I don't see a post about the game, and based on my experience with it and the numbers, it may be because half of you are playing it right now. Game went to the top of Steam's sales list on Day 1, which is impressive, because that list is by volume of revenue, and it displaced CounterStrike 2, the Steam Deck, and Helldivers 2. So, an early access game on sale for $29.99 on the first day made more money than CS2 skins, Helldivers 2, or the Steam Deck. Top concurrent players was in the 160K range, and the game had 3 million wishlists on launch day.
The game is excellent. Imagine if Banished and one of the earlier Total War games had a child, and that child married the offspring of Age of Empires and Cities Skylines and had kids of their own. There's seasonality, you have to plan ahead when you produce food-- but you don't have to micromanage-- and traffic is taken into account, so the more traffic a road sees, the wider and deeper the ruts get. You can double up families in housing if you lay the plots out correctly, and cottage industry can produce food and export goods.
And the game was developed by one guy. He contracted out some work (the music is stellar, and the voicework is atmosphere building), but this is a 7 year passion project from one guy.
Owned the game a day, have played almost 10 hours. 11/10, quintuple A game from one turbo autist with a dream.
Okay, NOW you have my attention
Well, fuck. Fine, on the wishlist it goes. I'll probably pick it up when my current obsession gets run through.
Yeah, imagine Banished, but with more depth, the possibility of combat (if you want it), and having to streamline production lines.
I'm a weak-willed shell of a man. I logged onto steam, saw it was on sale, and grabbed it.
If anything, the potential of combat alleviates the problem Banish had with endgame - beyond making a really pretty medieval city with mods, there wasn't much to do beyond diversifying your production. Which, admittedly, was rather fun, but could only carry you so far.
I figure if I atleast get thirty hours or so out of the game, I'll get back my money's worth.