Developer: GrizzlyGames
Publisher: Grizzlygames
Release: Out now
On: Windows
From: Steam
Price: 4.79, $5, 5
I know I’ve banged on about this enough that people are wishing it had happened three weeks ago already, but I’m leaving RPS (and full-time games journalism) in 5 days. Regrets, I have more than a few, but right now chief among those is that we are in the throes of a building game renaissance. I’m pretty burned out on shooting stupid pretend men in their stupid pretend faces, but I could have gone a good few more years arranging tiny settlements just so. Foundation, Dawn of Man, Tropico 6, Satisfactory on the more production-based end of things, Two Point Hospital if you want throwback, Kenshi if you want far, far beyond building: these are the finest of times for a genre once left to starve and die. Heck, I won’t be here for the next Anno.
Now here comes Islanders to rub salt in the wound, another clever and beautiful twist upon old plop’n’play tropes, another herald of good things to come that I won’t be here for. Screw you, Islanders! But I really like you.