Terra Nil
Developer(s)Free Lives
Publisher(s)Devolver Digital
EngineUnity
Platform(s)
Release
  • Android, iOS, Windows
  • March 28, 2023
  • Linux, macOS
  • October 5, 2023
  • Nintendo Switch
  • December 18, 2023
Genre(s)City-building
Mode(s)Single-player

Terra Nil is a strategy video game developed by Free Lives and published by Devolver Digital. The game was released for Windows, iOS and Android on March 28, 2023; the mobile port was released as part of the Netflix subscription service.[1][2] Ports for macOS, Linux, and the Nintendo Switch were released later in 2023.

While the gameplay focuses on placing buildings, as is common in city-building games, Terra Nil is the reverse – focusing instead on ecosystem reconstruction.[3] Rather than promoting the consumption of resources to expand, the game is inspired by the rewilding movement and the climate crisis, and seeks to restore nature rather than exploit it.[2][4][5]

Gameplay

Players are tasked with turning a barren wasteland into an ecological paradise with a variety of flora and fauna.[6]

This is achieved by placing a number of buildings on the landscape which allow you to terraform. Wind turbines provide power, but can only be placed on stone tiles. These are used to power toxin scrubbers, which prepare the soil for irrigation. Water pumps are used to refill dried river beds, while additional tools allow the player to create new rivers and new stone tiles anywhere on the map.[7][8][9]

For each tile which is converted from wasteland into lush ecosystem, the player is rewarded with points, which can be spent on further buildings and upgrades.

In the second stage of the game, players can upgrade existing buildings to create biomes such as wetlands, wildflower meadows and dense forests.[10] Restoring these biomes will cause herds of deer, flocks of birds, schools of fish and lone wandering bears to populate the map.[11]

The unique selling point of the game comes in the third phase, where – once a sufficient amount of the ecosystem and weather has been restored – the player is tasked with recycling the buildings they have placed in order to create an airship on which they will leave the map. Doing so, they will leave no trace of their presence; just a rewilded paradise.[12][13]

Development

Terra Nil was developed by a three-person team (Sam Alfred, Jonathan Hau-Yoon, and Jarred Lunt) at the South African studio Free Lives using the Unity game engine.[1] It was announced on June 7, 2021. The game was originally developed by Sam Alfred, Jonathan Hau-Yoon, and Jarred Lunt for Ludum Dare 45 in October 2019[14] and released on Itch.io.[15] However, in October 2020, the developers formed a partnership with Free Lives to produce a more in-depth version with more levels and upgraded graphics.[16][17]

A free demo was made available to download on 16 June 2021 as part of the Steam Next Fest.[18] The game was released for Windows, Android, and iOS on March 28, 2023.[19] The mobile versions are part of the Netflix subscription service.[20] The PC release was updated to support Linux and macOS on October 5, 2023.[21] A Nintendo Switch version is due for December 18, 2023.[19]

Reception

Terra Nil received positive reviews on Metacritic.[22][23] PC Gamer said that the game is "a consistently relaxing, satisfying experience" that does not aim to supplant established, complex games like Civilization or Anno.[25] Hardcore Gamer praised its "simple yet incredibly fun gameplay, striking and gorgeous visuals, and a nice level of challenge".[24] Rock Paper Shotgun found the reverse city-builder puzzle elements to be "an unavoidable punishment",[27] though Hardcore Gamer singled them out as the game's "most clever and unique hook".[24] Criticizing the game's focus on "chasing numbers", Rock Paper Shotgun's reviewer felt that the game's later stages ruin its relaxing mood.[27] In contrast, The Guardian found the gameplay to be "more forgiving than expected" and praised how the game's elements come together to make it relaxing. They also felt the game's simplicity and easiness reinforced its message that cleaning up the environment could be made simple.[26]

References

  1. 1 2 "Terra Nil Press Kit". Free Lives. Archived from the original on May 24, 2023. Retrieved January 11, 2023.
  2. 1 2 Ryan, Jackson (June 18, 2021). "Terra Nil reengineers the city-building game for a planet in crisis". CNET. Archived from the original on January 6, 2022. Retrieved August 18, 2021.
  3. ↑ Newhouse, Alex (June 8, 2021). "Reverse City Builder Terra Nil Tasks You With Re-Wilding The Environment". GameSpot. Archived from the original on May 1, 2023. Retrieved June 23, 2021.
  4. ↑ Hill, Mark (January 6, 2022). "Indie city-building games finally reckon with climate change". Wired. Archived from the original on April 3, 2023. Retrieved January 21, 2022.
  5. ↑ Switzer, Eric (January 12, 2022). "The Terra Nil demo makes me feel hopeful in a hopeless world". TheGamer. Archived from the original on May 4, 2023. Retrieved January 21, 2022.
  6. ↑ Gerblick, Jordan (June 7, 2021). "Terra Nil subverts the city-builder genre with an eco-friendly demo next week". GamesRadar+. Archived from the original on May 1, 2023. Retrieved June 23, 2021.
  7. ↑ Purchese, Robert (June 16, 2021). "Steam Next Fest: BroForce dev's world-regrower Terra Nil is blooming marvellous". Eurogamer. Archived from the original on January 6, 2022. Retrieved June 23, 2021.
  8. ↑ Zwiezen, Zack (June 19, 2021). "Terra Nil Isn't A City-Builder, It's A Nature-Builder And It's Great". Kotaku. Archived from the original on April 3, 2023. Retrieved June 23, 2021.
  9. ↑ Devore, Jordan (June 9, 2021). "Terra Nil is a tranquil 'reverse city-builder' from Free Lives and Devolver Digital". Destructoid. Archived from the original on April 3, 2023. Retrieved June 23, 2021.
  10. ↑ Livingston, Christopher (June 16, 2021). "Transforming a barren wasteland into a leafy green paradise feels damn good in Terra Nil". PC Gamer. Archived from the original on April 3, 2023. Retrieved June 23, 2021.
  11. ↑ Kratky, Otto (June 16, 2021). "Terra Nil preview impressions: Less concrete and more topiary in this reverse city-builder". Digital Trends. Archived from the original on April 3, 2023. Retrieved June 23, 2021.
  12. ↑ "Terra Nil: A Game For Easing Climate Anxiety". IrishEVs. June 23, 2021. Archived from the original on April 3, 2023. Retrieved June 23, 2021.
  13. ↑ Madsen, Hayes (June 16, 2021). "Terra Nil Preview: Turning the World Green". Screen Rant. Archived from the original on April 3, 2023. Retrieved June 23, 2021.
  14. ↑ "Terra Nil - Reclaim the Wasteland". Ludum Dare. Archived from the original on April 3, 2023. Retrieved June 21, 2022.
  15. ↑ "Terra Nil Prototype by vfqd, TheJunt, elyaradine". itch.io. Archived from the original on April 13, 2023. Retrieved June 21, 2022.
  16. ↑ Hall, Charlie (June 7, 2021). "Terra Nil is a beautiful 'reverse city-builder' from the developer behind Broforce". Polygon. Archived from the original on March 31, 2023. Retrieved June 23, 2021.
  17. ↑ Shaw, Luke (June 8, 2021). "Reverse city builder 'Terra Nil' gets a remake thanks to Devolver Digital". NME. Archived from the original on April 3, 2023. Retrieved June 23, 2021.
  18. ↑ Williams, Leah J. (June 18, 2021). "Let's Check Out Unpacking, Terra Nil And Other Steam Next Fest Demos". Kotaku. Archived from the original on April 14, 2023. Retrieved June 23, 2021.
  19. 1 2 Romano, Sal (December 11, 2023). "Terra Nil coming to Switch on December 18". Gematsu. Archived from the original on December 12, 2023. Retrieved December 12, 2023.
  20. ↑ Peppiatt, Dom (March 29, 2023). "Anyone with a Netflix account can play one of the most visionary games of the year – for free". VG247. Archived from the original on July 26, 2023. Retrieved July 26, 2023.
  21. ↑ "Better Performance and macOS/Linux". Steam Store. October 5, 2023. Archived from the original on November 22, 2023. Retrieved November 22, 2023.
  22. 1 2 "Terra Nil for PC Reviews". Metacritic. Retrieved May 15, 2023.
  23. 1 2 "Terra Nil for iPhone/iPad Reviews". Metacritic. Retrieved April 5, 2023.
  24. 1 2 3 LeClair, Kyle (March 28, 2023). "Review: Terra Nil". Hardcore Gamer. Archived from the original on May 29, 2023. Retrieved April 3, 2023.
  25. 1 2 Tarason, Dominic (March 27, 2023). "Terra Nil review". PC Gamer. Archived from the original on May 31, 2023. Retrieved April 3, 2023.
  26. 1 2 Hetfeld, Malindy (March 27, 2023). "Terra Nil review – restore nature, and with it your hope for the future". The Guardian. Archived from the original on June 20, 2023. Retrieved April 3, 2023.
  27. 1 2 Hefford, Hayden (March 27, 2023). "Terra Nil review: a pretty reverse citybuilder that struggles to find its identity". Rock Paper Shotgun. Archived from the original on April 6, 2023. Retrieved April 3, 2023.
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