Sometimes it feels like the world has gone to hell in the past few years. From one thing to another it seems like we just can’t get a break. And so we totally get the thinking behind Bulgarian studio Haemimont Games latest game Stranded: Alien Dawn, a base-builder strategy sim where you can start humanity anew to your own tastes.
A game that sees you taking a group of people into the unknown and starting all over again. This planet survival sim tasks you with keeping a group of marooned souls alive, as well as getting a new foot hold on some far away spinning rock.
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Stranded: Alien Dawn may sound familiar to some and that is likely because it’s been out on the PC for a while now. The game started out as an early access title, but has now gone gold and now finds itself on console.
New Dawn
Stranded: Alien Dawn tasks you with a few goals that you can tackle; from getting your marooned crew home, setting up a new civilisation or having to battle off an alien force. Each feeds into the game’s three different scenarios.
Haemimont Games are no strangers to these sorts of titles with the likes of Surviving Mars and the Tropico series under their belt, so you’ll have a good idea of what awaits here – though with a few interesting tweaks and additions in the mix.
As how much you get involved in what’s happening is really up to you. You can set a task and leave the game to go at it. Or you can micromanage and drill down to individual settlers and set them tasks best suited to their personal skills to get the most from your group.
Hostile World
Though beware it would be soon after you get your homestead up and running that you’ll likely get a visit from the local wildlife. This is an element that will constantly keep you on your toes. The wildlife brings in an almost tower defence element as you set up defences as well.
But before you get into that side, you’ll have to likely grab a few settlers and take on the threats with sticks and fists. Things start out a bit rough and ready, but give it time and you’ll be building farms, planting crops and harvesting your rewards.
You’ll juggle this economy with building out your settlements and exploring the lands around you. Some of the gameloop has an oddly ‘western film’ sort of vibe.
Easy Access
To its credit the game comes with a healthy number of tutorials to show you the ropes. There’s also a number of options you can tweak to increase or lower the overall difficulty.
The game also has a few different-looking and different-feeling starting regions. For example one is lush with green grass and trees.
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Another is barren, a Martian dust-filled area. Both will need you to try different tactics to get things going. This is a nice choice, the vastly different biomes offers variety in troubleshooting.
On top of your starting region you can also pick a moon or moons that surround your planet. And these add in a bit of extra challenge, as day/night cycles can be different or extra-long. There is also a deep, engaging tech tree to grow, that will reward you with better kit, and stronger defences.
Worlds of Wonder
Stranded: Alien Dawn is visually very detailed. Visual intrugue seems to pour from the areas you find yourself in and your ever growing and complex settlements. The crazy weather effects also add to the aesthetic charm of the game.
And you should expect the unexpected when it comes to atmospheric conditions. This is supposed to be an alien world and Stranded: Alien Dawn absolutely nails it.
Stranded: Alien Dawn is a compelling title that brings in a few different genres to create a solid offering. A base builder, resource manager, RTS combat, survival and, at its core, a sim. The game mixes a bit of everything together to create a package that is well worth your time if you’re looking for something fresh. Or just want to try starting things over again.