Preserve

It's not bad, per se, but might just be a bit ~too~ simple and relaxing for my taste. When I read the store-page hyping up 'multi-layered habitats and ecosystems', I expected a bit more than each tile being able to hold exactly one habitat, with each habitat being a perfectly closed off creature container from other habitats. The graphics and soundscape are pleasing, but the mechanics are uninovative and simplistic. So I'll pass on this one.

Controls in a controller mode are absolutely unusable and I can't use a mouse + KB mode on a Steam Deck. Moreover a detection of a selected cell under a cursor is completely broken.

PROS - Relaxing and satisfying puzzle gameplay. - Beautiful low-poly art style. - Peaceful atmosphere with a soothing soundtrack. - Encourages creativity and strategic planning. - Great game for short, stress-free sessions. CONS - Gameplay can become repetitive over longer play sessions. - Limited mechanical variety as the game progresses. VERDICT Preserve is exactly the kind of game I like to play when I want to slow down and relax. There's something incredibly satisfying about watching a small collection of tiles gradually turn into a beautiful, thriving ecosystem. While it doesn't have enough variety to keep me playing for hours on end, I don't think that's what it's trying to be. It's a cozy, thoughtfully designed puzzle game that I found myself coming back to whenever I wanted a peaceful break. 4/5

Preserve starts out simple and calming, but becomes surprisingly deep once you try to master the levels to reach the golden achievements. I really like that it can be peaceful without becoming boring, and challenging without feeling overwhelming. The nature restoration theme is lovely, visuals are beautiful, the different biomes feel distinct, and the music fits the atmosphere so well. A charming and satisfying puzzle game that I definitely recommend.

Wow, I really love this! A fresh take on Dorfromantik-style gameplay with more puzzle elements and in-depth functions. I like that the elements work differently in each biome--it keeps gameplay feeling fresh. The puzzle aspects are challenging without being TOO difficult (you might not unlock all wonders on your first go around, but it's not impossible to get there). Graphics are beautiful and it runs very smoothly. Spent 6.5 hours playing this on my first session lol. I do always wish that creative mode for this kind of game came with a "random tile dispersion" mode. I don't want to run out of space to put tiles, but I also don't want to make ALL the decisions.

This is a good game when it works but unfortunately I would not recommend it to other players at this time since it has crashed my PC twice now (leading to Windows rebooting itself) and each time this happens you lose some progress.

So this game is *REALLY frustrating. Take the "weekly challenge" there is a time limit. There are sea vents - the river doesn't work like normal and there is NO prompt to tell you how or why. The card says what it says but it is NOT helpful. It could be really good but the experience of being new, doing the tutorial, doing a few levels and then trying the daily challenge to get no instruction is beyond frustrating. It'll be a while before I play again and I won't recommend easily - it's just not fun to pick up, it could be but the lack of this won't work there why is just off-putting. I game to relax not guess at what I'm supposed to be doing.

I can already tell this is a game I'll be adding to my regular rotation. It has the perfect blend of thoughtful puzzle-builder and cozy chill game. There are several different modes, so you can hop in for a quick playthrough, or spend some time unlocking levels or trying to get community challenge high scores! Its got cute graphics, lovely music, and I appreciate the theme. If the trailer looks fun, definitely go for it!

I'm very excited about this game. A simple, relaxing game, but one that requires some thought and strategic positioning. A truly great game, and an even better DLC.