Homeseek (2023)

Surviving in an inhospitable environment is a traditional evergreen, and we plunge into harsh worlds again and again. This time it will be a real-time strategy, but it is uncompromisingly stereotypical and boring.

Homeseek boasts some brilliant writing, good graphics and terrific audio. With a quick but believable backstory and clear influences from games like Frostpunk, it’s a solid entry in the colony sim genre. There are plenty of original touches and mechanics, but the game stays true to its roots and provides one of the best dystopian, post-apocalyptic colony sim experiences I’ve had in a long time.

Homeseek is a colony simulator that frequently puts you in uncomfortable situations. Just as you think everything is going well, it pulls the rug out from under you and forces you to react. You must balance short-term survival with long-term exploration to find new livable areas. Instead of building a self-sustaining civilization, you must move to greener pastures while surviving against the odds. The learning curve is steep as you are expected to make several mistakes. Not everything is explained to you either, forcing you to learn as you go. But if you are willing to stay with the game and adapt, you will find a great challenge that forces you to really think.

Homeseek provides a well-paced story campaign with varying difficulty levels to cater to different players. While lacking engaging replayability, Homeseek has the potential to be a great title with further updates and fixes.

Homeseek is a punishingly bleak post-apocalyptic city builder where every action feels consequential.