Getting back to natureĪlthough the gameplay was mostly smooth sailing, I did encounter a glitch with the rock-tossing tool that caused it to not place rocks where intended. Not all is lost, though, as the inbuilt Screenshot Mode allows you to capture HUD-free images of your restoration efforts, along with watermarked images of the full isometric map so you can document your work. There is even an “appreciate” button that appears after completing each region that allows you to sit and bask in the beauty of your work before leaving it behind. The hand-painted environments are packed with detail, and I was pleasantly surprised at how close you can zoom in to appreciate each biome. The gameplay in Terra Nil is complemented by the game's beautiful art direction, underlaid by a tranquil soundtrack by composer Meydän. From the satisfying swoosh of the Irrigator turning brown wasteland into lush green turf, to the pleasant pop of fynbos filling in the gaps, the lovely sights and sounds of the restoration process encourage you to achieve each goal. Seeing the forest for the treesĬleansing the land and watching nature return is an aesthetically pleasing experience in Terra Nil. Additional features such as terraforming and geothermal energy are introduced in later levels, presenting new logistical challenges for players to overcome and new ways to manipulate the climate. For example, regrowing enough forest and open tundra in your landscape can allow for the return of snowy owls and other forest-dwelling critters.Īccomplishing the optional goals can result in the restoration of various ecological features, such as thunderstorms beginning, migratory birds returning, water lilies blossoming, and crabs repopulating beaches. You will have to experiment with the tools at hand to achieve the ideal conditions to get specific features in your landscape, as controlling the humidity, temperature, and toxicity levels are key to reestablishing regional wildlife. Establishing a balanceĮach region features a set of optional objectives that require certain climate conditions to be met. While most tasks must be performed in a certain order, there are no timers to follow and the player is ultimately in control of the pacing. Part of what makes the game so relaxing and meditative is having the ability to control how quickly or slowly you want to advance the restoration process. The grid-based layout of each procedurally generated region makes for controls that are easy to pick up. While resource management and building construction are primary gameplay mechanics, the goal is more about kickstarting a habitat and restoring nature to a point where it can become self-sustaining. With nature restored, your final task is to recycle everything you built, leaving no trace of your presence. With the right conditions, you will eventually be able to restore regional plants and animals. To do this, you must create a power source in order to place down toxin-scrubbing machinery that cleanses the land and prepares it for re-fertilization. The game starts you out with a temperate climate region, where you are tasked with reclaiming the landscape and restoring its native flora and fauna. Players can also enable Zen mode for a more relaxing experience devoid of resource management or objectives. Regardless of the preset you begin with, there is always the choice to customize your gameplay options in the settings. The latter two begin with less starting resources and have higher building costs. There are three main difficulty levels to choose between: Gardener, Ecologist, and Environmental Engineer. The overarching goal is to cleanse barren wastelands and polluted oceans and transform them into self-sufficient ecosystems, leaving no trace of your presence once finished. In Terra Nil, players are tasked with rebuilding ecosystems quite literally from the ground up across four different regions, each composed of distinct biomes that require certain climate conditions to thrive. The game’s thoughtful, eco-conscious approach made for an inviting and accessible strategy game that positively subverted my expectations. Described as a “reverse city-builder,” Terra Nil sets itself apart from other games in its subgenre by emphasizing nature over expansion. That was until I played Terra Nil, a unique environmental strategy game developed by independent studio Free Lives and published by Devolver Digital. Although I have dabbled in my fair share of strategy games, they are not the type of games I usually gravitate toward when given the choice.
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