Sideraxis Brings Turn-Based Science-Fiction Combat to Commodore 64 With Nine Decks of Tactical Exploration

Bacioiu Ciprian releases Sideraxis for Commodore 64 under Bearded Giant Games, featuring 9 decks and 25 sectors of lunar turn-based tactical combat.

Commodore 64 enthusiasts looking for something more strategic than another fast-moving arcade shooter have received Sideraxis, a new science-fiction adventure developed by Bacioiu Ciprian. Released on October 30 under the Bearded Giant Games label, the title combines turn-based tactical combat with exploration aboard a remote space station orbiting the Moon. The station has stopped responding, and the player arrives to discover that its security system has apparently decided the crew would be more useful as armed enemies. Progress requires exploring twenty-five sectors spread across nine decks, moving through docking bays, medical facilities, research areas, reactor sections and overgrown hydroponic environments. Combat is deliberately tactical rather than reflex-driven. Players first select the direction their character faces, then move one tile at a time, firing along their current line of sight. This structure encourages careful positioning and resource management rather than charging blindly into hostile rooms. The game supports keyboard and joystick controls, with inventory management, doors, lifts and a deliberate wait command incorporated into the interface. Disk-based saving allows progress to be stored when returning to the main menu, although death or victory clears the current checkpoint. The Commodore version is distributed as a D64 image, and the developer reports successful PAL and NTSC testing using VICE. Original-hardware compatibility has not been established by that testing alone. The developer specifically states that no generative AI was used during production. Sideraxis demonstrates that the C64 remains capable of hosting thoughtful new tactical adventures. Apparently the most dangerous thing aboard the station is not the hostile security system, but the increasingly worrying feeling that somebody forgot to install an emergency shutdown button.