lifespan as much as possible. We are not adepts of games that lead the player down an interesting path, graphically attractive, but which ultimately turns out to be redundant.
• Equally, we do not wish to provide a game that can efficiently be completed following a simple Internet search, which is why Terran Shield is developed as the exact opposite of this scenario.
• Terran Shield will always be full of surprises, perhaps frustratingly difficult on higher difficulty levels, rewarding to those attempting unconventional strategies and tactics and satisfying to those who are looking for a non-cliché storyline.
• But above all, it will provide a well-balanced strategy. It will be ideal for those searching for a means to relax after a long day, but also to those looking for a challenge worthy of their mental abilities.

About developers

Zamolxis Entertainment Studios are a group of young enthusiasts from Cluj-Napoca, Romania, who wish to take the Studios alongside the top digital entertainment companies. The games they are planning shall be designed to capture the attention of the player, offer fluid gameplay and offer a special atmosphere. Besides Terran Shield, they are also planning a second title in which they wish to bring to the fore the immense mythical universe of Romanian folklore, a universe which is mostly unknown not only to foreigners but to many of us as well.

• Official website: http://www.terran-shield.com/
• Kickstarter page: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/terranshield/terran-shield-edge-of-the-abyss-0
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/ShieldTerran

Release date & platforms

Actually under the Kickstarter campaign. Release date: Q4 2020 for PC.