Planet Nomads, a sandbox science-fiction game from nascent, London-based studio Craneballs, has officially launched into Early Access following several months of closed access.
Planet Nomads sees players exploring and surviving on procedurally generated worlds in a distant future setting. The game’s rich, brightly-coloured biomes -from lush forests, to sweeping deserts- and peculiar creatures contrast a sleek, sterile futuristic building system, and a nuts-and-bolts style, dynamic, vehicle system.
After achieving just over 135% of its £70K Kickstarter goal in February of last year, Craneballs have been finessing and adding to the game in large chunks; all of which has been steered by feedback from the project’s backers.
The release to early access comes alongside patch 0.6.1, a patch which tweaks the starting survival elements of the game giving players more food & drink as they start. It also makes Multitool Batteries easier to make, and reduces stamina consumption. You can read the full patch notes here.
Here’s what’s currently in the Early Access build, direct from the Steam page:
“We are procedurally generating actual planets with multiple biomes spreading from pole to pole. The system is ready for seamless interplanetary travel. There’s water and underwater biomes.
There’s a block-based building system in place with physics with functional blocks that provide plenty of creative opportunities.
We have Survival and Creative Modes ready in the game.
The Survival Mode
- Upgradeable particle-manipulating multi-tool
- Upgradeable suit, jetpack and inventory place
- 10+ different types of alien animals to keep you busy (and endangered)
- Player characteristics to take care of: health, food, water and stamina
- Positive and negative conditions based on the characteristics above (and your behavior in the game)
- Progression through a tech-tree
- Plenty of other features and mechanics left for discovering
The Creative Mode
As the name suggests, a slightly less stressful environment for the architects and engineers who don’t want to be bothered by hunger and thirst and death while they weld magnificent things into existence.
Also suitable for happy-go-lucky explorers of the unknown worlds.“
The developers are planning on refining AI, physics, and biomes; while adding flight, interplanetary travel, a storyline, multiplayer, and more bits-and-pieces to build with. Mulitplayer is planned to feature multiple modes, although there’s not really any specifics given on what that could imply.
Planet Nomads is available now via Steam, and GOG, it’s currently listed as having a full price of £22.99, however this is set to increase as the game gets more content added in – so if it’s one that interests you then it’s definitely advisable to buy now.
