ISLANDERS -- a casual game to pass the time
On weekends I struggle to find things to do. I can't do what I'd normally be doing at the moment -- writing -- and I don't feel capable of immersing myself in heavier games.
Today I went from being determined to start a new Skyrim story, to creating a new Dragon Age tapestry and new character in DA:Inquisition, to immediately closing that and staring at Stardew Valley for all of five minutes, and then trying the Guild 2 for some nostalgia's sake, for another two whole minutes...
It was just one of those days.
To be honest, I feel like I'm wasting time that I should be spending writing, but you try writing emotionally overwhelming characters with a seven year old lurking over your shoulder, farting, and listening to weird-arse Baldi's Basics songs on Youtube. 😉
In the end, I went through the Steam store hoping to find something cheap, casual, but interesting enough to hold my Hyperactive Squirrel Attention Span for longer than a minute. And I chose ISLANDERS.
It's a fairly basic game. I guess it could be referred to as a city-builder, but I personally wouldn't go that far. It's more a build-build-build get-enough-points get-to-the-next-island go-go-go do-it-again.
The cities aren't there to be cared for and nurtured, they're there to get you enough points to migrate onward.
I did enjoy it enough to lose a few hours to it though. And apparently completed almost all of the achievements without even trying. Just need to get a couple of the more up-there ones that involve getting fairly high scores. Higher than what I was getting.
The main thing for me, I think, is that there's an online leaderboard system embedded in it. So you want to keep playing to get a higher score to prove to random people you've never met that HAH! I'm Number One! (or, in my case, number 109,334)
But high scores can get a bit painful to actually get, especially when you get bestowed a horror archipelago like the one RNG gave me above.
There's also a Sandbox mode if you want to build a nice, aesthetic city with no restrictions. I tried it out to get the above screenshot but didn't find it particularly compelling enough to keep on playing it.
Didn't see the point.
The normal game-mode is far more appealing. If I'm going to be wasting my time, I don't want to actually feel as though I'm wasting my time. 😆
I want to see numbers, I want to see progress, I want to see my score rise ever upward!!
NUMBERS!!!!!!!
Anywho. I thought it was decent for an $8.50AUD Weekend Time-Killer. Will probably be spending my Sunday in it too.
Ahhhhhh, bring on Monday. The Day of Being Able to DO.
I know, I know; I'm perverse. Everyone else dreams of weekends; I dream of weekdays.
You can find ISLANDERS on the Steam Store behind these blue words.
I recommend it if you get Indecisive Gamer ADD like I do and just need to CLICK SOMETHING.
Until next time,
Thank you for stopping by! 🙃
Lol hahaha to prove to random people that you're the best? Well I think it's a decent game lol. I'll chose the sandbox mode though. Rate it from 1 to 10?
Haha! Well, that was mostly my facetiousness talking. 😅 It is a decent little game.
As for a 1-10 score, I guess that really depends on what you're after in a game.
I personally found the sandbox mode lacking. I'm not quite sure how to put my finger on it. I like Sandbox Free-for-All mode in some games, but in this one... I don't know. It just wasn't my cup of tea.
The normal mode, for what they've intended -- a casual, relaxing, somewhat city-builder, that can be a challenge if you want to score the best you can (by all means not a requirement) -- they did a good job on their vision.
I think I'd go an 8 out of 10.
Music was nice, gameplay is intuitive, the challenge is there for those who want it, the casual relaxing gameplay experience is there for those who want that instead.
I don't see myself playing more than 10-20 hours of it though. Just something to fill time every now and then. So it was worth the price for what it is. 🙂
Whooooo I felt the sandbox challenge would be More exciting but well like you said it depends on what I really want in a game, I'm not the PUGB type of player I prefer these kinda games and well just to keep busy for a few hours.
Thanks a whole lot for the the in-depth reply.
FYI your contents are amazing.
Thank you!! 😊 and thank you for leaving a comment.
I'm not much of a PUBG type either -- mostly an Adventure or RPG person. 😀 With a side of Simulation.
This will definitely keep you busy for a couple of hours at a time, and has a nice peaceful pace. (Unless you're trying to complete each island as soon as you possibly can for one measly achievement, haha!!)
I'm more of the slower type of gamer really, I like to take my time lol, I might not even try to beat the records, but just have fun and play the game lol.
You're an RPG person? Hahaha
Yes! Things like Skyrim, Dragon Age, Mass Effect, Zelda, etc. 😊
They're my preferred, but struggle to play them lately.
Lol these games needs absolute concentration for one to really enjoy, why did you suddenly lose interest in playing them?
Mostly it's because I want to be writing instead. 😅 I'm supposed to be relaxing and doing a few fun things for myself right now after finishing a large novel, waiting for people to beta-read it and give feedback, and instead I've jumped straight into the next book of the series!