So I finished Planet Crafter after about 40 hours. It's Early Access and I got it for $15 maybe on sale? Definitely worth it at that price even as an Alpha release game. The game could have gone on longer, but I cheated at the very end to unlock the last 5 technologies because there really wasn't anything else to do at this point in the game's release, it was just a waiting game at that point.
The game is incredibly chill and is surprisingly a lot of fun. There's no mobs or anything to worry about, in fact there's no life at all to start. You're on a barren planet where you've been tasked to Terraform it as part of your punishment for unknown crimes. The only thing you're fighting against is survival really: providing yourself oxygen, water, and food on a planet with no vegetation, liquid, or atmosphere. It's really cool seeing over time how the planet takes shape from a brown dusty desert and slowly evolves into blue skies, water, plants, etc. You have to build a base, scavenge wrecks, mine, create heaters, drill to release gases into the atmosphere, create energy, and all those kinds of things to Terraform the planet. You'll see lakes slowly begin to materialize over time, plants grow, ice melt...it cooler than it sounds on paper. There's always things to do, and there's a lot to explore.
If I had one negative thing to say it's that there's a pretty loose story there, so don't expect some huge plot. The survival and exploration is the biggest part of the game. There is a story to be had, but it's found organically as you search out ruined wrecks, and as you receive messages on your Communication display, and as you delve into caves and such. I expect they'd add to it as time goes on. Once you've learned the Lore of the planet and what happened there's not much to do end game except continue to Terraform and unlock the last remaining technologies (Which aren't necessary, but are helpful). Currently you can't go farther than unlocking Insects and their mutations, but eventually there will be Fish, Amphibians, etc.
Pretty fun and addicting game even in this Alpha release though, it's getting Overwhelmingly Positive reviews in Steam. Just a few tips if you check it out:
Tip 1 - While you may be inclined to start a base near your crashed Escape Pod since it provides a source of oxygen, I don't advise it...at least not anything more than a temporary base. You'll find out why later. Aim a bit higher up.
Tip 2 - Keep some Ice handy in case you need to melt it later for Water, and don't be afraid to setup a temporary base if you're exploring. You can turn Cobalt into Oxygen tanks this way, or melt the Ice for water.
Tip 3 - Keep an eye on your Tech trees and see where you may be lacking progress. In some cases you need more Heat on the planet to progress, in other areas you may need to increase Oxygen to unlock something you may need.
Tip 4 - Don't neglect scavenging wrecks, especially early on. Without a way to grow or make food you'll need to raid these early on to keep yourself going. You can also find Blueprints inside that unlock free technologies that are super helpful like increased O2 supply or larger backpacks. Just be sure to bring at least a few Oxygen capsules and Waters with you. There are a lot of blue boxes scattered around the planet too that have goodies in them.
Tip 5 - Ore Miners are a game changer, especially as you run out of supplies of Iridium and Aluminum. Tier 1 Miners will pickup the basics: Iron, Cobalt, Silicone, Titanium, Iridium, Sulfur, Magnesium, and Aluminum. 2 or maybe even 3 Miners grabbing Aluminum and Iridium are helpful. Tier 2 Ore Miners later on can get the rest: Osmium, Uranium, Zeolite, and even Super Alloy if you know the exact spot. Super late game Tier 3 Ore Miners can filter for just specific minerals. At some point you can also launch Rockets into space to attract Iridium and Uranium meteors.
I'm eager to see how they continue to improve this game over time. But for now, onto Kingdom Come!
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