A Post-Apocalyptic Strategy Game Lost in Translation
Setting aside any arguments about how to spell the second word in this game’s title, Revival: Recolonization is a 4X strategy game from developers HeroCraft.
Set in a post apocalyptic version of Earth (yawn), we need to see if this game, with its firm roots in the PC world, is a good fit for a controller and console playerbase. As regular readers will know, I do consider myself a bit of a strategy game connoisseur, and so I didn’t hesitate to put my hand up to get involved with this one.
So, let’s go to a ruined world and see what we can do about it, shall we?
A Resurrected World
Now, the story is a usual opener for me, and here it is refreshingly simple and straight forward. We are a survivor of the old world, frozen in stasis, woken after everything has gone to the dogs. Fallout 4 did call and say they wanted their story back, but while there are a lot more similarities than differences, right down to the annoying robot sidekick, it must be hard coming up with an original story, so why not save time by not bothering?
Basically, we awaken to a ruined world and someone needs to get the world back on track, and that someone is us. So far, so cliche, right?
Hexagonal Horizons
Presentation is next on my checklist, and here the news is a bit better. The world we awaken in has had a collection of hexagons laid over it, and luckily, these spaces can be developed as we explore. The world is a well imagined place, and while our character strides the land like a colossus, it works pretty well.
Developing the land, right down to altering the climate is well depicted, and while Revival: Recolonization isn’t going to win any awards for great graphics, it does enough visually. The enemies on the landscape are all variants on a theme of mechanical opponents, and again, not wildly imaginative.
Sound works okay too, as the developing theme would indicate. While the music is largely forgettable, the rest of the sound effects are neat enough and the majority of Revival: Recolonization comes together to ensure it just works, without ever being exciting.
Ambitious Ideas, Ropy Execution
In terms of gameplay and I have to give credit where credit is due – the ambition of the game is very impressive. Sadly, the execution of said ambition is a lot more ropy.
The biggest issue is the tutorial, or indeed the lack thereof. See, the amount of controls and button combinations included in Revival: Recolonization is absolutely mind boggling, and some of the button combos could only be comfortably used by an octopus. As you go through the game it has certain demands of you, such as to increase the size of a city, but with absolutely no idea of what you need to do to achieve it. And don’t think you can ignore the objectives and just go your own way: oh no, until you do what it wants you to do, forget it.
The controls are so obtuse, and the mechanics are so hard to remember and use on a controller, that soon you’ll be looking for a new game to play. I was, anyway!
Climate Control and Conquest
Assuming you manage to get Revival: Recolonization to do what you want it to do (or more exactly, assuming you can do what the game wants you to do) then again, the scope of what is theoretically possible is quite breathtaking.
Exploration sends us across different biomes in the landscape, and the climate in the areas may be unsuitable for human life to exist. Well, if that’s the case, why don’t we change it? Thankfully, we have the tools to make cold areas hotter to enable crops to be grown, as well as to cool down regions that are desert-like to achieve similar goals.
And once a city has been built, you can then move onto other facets of the game, such as diplomacy and warfare, all with the hope of conquering neighbours. The question is, will you be nice and form alliances, or go in all guns blazing and take over by force? Well, each time you play, the outcomes seem to be a little different, providing some replayability – if you can manage to figure it out.
A Frustratingly Ambitious 4X Strategy Game
And so we get to a conclusion and Revival: Recolonization reminds in a way of that iconic line from Dr Malcolm in Jurassic Park. It seems as though those behind it were so caught in thinking about whether they could do something, that they didn’t stop to think if they should. And that is how I feel about this game.
On PC, making the most of keyboard and mouse, Revival: Recolonization would make a lot more sense. But on the Xbox? Using a controller? Well, frankly the control scheme is awful and the game mechanics are a closely kept secret.
There are much better strategy games out there, and I recommend you look at one of those rather than struggling through Revival: Recolonization.
Important Links
Zombies, Aliens and Totem Blessings – Revival: Recolonization Arrives on Xbox! – https://www.thexboxhub.com/zombies-aliens-and-totem-blessings-revival-recolonization-arrives-on-xbox/
Buy Revival: Recolonization on Xbox – https://www.xbox.com/en-GB/games/store/revival-recolonization/9nk41hsg0nvw