Arctico

My biggest beef with the game is, that the version on GOG is 1.3 (Jan 2023) whereas a certain other platform is already on 1.5 which offers significant improvements and added content. This game is a chill exploration and survival simulator. The survival aspects however have been toned down very much. It is difficult to die in this game. That fits the general chill undertone very well. Ore, science and food nodes on the map refill over night every night. It is hard to run out of stuff. Pros: * Chill game. Perfect to play while watching your favourite show. * Thanks to the simple but nice graphics the game runs on older machines no problem. * Fairly large map with lots interesting places to find. * YOU CAN PET THE DOGS! Neutral: * The game has definitely a bit of a grind going on. Resource nodes yield little material so you have to find a lot of it to upgrade your gear. Cons: * As mentioned above GOG has only a older version of the game. * The UI is a mess. The icon are all over the place. That is maybe related to the old version as well. * Some parts seem to be unfinished, i.e. there is a functional slider on the ore processor thats does absolutely nothing (yet). Again older version maybe. * Exploration is not always adequately rewarded. Often you only find money or seed packets at an otherwise interesting looking wreck or ruin. Conclusion: A simple exploration game with simple but pretty enough graphics. The challenge is low, which is in favor of the relaxed general atmosphere. I can recommend it even in its current state.

There's a difference between casual exploration and aimless drifting. Unfortunately this game falls in the latter category. It also doesn't have any story to speak of, and there aren't many interesting things/locations to discover (aside from the cave maybe). On top of that, the UI makes things more difficult than they need to be. For example, to open the map you need to open your PDA first. Which you can't use while riding your sled (meaning that every time you want to check the map during exploration you need to get off the sled first).

The game needs some quality of life updates. The game presents an enjoyable journey, but not a fluid one.

Arctico ia a really nice exploration game to relax to. The soundtrack and visual style are very peaceful. There's no imminent danger and the doggos are always ready to ride.