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Review of Aven Colony on PS4

by Chucky Chucky photo Jul 2017
Cover image of Aven Colony on PS4
Gamefings Score: 7.3
Platform: PS4 PS4 logo
Released: 25 Jul 2017
Genre: City-building, Strategy
Developer: Mothership Entertainment
Publisher: Team17

Introduction

Welcome to Aven Colony, where you can build a thriving city on an alien planet while dodging environmental hazards, alien lifeforms, and the occasional existential crisis. It's like SimCity, but with dust storms and no pesky zoning laws-if you think those aren't a problem, just wait till your colonists start whining about how they live in a tent made of recycled space junk.

Gameplay

In Aven Colony, you start from scratch on Aven Prime-think of it as a giant cosmic Tinder date gone right or horribly wrong, depending on how you handle your new settlers. You'll manage everything from oxygen production to food cultivation, essentially taking on the role of a benevolent overlord; except here, your subjects are overly dramatic colonists who love to complain about their living conditions. And let's not get into their fragile morale faster than a game of Jenga on a roller coaster. The gameplay revolves around managing resources, constructing buildings (ranging from glorified tents to sleek skyscrapers), and using drones to help keep the whole operation running. Drones are the real MVPs here-they can build, upgrade, recycle, and handle most of the logistics. The colonists themselves travel in hover cars and occasionally walk, probably to complain about how their homes don't have a gym or a Starbucks nearby. Be prepared for a day-and-night cycle in which everything becomes alarmingly unproductive once night falls-cue exaggerated zombie sounds as your crops marvel at the beauty of lunar darkness. During the day, you'll expand your colony while fighting against environmental conditions like toxic gas, dust devils, and a mysterious entity known as "the creep," which sounds like a bad Tinder date gone even worse. You'll also fend off alien attacks like a teenager fighting off bedbugs while saving up for a new console. And let's not forget the elections. Yes, citizens can toss you out if you don't keep morale high enough-you know, just like real life, but with more lasers and shuddering monuments. There are two game modes: the Campaign and Sandbox. The Campaign mode offers missions with specific objectives, while the Sandbox lets you indulge in an open-ended world where you can finally live out your childhood dreams of building the tallest skyscraper without those annoying city planners kicking you out.

Graphics

Visually, Aven Colony is impressive. Picture a futuristic alien world filled with glistening buildings, lush alien flora, and somewhat creepy extraterrestrial landscapes. It's got that shiny Unreal Engine 4 charm, and while it's no photo-realistic masterpiece, it impresses in its own colorful, slightly quirky way. You'll find yourself gazing in wonderment at your thriving colony, perhaps smiling as you watch colonists living in sheer terror from a gigantic storm. The aliens and environmental effects give this game a distinct look, but don't expect to see Pixar-level animations-more like 'cool indie film' level.

Conclusion

In conclusion, Aven Colony is an enjoyable trip into alien city-building. It offers a good mix of strategic gameplay without making your head explode. Whether you're dealing with a food shortage, managing the needs of cranky colonists, or battling weird alien forces, there's never a dull moment (or a relaxing one, for that matter). If you'd rather control a colony from the comfort of your couch than face reality, Aven Colony may just be your next great escape into the cosmos or at least a well-sustained tent city. The game is like your average Monday-full of challenges, slightly chaotic, but ultimately rewarding. Just remember: if the dust storms get too intense, don't forget to build an indoor swimming pool! Oh wait...

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