Islanders is an elucidation of how games build meaning from abstract systems. However, more than that elucidation, Islanders gave us the time to ponder. It’s a repetitive, extended, calming experience that uses just enough power of just narrow enough a collection of faculties to induce a half-aware presence in reality. Which is when you think up all the dumbest questions: could it be that contemplating the meaning of life is the meaning of life? Woah.
Islanders is a really interesting, serene city-building experience that reduces stress instead of adding onto it. Its clean-cut visual style and pickup-and-play mechanics fit the Switch like a glove.
Nice city building game that sadly feels underdeveloped. The nice, straightforward gameplay keeps things simple in a good way, but expect some incongruences due to the nature of "only points matter" placement system. But the real problem of the game lies in its lack of challenge. I mean, beating your own score? C'mon guys! This is not the eighties any more!
Islanders is an interesting little game. It is definitely relaxing and engaging to play, thanks mainly to the crisp visuals and very chilled soundtrack. It is very satisfying optimising the placement of buildings and other structures around your island in order to maximise your score. The interface works pretty well and the game certainly runs very smoothly. I've been playing for 5 or 6 hours now. I've loved my experience so far, but I'm finding it a bit hard to find motivation to play again now that I've seen most of what this game has to offer, and the only real 'point' is to strive for a hi-score or build a nice island to photograph as a souvenir. I'm glad I spent some time playing this, just be aware that once the novelty has worn off there isn't much here to keep you coming back for more.
Islanders: Console Edition trims every bit of fat from the city-building genre, stripping it down to the core mechanic of plunking down buildings for points. While the controls are a bit fidgety, the chill gameplay and focused mechanics more than make up for it. Play for a few minutes or a few hours, either way, Islanders delivers.
For best results, pick up Islanders: Console Edition for shorter sessions; calm yourself down and escape from the stress of life. Don’t look for it to satisfy your Napoleonic yearnings for military glory. And if you’ve been looking for the next “Civ-on-the-go,” keep looking. Islanders: Console Edition is a small game that knows what it is — and isn’t. And that’s just fine.
While it is my firm belief that ISLANDERS should be enjoyed by all gamers, I’d first recommend the PC version over the Switch port. If your only option is the Switch, then please — get this game. But if you have a PC, I’d start there instead (honestly, it’s so cheap you might as well buy it on both platforms). ISLANDERS is fantastic for a few minutes of play to chill out during lunch or wind down before bed. No matter which platform you choose to play it on, ISLANDERS is a simple, soothing strategy game that’ll make you rethink city builders — one island at a time.
ISLANDERS: Console Edition is a simple city-builder that focuses on
providing a relaxing experience, rather than on the intricacies of urban
planning and juggling of interests. This is both its most positive and
negative trait at the same time - the experience at hand is relaxing and
welcoming, but the lack of any kind of challenge and strategy makes this
a limited effort. Those only looking for the calm side of laying down
buildings and getting points without any further challenge will find a
great companion and for a good price too, but anyone looking for
something deeper will quickly grow tired.
Islanders: Console Edition, while not a game for everyone, is exactly the game for people looking for what Grizzly Games (and most actual islands) can offer you; an escape from the everyday.
This budget title, at first glance, looked like it may be a sim of sorts… but if that’s what got you excited, be warned, that isn’t what you’ll find here. Instead, it’s more of a puzzle strategy game where you’ll need to very carefully place buildings of different types all around the randomly-generated island you’ve been assigned, trying to maximize your points so you can continue to move on and eventually make your way to a new island to begin the process again. This can be trickier than it sounds, especially since so many buildings derive bonuses or penalties from the right and wrong buildings or resources in their immediate area. Early on, as you’re getting accustomed to the rules, this can make things a bit aggravating, as you’ll paint yourself into corners in some ways with poor early placements. However, with some time you’ll tend to do better planning and set yourself up for success. The added Sandbox mode ends up being more of a novelty just to make visually-pleasing towns, but not much more since there’s not a sim element here to give it more consequence to what you set up.
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SummaryYou want to build beautiful cities without investing hours on end into stressful resource management? Say no more! ISLANDERS should be right up your alley. ISLANDERS is a minimalist strategy game about building cities on colorful islands. Explore an infinite number of ever-changing new lands, expand your settlements from sprawling villag...