When this game came out some 5 years ago, it was one of the most disappointing releases, ever. In 2021, it is just so different, and fully realises the promises that the developers made all those years ago. It really takes me back to playing the BBC electron game 'Elite' when I was a kid. This was the game I was hoping to play one day. Thanks Hello Games for fulfilling what you promised, and for all your hard work getting there. There's hope for CDPR's Cyberpunk 2077 yet :P
"In addition to crisis management, the game provides the players with information on how to behave in the event of an epidemic, what actions to take, and how to protect themselves and their loved ones in the most effective way". I'm sure that the developers have an expert legal team who have scrutinised this, and can demonstrate that they have been given and incorporated the "most effective" health advice. A simple in-game disclaimer will not suffice. The developers have not laid out a fantasy setting - they are relating these claims to the current Covid-19 pandemic. Instead of buying this game, I have just now donated £10.00 to NHS Charities Together. If you live in the UK, you can google it to donate (100% will go to the cause), and then go and play a more uplifting game. I recommend Stardew Valley....
I've only played a few hours, but it does exactly what is says on the tin. Quite relaxing to play, and intriguing to get the balance right, which I haven't managed to do just yet. I think it will take a few run throughs to learn all of the mechanics, but it is fun trying and failing, so far.
It's an enjoyable game at first, but after 10 hours I'm getting pretty bored with it. With Banished, I had a ton of info about where my colonists were going and what they were doing. All completely ridiculous in the end, of course, when someone dies of stravation where they stand, while carrying fish or berries. But this isn't banished, it is potentially a little more interesting. That said, it is very slow, not very user-friendly at all, and doesn't make much sense. Frustrating at times, but only because it could be so much better thought out. I will give it another go, but might wait for the devs to fulfill the potential of this game, and make it unputdownable.
I bought this directly from the developer's website some years ago, and return to it regularly to play. Alerts are sent to my email when a new update is available for download. That said, I might just buy another copy on GOG, because it is that damn good. Each game lasts me in excess of 100 hours (I play on normal speed), and I've probably played it a dozen times - so huge value for money, even at standard price. It is one of the few games I have played where if something goes wrong, it is usually my fault, without any cheap AI tricks When it goes right, that's also my doing, so that makes for a very fulfilling experience! I do get somewhat emotionally attached to the 'pawns', and it is always a sad thing when someone dies because my medics weren't trained enough, or we ran out of healroot/med supplies. Make sure you build and upgrade medical facilities early on! I love playing this game so much. The mechanics are truly very deep. If it goes badly wrong for you, check out the Wikis and guides, because it is so rewarding when you learn how to fix/avoid issues. Get it right, and soon enough you'll be 'waiting for the sun'....
...and I liked it :)
Thanks to all the love this title has got over the years, it still stands up well in 2019. It is a truly epic adventure, with baddies and loot galore. Fantastic fun to play, and not a single technical glitch in sight
Aside from the dozens of crashes on the main game, this is still holding up well, and is hugely entertaining to play. A classic epic 5+++
