Platform: PC

Developer: GrizzlyGames

Publisher: GrizzlyGames

Release Date: April 4, 2019

Genre: Strategy / City Builder

Nerd Rating: 8.5 out of 10

Reviewed by Kikopaff

What are the essential books, films, TV shows, types of food that you would keep with you, stranded on an island? It’s a question that often makes people think of their fondest or most loved mediums. But it’s also the thought of a hardcore minimalistic reality that makes this question so interesting. Islanders embraces this minimalism and offers players a city building experience that has never felt so relaxing, blissful and rewarding.

If strategy, city building games have always interested you, but you’re intimidated by the complex systems, micromanagement of citizens, or the hundreds of Wiki pages, Islanders is a perfect place to start. You start with an island, and two themed packs to choose. Each pack contains a set of buildings in your inventory that you can place on your island. Placing buildings is rewarded with points. The amount of points you generate depends on what surrounds the buildings when you place them. If you gather enough points to refill your inventory, you can unlock new buildings. Once your island is big enough, or if you have generated enough points, you may choose to travel to the next island. Islands are generated procedurally and have an endless loop of islands available. If you run out of buildings, the game ends.

As an enthusiastic strategy gamer, the premise of Islanders sounds a bit plain. While it borrows from other city simulation games like SimCity or Anno, don’t mistake its simplicity as a boring spin on the genre. Islanders is an enriching and satisfying journey that focuses on the synergy of your islands rather than your status as a given ruler or lord. It’s a refreshing way of tackling city simulation and a gentle approach to bettering not only your islands and settlements but yourself. More often than not, Islanders is about beating my high score and enjoying the ride on the way there. Sometimes it’s enough to enjoy what you’ve created, rather than compete against an AI ruler or player.

Although you’re not bombarded with citizens to worry about, you do still need to care about where you place your buildings. The core goal of Islanders is to generate as many points as you can. It’s an exciting thrill when you see huge numbers like +40 on a golden spot. Placement is critical; even the tiniest shift can bring its points value down from +40 to +32. If you’re naturally detail oriented, Islanders will keep you entertained for hours with this simple task.

But if you like to play things by ear and experiment, buildings can be placed anywhere. Specific scenarios opt for future placements, rather than just scouring the island for the highest points. What matters is how well you utilise the different packs of buildings to get the most value. You’ll often find that planning is a critical component of Islanders if you want to make the most out of the resources and space available to you.

Islanders doesn’t need to be a 12-hour expedition. It can be played for as short or as long as you’d like. Most of my playthroughs have been in between emails or quick bursts of procrastination at work. You can quickly exit and come back to your game, exactly where you left off. While it can encourage mini sessions, its therapeutic environment keeps me coming back. Whether it’s the blissful soundtrack that quietly soothes your eardrums or the bursts of pastel colours, Islanders is the most zen game I’ve ever encountered.

My only tiny complaints are that I wish there were a menu that showed me every building or monument and what their respective points systems are. It’s hard to remember what sits well next to a fountain or lumberjack, and hovering buildings over various spots on the island can sometimes feel a little tedious. Also, some building placements can feel a bit awkward due to the landscape of individual islands or the size of buildings. It may have been more accessible with a hex or tile grid, but that could just be me relying too much on my 4X strategy experience.

Overall, if you have any remote interest in strategy or city-building games, well-designed gameplay and something extremely relaxing, Islanders ticks all those boxes. And considering it’s worth the same price as a medium-sized pumpkin spice matcha caramel latte, it’s an affordable experience worth trying out. Who knew being on a stranded island felt this good?