Meltdown

Meltdown is about operating an aging nuclear power plant from a desk job. You must keep the reactor running, supply the city with electricity and avoid an explosion while managing the boss’s demands and the mayor’s expectations.

The reactor job

Your work involves connecting wires in the power grid to send out enough electricity, regulating the water tank to cool the reactor without freezing it, and tuning the radiator’s steam ventilation to slow overheating. You also need to maintain your desk and keep the power output at the right level throughout the day, with minimal strain on the reactor. Generating electricity builds heat, and straining the reactor makes problems arise faster; ignoring problems leads to further trouble, while inaction brings bigger consequences.

Storms, sabotage and other story events put pressure on you and the reactor. The boss gives you instructions and checks in by telephone, while the city’s mayor also expects you to keep the plant running.

Story and modes

A dedicated story-based training tutorial introduces the job. The story covers 31 unique days, while Endless Mode lets you keep operating the plant; a global leaderboard shows how other players fare in that mode.

Plant systems

The reactor is managed through three modules on the main screen. You interact with them using the cursor, keyboard or gamepad, adjusting heat and power generation and responding to a button that starts blinking red. Resource management takes place through minigames, with a screen-based interface and an in-game manual explaining how things work.