I have spent over 200 hours on this game and I still go back to it every now and then. If you like sandbox style games where you can focus on building, trying different town layouts without having to worry about disasters and micromanaging townspeople then this game is for you. The music is relaxing, even if it is somewhat repetitive, and the start can be tricky especially in hard mode. Once you get going however it's mostly smooth sailing. I'm giving a 4 star rating because it's 2021 and this game could do with a few quality of life improvements.
The first time I tried this game I stopped playing after 30 minutes. The controls were so clunky it made everything harder than it needed to be. Once I finally got used to the controls I started to enjoy the game. Look, stick with it - there is a lot of content and the environment is quite detailed. Just don't expect Sims like customisation and building controls.
I've spent 250 hours playing this game so far. Bought it when it only had 3 scenarios and played them to death, trying to get all the achievements. Then left the game because... well, the scenarios are pretty linear. When the endless mode update came out, followed by fall of winterhome, I got back into it. Endless mode is great fun - 4 different map types, each with its own pros and cons, and the usual difficulty levels - mean hours of play and experimentation. I'm hoping for one more update - the end of the cold. You find out what happened and why and get to fix it. I'd love for that to happen.
