By I’ve played war games and war simulators in my day, but never played a game quite like this one.
IRON NEST is a game that I would normally ignore, thinking it’s not my kind of game. That’s because I’ve never experienced this style of war simulator game.
I mean, in this war game, the best weapon you have is a notepad. That’s how weird it looks. But after playing it for a while, I found myself jumping into the game more often.
IRON NEST is a very unique war simulator game that’s worth playing for fans of niche war-inspired experiences and strategy games. Although it gets a bit monotonous after a few missions, the game offers a satisfyingly relaxing experience that you can return to from time to time.
What Is IRON NEST?
IRON NEST is a simulator game where you get to be in control of a massive 5,000-ton artillery turret. The entire game takes place inside this massive turret nest, and all you have to do is carry out the missions given to you by the superiors.
It’s a highly detailed and visually immersive simulator game where you get to be in full control of each and every step involved in managing this giant weapon. You have to load the ammunition, calculate measurements, and launch artillery all by yourself. And it’s easier said than done.
Made by just two indie developers, IRON NEST features dieselpunk-inspired visuals and detailed components to give you a sense of full immersion. You can turn every knob, press every button, and pull every lever inside this artillery nest to control everything.
One wrong calculation will cost you points and you’ll have to start all over again.
Immersive Core Gameplay Loop
The core gameplay loop of IRON NEST is simple. You get a mission order to attack a specific area from your superiors.
You then go to the map to calculate the distance and bearing. And use triangulation to get the measurements. And then, you input this information into the turret to compute the angle you need to turn the weapon.
Once you get that information, you can manually load the turret with the right ammunition, which are giant bullets, and then you must turn and angle the turret in the right direction.
Thankfully, you get a notepad that you can constantly look at to find this information so you don’t have to remember it all.
When all the preparations are complete, you can get to the fun part of the game. Now you can sit down and pull the lever to fire the weapon. And that moment of firing the gun is a glorious experience!
After you fire the turret, you can go to the map to see where it lands. If it misses the spot, you go back to the drawing board. If it’s successful, you can move on to the next mission.
At the end of the day, you can step down inside the turret next to access your living quarters, where you can make some coffee and get some sleep until you get the next orders.
Progression and Replayability
While the core gameplay loop of measuring and firing the turret can feel a bit repetitive after a while, the game does give you some sense of progression through a few different ways.
As you progress through the missions, you will be able to unlock 30 different artillery ammo types and abilities. There are also more than 15 regions for you to access and destroy targets. Additionally, you also have more than 100 medals to earn as recognition of your skill.
Since the objectives for each mission are procedurally generated, you will get different targets when you replay missions. This instantly boosts the game’s replayability factor.
Compete Against Other Players
IRON NEST also features a leaderboard. This leaderboard tracks the top-ranking players who have scored the most points.
If you want a sense of competition, this is a great way to set yourself a goal and climb the ladder.
Upcoming Content
The developers have already outlined a roadmap for updates after launch. This includes several free content drops, including skirmish modes and multiplayer, along with an expansion releasing in the coming months.
Is IRON NEST Worth Playing?
To be honest, I’d never imagined myself playing a game such as this one. And that’s why we need indie developers: to imagine beyond the constraints put by investors and publishers and create new experiences that gamers never even thought of.
IRON NEST delivers a unique experience that some would appreciate, but it’s not a game for everyone. It took me a while to figure out the measurements for the targets and get into the groove of it. And then it became second nature to fire artillery.
However, after a few missions, the game starts to feel a bit samey and tedious.
I can see myself occasionally jumping into the game for a quick session when I need to experience something different. But it’s not a game I would play exclusively.
Having said that, I do believe it’s a game worth the price, and if you’re a war sim fan, definitely check it out.
