One Lonely Outpost

Farming simulators have long been a popular genre in the gaming world and with hits like Harvest Moon and Stardew Valley millions of gamers have found relaxation in tending a virtual farm. The latest title to seek success among the digital farmlands goes by the name of One Lonely Outpost, but instead of classic environments of greenery and harmony, we instead try to build a society on an alien planet.

The premise is fairly simple. You start by creating your own character and then you are tasked with colonising a distant planet and building a society far away from Earth. So once your spaceship has landed, it's all about mining minerals, blowing away sand and growing crops while slowly learning more about the celestial body that has become your new home. There is nothing advanced or innovative in either the storytelling or the gameplay, and everything that happens in One Lonely Outpost we have seen in similar adventures before.

Although the recipe is familiar, that doesn't mean the flavours aren't enjoyable. Because this little indie title offers a lot of charm and serenity with its laid-back playability and focus on mood and atmosphere. The handsome pixel art does a good job of conveying the bleak setting, and over time you get to see the brownish-grey planet slowly become more green and vibrant as you cultivate the land and expand your farm.

It should be said, however, that the controls can be a bit unnecessarily complicated at times (especially on console), and it sometimes takes far too many button presses to do simple tasks. For example, breaking down minerals (something you need to do quite frequently) should of course only require a tiny button press, but instead you first have to switch on the right tool and then press another button that slowly crushes the stone in question. It may sound like a small thing, but in a game with lots of small tasks to be done on a daily basis, the clunky controls ruin the flow.

The pace in general could also have been turned up considerably as it feels like it takes many hours of play to see satisfactory progress. Stardew Valley, for example, has a lot of content, but it never felt boring along the way, something that unfortunately cannot be said to be true of One Lonely Outpost all the time. Because sometimes it feels like you're just waiting for something new to happen, and after you've unlocked some automatic solutions for your farm, the days on the desolate planet end up being a bit tedious and drawn out.

That said, there's still a lot of fun to be had for those who enjoy this type of genre. It's clear that the developers have put time and passion into creating a cosy adventure that doesn't hold your hand too much, and that puts a lot of emphasis on providing a tranquil environment to relax in. In other words, there is potential, and if you like games like Harvest Moon, Animal Crossing, Stardew Valley and Graveyard Keeper, it might be worth checking out One Lonely Outpost.