The Wandering Village is a city-builder in which we are responsible for the Nyomans. This people of explorers decided to build their community on a gigantic mastodon in motion, the Onbu. They thus hope to escape the mysterious plants which release toxic spores during their growth and poison entire regions. In this devastated world, the mission is therefore twofold: to take care of its people but also of the majestic animal which transports us on its back.
It will initially provide for the needs of our villagers, collecting berries, wood and rocks. Thanks to its resources, they can feed themselves, build tents for shelter and water collectors for drinking. These three elements are the basis of survival. Many other structures can then be installed.
The research center is the structure where to unlock these other buildings, develop other types of plantations and, above all, learn orders for the Onbu. Because yes, to take care of our host, you have to be able to send him instructions, which is done through the horn. It responds to a few simple instructions: take a direction, rest or eat, for example. Its long legs take us around the world, on a journey that takes us through a wide variety of biomes. Whether desert or mountainous, all have an impact on our crops, or the health of our host and our villagers. Biomes are defined by characteristics such as temperature, humidity, and toxicity. Managing to survive in this wilderness, in the face of unforgiving weather, blood-sucking parasites, poisonous spores, all while taking advantage of very limited resources, is far from easy...
Improvements to our culture are obtained through knowledge points. These are earned through the Explorer Hut. From this rallying point, the Nyomans become explorers, who go in search of the mysteries of the map, represented in the form of points of interest. As a result, wood, water, stone, nomads or, above all, these precious points of knowledge. When returning from our expedition, we often have to make choices, which may materialize as a bonus or penalty. Be careful not to choose just anything!
Nothing is lost, everything is recycled. This is the eternal cycle of life! A building makes it possible to recover the excrement of our Onbu, in order to make compost or gas. Compost is used to improve the yield of our crops. The gas to burn weeds that grow when passing through clouds or poisonous forests.
There are three views to facilitate interactions: a very large view, at map level, where to send our scouts to the chosen points. It is also this mode of view that is used at an intersection, to give the order to our Onbu to go in such and such a direction. The overview of our Onbu is where to give it orders, feed it, or heal it. Finally, there is of course the classic view of all management games, with a slightly elevated camera, which gives an excellent view of our people in their daily activities.
The world is revealed through graphics that give the impression of having been made by hand. Like a painting. With textures that alternate between very vivid hues in the village, and others almost washed out for the outside world, all giving a very natural impression. The characters stand out, they who are represented in a very simplified form in 2D.
In order not to get bored, it is possible to play on the speed of the game, thus going from pause, to 1x (normal speed), or 2x or 4x the normal speed.
The game comes out in early access on September 14, but it's already relatively well done and I haven't encountered any bugs in a good five hours of play. A refreshing journey into the world of the city builder, hybridized with a light component of the game. raising creatures. Initially funded through a Kickstarter campaign in 2020, the project is led by Stray Fawn Studio, an experienced team, which has the excellent Nimbatus and Niche in its portfolio. The campaign had reached its goal of €30 in less than 000 hours, for total funding of €24 (raised by 155 contributors). There is therefore not too much to worry about the future of the project, which already has an established community, which will not hesitate to give constructive feedback to put our brave Onbu on the right track.
