Meridian: New World (2014) is a remarkable sci-fi real-time strategy game, famous for being almost entirely the work of a single developer, Ede Tarsoly. You take on the role of Daniel Hanson, commander of the first human expedition to the titular planet. What begins as a mission of exploration quickly spirals into a conspiracy-laden mystery after your crew receives an unexpected distress call from a supposedly uninhabited world.
The game distinguishes itself from traditional RTS titles by heavily integrating RPG-style storytelling and character interaction. Between missions, you explore your command ship, speaking with crew members to influence their morale and the direction of the plot. Combat is tactical and high-stakes; you don’t just build a massive army, but rather customize your units with over 15 different weapons and upgrades.
As Hanson, you also earn experience points to unlock “Commander Abilities,” allowing you to directly intervene on the battlefield with repairs, shields, or offensive strikes. It’s a nostalgic yet innovative tribute to the golden age of RTS, focusing on a deep single-player narrative where your choices as a leader carry actual weight.
Key Features
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One-Man Vision: A polished, full-scale RTS developed primarily by a single person.
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RPG Dialogue System: Shape the story and crew relationships through branching conversations.
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Unit Customization: Equip your robotic and human forces with a variety of specialized weaponry.
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Commander Abilities: Use XP to unlock powerful combat spells to turn the tide of battle.
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Story-Driven Campaign: A focused single-player epic set on a mysterious alien planet.
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Economic Choice: Choose between a booming resource economy or a lean, high-tech sabotage force.
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Level Editor: Includes the same tools used by the developer to create the main campaign.
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Atmospheric Visuals: Stunning lighting and weather effects for a 2014 indie title.
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Dynamic Music: An immersive sci-fi soundtrack that reacts to the intensity of combat.
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High Replayability: Multiple strategic paths and dialogue outcomes encourage a second playthrough.System Requirements
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OS: Windows Vista / 7 / 8 / 10 / 11.
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Processor: 2.5 GHz Single Core (3.0 GHz Dual Core recommended).
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Memory: 2 GB RAM.
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Graphics: NVIDIA GeForce 8600 GT / ATI Radeon HD 2600 Pro (256 MB VRAM).
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DirectX: Version 10.
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Storage: 830 MB available space.
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Sound Card: 100% DirectX compatible sound card.
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Note: Intel integrated graphics (HD series) are officially unsupported.
