Colonizing alien planets is a huge theme across science-fiction media, with endless possibilities of what life could be like in space. While there are some real-world moral and ethical concerns to space colonisation, sci-fi often takes an optimistic view of how it could extend the longeivity of the human race.Aven Colonygives players an opportunity to envision flourishing space colonies asa city-building strategy gameset light-years away from Earth. The game offers a comforting escapism in rewarding but challenging gameplay to create the ultimate space colony.
As a city-builder, players generally either really connect with the gameplay ofAven Colonyor find it unenganging after a point. While there are some alien threats to contend with,Aven Colonyis primarily a city-builder and as such is about slow and dedicated gameplay, with players building bit by bit as they go. The game is light-heartered, though, with beautiful extraterrestial settings and some comediec colonist animations. Since the game is free onEpic Games Store, it’s a great choice for fans of the genre, and some may even find themselves addicted to the game.
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Gameplay and Setting
InAven Colony,the player oversees the construction and management ofa settlement on alien planet, Aven Prime. Many of the usual tropes of city-builders are included, such as growing food, building living quarters, exploring, mining, and expanding the settlement.Aven Colonyhas some nice details to flesh out its sci-fi setting, such as the colonists driving hover cars and some space-specific mechanics. Players will need to ensure oxygen production on their colony, fend off alien threats, and contend with an alien climate. These threats are varied, including a mysterious alien that grows tentacles over buildings until they are removed with a drone, but most players seem to not struggle too much with them.
A fun space mechanic is that at night the temperature drops to zero, so food production freezes and solar panels don’t work as well. The aforementioned alien climate inAven Colonyincludes various storms and hazardous threats entering the city. There is botha sandbox and campaign modein this game that gives players the room to get to grips with the mechanics at whatever pace they please. Again, the game is about investing time into gameplay so players can manifest their visions of a space colony. With stunning alien landscapes, the game is well suited to players who enjoy such gameplay mechanics, as well as being accessible to any sci-fi fans. Finally, the space colony built inAven Colonyis a democratic one, with regular elections that can see the player voted out of power if the colonists' morale is not kept high.
Appeal and Limitations
SinceAven Colony’sinital release in 2017, there have been two major updates with new mechanics and building types that have expanded on the game well.Aven Colonyhas been repeatedly, and positively, compared toSurviving Marsand other popularcity-builders likeCity: Skylines,so fans of those games are likely to enjoy the experience ofAven Colony.The game also attracted some inescapable comparisons toSimCity,and while the games both have some light-hearted, comedic elements,Aven Colonyis much closer toSurviving MarsorCity: Skylines.
The majority of reviews forAven Colonyalso inevitably mention playtime as a potential concern, with many players reporting that, while the mechanics can be challenging at first, once they’ve been mastered them they were less motivated to play the game. This actually makesAven Colonybeing free on Epic Games Storea huge benefit, as while some players only got 30 or so hours out of the game, others have racked up over a 100 hours. As such, having the opportunity to playAven Colonywithout having to decide if it’s worth the price may see many players surprised at how much they enjoy it.
Aven Colonyis out now for PC, PS4, and Xbox One.
