2018 feels like a bygone era at this point, but it was the year that British developer Payload Studios initially introduced us all to its game, TerraTech.

You don’t get to start off with the ultimate modular tank, though. TerraTech Legion blends its Lego-like building mechanic with a gameplay loop from the survivorlike and bullet heaven genres.

In TerraTech Legion, the galaxy has been taken over by a swarm of AI bots that is destroying everything in its path, but players can pick up the mantle as one of four tech jockeys, each with their own unique build specifications and abilities.

Initially, only tech jockey Mikela is available to players, but her Ranger 1 — complete with stun boost and shockwave abilities — is an excellent all-around introductory vehicle for players who are new to TerraTech.

After choosing a tech jockey and mission, players are dropped into a map with a barebones vehicle build to face off against the swarm, though early attack methods are extremely limited. The Ranger 1, for example, starts off with just one little gun, which doesn’t seem to do much against the horde. Thankfully, Mikela’s signature boost allows players to ram into enemies and leave them stunned temporarily, giving the weapon a chance to knock down some of the swarm to earn XP.

Similar to other survivorlikes and bullet heavens, TerraTech enemies drop XP and crates for the player to collect. Modular parts that snap onto the vehicle are stored until enough XP is collected to max out the player’s current level. At that point, a beacon is dropped with a health regenerative field. Driving into the beacon gives the player a new menu where they can then freely build onto their vehicle before going back into battle.

Leveling up also unlocks special crates, which can only be accessed during the build menu, giving players the chance to select upgrades that can be attached to their build. In survivorlike fashion, crates drop three upgrades for players to choose from, though some modifiers that crop up throughout your playthrough can impact the available options.

There are over 200 blocks that can be acquired and added to your vehicle build, giving you the opportunity to build out tech that fights the swarm the way you want. Change out wheels for tracks, add buzzsaws and lasers. Build a stacked behemoth with guns and lasers up and down the sides to create a mobile destruction tower or choose Jean Pierre as your tech jockey and shamble together some battering rams and heavy armor to create an indestructible tank that takes out the swarm on impact.

Don’t be too overambitious, though. Players have to manage vehicle weight, balance, and available modules to make sure that once you’re back on the battlefield, you can actually still steer to your destination, lest you be blown to smithereens by the bots you were supposed to destroy.

TechTerra Legion is a roguelike, so if your vehicle does happen to fall apart during a run, you’ll have to pick up the pieces and start from scratch. However, there are some permanent upgrade tracks for each tech jockey that can help make potential runs go a little smoother. The longer you can stay alive, the more likely you are to encounter each of the four levels’ big bosses, the ultimate challenge to your vehicle-building skills.

Pick your jockey, build your vehicle, and survive the swarm in TerraTech Legion, developed by Payload Studios and published by Mythwright, available now on Xbox Series X|S, Xbox on PC, and Xbox Cloud Gaming with support for Xbox Play Anywhere entitlements. The game is under $10 at launch and is available on Xbox Game Pass Ultimate and PC Game Pass. A $5 Supporter Pack DLC can be picked up for those who want some exclusive cosmetic skins.

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Cole is the resident Call of Duty know-it-all and indie game enthusiast for Windows Central. She's a lifelong artist with two decades of experience in digital painting, and she will happily talk your ear off about budget pen displays.