Terraformers (Asteroid Lab; published by Goblinz Publishing and IndieArk) casts you as a planetary pioneer on a procedurally generated Mars. Send expedition leaders to unearth rich resource depots and glittering crystal caverns, found cities tucked into craters and lava tubes, and design settlements that balance industry, population needs, and emergent ecosystems.
Each run reshuffles opportunities and constraints; pick project cards, optimize city layouts for powerful synergies, and deploy automation to scale production, while grand geoengineering options (restarting volcanoes, deploying orbital mirrors, or radically altering polar ice) let you reshape climate and seed life across the red planet.
Core loop and mechanics
• Card‑driven projects: Each turn presents a rotating hand of project cards; buildings, upgrades, and one‑off initiatives, so every decision is a tradeoff; choosing the right card for your map, resources, and long‑term plan is the engine of strategic play.
• City planning and synergies: Placement and combos matter; some structures amplify production, others enable automation or unlock new lifeforms, so efficient layouts and chaining complementary buildings turn modest settlements into self‑sustaining hubs.
• Terraforming megaprojects: Grand options let you reshape the planet; restart volcanoes, deploy orbital mirrors, or melt polar ice, while introducing new biomes and risks; lifeforms from adaptive microbes to full forests (with bears) each have specific habitat needs and provide distinct strategic bonuses.
Replayability and roguelike elements
• Procedural planets: Each run spawns a new Mars; terrain, resource nodes, crystal caverns, and settlement sites reshuffle every playthrough. That variety keeps exploration rewarding, forces you to adapt strategies on the fly, and turns familiar tactics into fresh puzzles as you chase synergies on a different map each time.
• Challenge curve: Tight resources and rising population demands create meaningful tension across the campaign. Early choices compound into late‑game headaches or triumphs; missions feel demanding but fair, and the card‑driven systems reward planning, experimentation, and recovery from setbacks.
• Strategic payoff: Because maps and project options change, success favors flexible plans over rote builds; learn to pivot, prioritize scouting, and exploit emergent combos to turn scarcity into advantage.
Strengths
• Strategic depth: Card choices, city planning, and planetary projects combine into a satisfying strategic puzzle that rewards long‑term planning.
• Audio and atmosphere: Ambient music and sound design support long sessions without fatigue, according to player feedback.
• Platform availability: The game is available on PC (Steam) and on consoles including a Nintendo Switch edition, making it accessible across systems.
Caveats and common critiques
• Scaling complexity: Settlements can become overwhelming if you don’t secure an early win; late‑game micromanagement can feel busy for some players.
• Difficulty ceiling: After mastering core concepts, higher difficulties may feel easier to some players, reducing long‑term challenge for veterans.
Tips for new players
• Prioritize synergies: Early project choices shape your midgame, favor buildings that unlock reliable income or resource loops.
• Scout aggressively: Send leaders to uncover resource depots and special sites early; map advantages compound.
• Experiment with lifeforms: Different flora and fauna offer unique bonuses, match them to your city’s needs and terrain.
Final Verdict
Terraformers is a layered, highly replayable colony sim that rewards deliberate planning and bold experimentation. Procedural maps, card‑driven projects, and meaningful city‑layout choices combine to create a sandbox of strategic puzzles where every run asks you to adapt, prioritize, and exploit synergies.
Grand terraforming options and diverse lifeforms add cinematic scope to the micromanagement, so the game satisfies both methodical planners who enjoy optimizing production chains and creative players who relish reshaping a hostile world into a thriving ecosystem. Ideal for strategy fans who value depth, variety, and the slow payoff of long‑term systems.
Watch and Wishlist
• Why wishlist: Add Terraformers to your store wishlist to receive automatic sale and update notifications and to support visibility for the developer; wishlisting also makes it easier to spot bundles, DLC drops, and seasonal promotions that significantly lower the effective price.
• Platforms to track: PC (Steam) is the primary storefront; the game also appears on multi‑platform trackers and storefronts that list console editions (Nintendo Switch, Xbox, PlayStation) depending on regional availability, check your platform store for the exact release and compatibility details.
• How to stay informed: Follow Asteroid Lab and the publishers Goblinz Publishing / IndieArk on social channels, follow the game’s Steam store page (hit Follow/Wishlist), and join the official or community Discord and subreddit to get patch notes, event announcements, and player‑run lobbies; the Steam page and community hub are the fastest places for official patch and sale alerts.
• Price perspective: $19.99: The listed base price is $19.99 (USD) on Steam, but Terraformers frequently goes on sale, historical discounts have dropped the price into the single digits during promotions, so waiting for a sale or watching deal trackers will usually get you the best value.
Key Takeaways
• Premise: Turn‑based colony builder that casts you as a pioneer terraforming a procedurally generated Mars.
• Core loop: Choose from rotating project cards each turn, found and expand cities, and optimize layouts for production and synergies.
• Variety: Procedural maps, resource depots, crystal caves, and lifeforms ensure each run feels different.
• Strategic depth: Card choices, placement, and long‑term planning matter; automation and building chains reward thoughtful play.
• Terraforming scale: From microbes to forests and megaprojects (volcanoes, space mirrors, polar engineering), you can reshape climate and biomes.
• Replayability: Roguelike elements and changing opportunities make experimentation and multiple playthroughs compelling.
• Difficulty and pacing: Tight resources and rising population demands create meaningful tension; late‑game micromanagement can feel busy.
• Best for: Players who enjoy layered strategy, city planning, and the satisfaction of turning a hostile world into a living ecosystem.
Game Information:
Developer: Asteroid Lab
Publisher: Goblinz Publishing, IndieArk
Platforms: Xbox (reviewed), PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Nintendo Switch
Release Date: March 9, 2023
Score: 10 / 10
Terraformers nails the blend of strategic depth and creative freedom: procedural maps, card‑driven choices, and planetary megaprojects combine into endlessly replayable runs that reward planning, adaptation, and imagination. It’s a rare colony sim that feels both thoughtful and cinematic, delivering satisfying long‑term systems and the joy of turning Mars green.
“10 / 10 - A brilliant, endlessly replayable terraforming sim, strategy and spectacle in perfect balance.”