Minicology, a space survival and exploration sim about tiny planets from developer Isaac Denner and publisher Iceberg Interactive, will officially launch on April 25th, 2024.
In Minicology, players must craft and build bases to survive a universe of procedurally generated tiny planets. Players can also automate farming, mining, and even turrets to defend against invaders. Each planet has unique events, and player actions can drastically alter their surroundings.
Minicology will be available on PC via Steam, where you can wishlist and try a playable demo now, though I haven’t had the chance to play yet. The game’s official Twitter feed also released a gameplay trailer alongside today’s release date announcement:
This cosmic announcement feels like an appropriate follow-up to yesterday’s eclipse. Minicology will undoubtedly draw comparisons to many other titles in the genre, Terraria in particular.
It has similarly cute pixel art, especially with the mini-verse theme. But the sheer volume of content is staggering. Minicology’s Steam page reveals there are over 900 items to craft. It adds that the universe is “endless”, and even your objectives are procedurally generated.
The focus on planetary environments should also help Minicology stand out. The day/night cycle, rotation of weather and events, and consequences for player actions present an impressive scope.
It’s a shame that this game is only single-player. Similar space exploration titles like No Man’s Sky often benefit from a co-op experience. Maybe Minicology hopes to emphasize survival.
Automation is a smart feature for this genre. It will encourage players to spend more time adventuring than farming resources. With so many planets to discover in Minicology, it’d be disappointing to spend more time grinding through rough events.
The various enemies, and bosses in particular, look very inspired. In general, Minicology seems deeply thematic, both in its visuals and gameplay. The mechanics promise to smartly weave science and fiction together.
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