Posted on: July 9, 2023
mina86
Verified ownerGames: Reviews: 10
Nice 3X game but RNG kills strategy
I’d rate it 3.5/5. It held my attention for about 20-30 hours, delivering moments of excitement. However, I no longer feel the need to max out all the scenario paths. From screenshots Terraformers looks like a 3X game alas it introduced a twist. Instead of allowing players to choose construction projects, it offered random cards, increasing in number as game progresses. This adds variety (since one cannot start each game with the exact same build) but hindered strategic planning since players can’t influence the card selection. Want to expand? Be prepared for a potential half-game wait to get the right project. In one game waiting for temperature-raising projects (which never arrived) left me bored for the last 15% of the playthrough. To continue ever-increasing colonists’ expectations must be kept in check. On higher difficulties, they became overwhelming, leaving little room for strategic planing which gets replaced with reactionary decision-making to increase satisfaction and achieve scenario goals. My colonies end up on the verge of collapse but because I spent oungh science points, gained enough raw materials income, or completed whatever other objective of a given scenario, the mission succeeded. Lastly, the user interface presented challenges. The planet is presented as a rotating globe. While logical, became disorienting as the colony expanded. Globe has no landmarks and with it rotating it’s often hard to tell what’s north and what’s south. Also, finding specific buildings (e.g. to upgrade) or tile types (because some buildings have tile requirements) was frustratingly difficult. Terraformers shows potential with its unique approach to the 3X genre. However, the lack of control over construction, escalating colonist expectations, and cumbersome user interface prevent it from reaching its full potential. Despite flaws, it offers some fun, but long-term satisfaction may be limited for players seeking deeper strategy.
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