Project Astra Dominium is a Tower Defense game with Basebuilding and Automation elements. Build up your base to become a supply hub for Earth's desperately needed materials, gather resources while defending against an unknown alien threat and improve your tower's and AI capabilities.
Players can extensively customize a variety of tower types, each with its own skill tree featuring up to 250 points to spend. This depth of tower customization is a standout feature, allowing players to meticulously plan and optimize their defenses.
The tower defense gameplay loop of building, defending, and then collecting resources to further improve one's defenses is engaging and rewarding. Waves of alien invaders become increasingly challenging, requiring players to strategically place and upgrade their towers to effectively combat the threats.
Alongside the tower defense mechanics, the game incorporates basebuilding and automation elements. Players can construct various facilities within their base to automatically gather, process, and deliver resources. This factory-like automation system allows players to passively accumulate resources while focusing on the tower defense aspects.
The extensive tower skill trees, crafting system, and automation features provide a level of depth that many players find engaging and rewarding. Reviewers highlight the game's potential for extensive experimentation and optimization, as players seek to develop the most effective tower and automation setups to handle the escalating alien threats.
The cycle of gathering resources, upgrading defenses, and fending off waves of enemies is described as highly compelling, leading players to lose track of time as they become immersed in the experience. The sense of progression, both in terms of individual tower upgrades and overall base development, is cited as a significant factor in the game's addictive quality.