Solarpunk Review: Floating Islands, Airships, and the Most Peaceful Survival Game Ever Made
I had the opportunity to play the new indie game, Solarpunk, and I’m positively itching to get back into that game. Though the developers, Cyberwave, have felt the need to clarify what the game is and is not, I’m of the feeling that their fears were unwarranted. It might not be perfect (what game ever is), but Solarpunk is a game worth exploring. Literally. Let’s talk about it.
What is Solarpunk?
Solarpunk is an open-world, survival game with co-op capability, base building, crafting, and airships. Well, you have to have airships. You’re on a floating island! That’s the heart of it. You’ll do the usual survival game activities of building stuff, exploring, planting, chopping down trees, and so on. You get thirsty, hungry, and get hurt if you fall too far. You also have to worry about lightning.
The game has an array of materials to work with. So far, I’ve had wood, stones, clay, sand (glass), and I’ve found iron. They tell us that the progression is short, about 20 hours, but once you’ve unlocked all of the stuff you can make, you can build and explore and build.
And there’s a lot to build. Your base will become quite sophisticated with solar power for electricity, automation, and that airship I mentioned.
What Solarpunk is Not
This is a very laid-back game. You won’t be accosted by monsters or even animals. There are animals (I’ve seen a chicken), but you won’t be killing or eating them. There is not a story line. It’s entirely a sandbox comprised of a couple of floating islands. So, if you’re looking for a high-pressure game with combat, an in-depth story, or a massive world, this isn’t the game you’re looking for. (You can die, though, and I did manage to do it.)
How is the Gameplay?
Solarpunk is the kind of game you have to kind of learn as you go. There is a kind of tutorial in that you’ll have these little tasks that walk you through the start of building, but it doesn’t hold your hand. You still have to use a bit of common sense (I was not applying my common sense at first). Still, it’s not difficult to play and figure out what to do.
Once you’re in the flow of things, it’s pretty easy to start building up your resources. So far, the world is a bit lonely because I’m playing alone, but there’s apparently a shopkeeper somewhere, and you can have friends play with you.
The one thing I was wishing for early on, a map, was unlocked through the progression of researching new things to make. And, though you cannot move most things, you can destroy them to reclaim the materials and build them somewhere else. At least, that’s what I’ve found so far.
So… Is It Worth It?
Yes, Solarpunk is worth the $22.99 price tag. If you want something relaxing where you can explore, gather, plant, and build, then this is a perfect choice.
The thing to keep in mind is that Solarpunk is being developed by a tiny team of two people. But it’s been wishlisted over a million times! This game is beautiful. The art style is calming, the sounds of the world are gentle, and it’s all very soothing. This isn’t the kind of game that’s going to cause rage. You can relax and build your base up without a lot of worry. The small stresses are manageable.
The developers continue to build on their game and have already released an update with fixes and improvements. It’s the kind of thing you want to see with a new game. The people behind it care about their creation and want to share it.
Did I mention you get to make an airship?
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