Farworld Pioneers is a game I’ve been watching for a while. Consequently, when it was announced for the Xbox Series X, I was giddy with excitement. If you then add in the incredible multiplayer action and the brilliant Terraria and Rimworld-inspired gameplay, it made me impatient beyond belief. Well, after hours of challenging gameplay and plenty of mishaps and death, I’m now ready to give you my thoughts.
Developed by Igloosoft and published by tinyBuild, this is a survival simulation experience. Moreover, this 2D pixelated adventure title is cruel, unfair, and often rage-inducing. However, it is this tough gameplay that makes it extremely rewarding and undeniably tough to put down. Yes, there are some issues regarding the control system, and the tutorial should have been better, but trial and error is your friend and this mitigates those problems.
Farworld Pioneers lets you create your own story.
Like Rimworld, you are free to create your own destiny! As such, once you crash land on the opening planet, you are free to do as you wish. Therefore, this can be extremely exhilarating, but it is also a little terrifying. With minimal guidance and a list of life-saving tasks to complete, it can be overwhelming. However, if you take your time and move slowly, you will soon get the hang of every element.
Just like in Terraria, you must move through a 2D world filled with resources, enemies, and an ever-changing weather front. Moreover, the strange planet has friendly and hostile inhabitants that can make your life easier or much harder. Furthermore, you must defend your base, kill evil creatures, and keep your colony happy. Accordingly, this is no mean feat, and you must think logically and methodically if you wish to keep on top of it all.
So much to see and do.
I was blown away by the sheer volume of content and the complexity of the core mechanics. On top of this, the ever-changing environment and the fear of attack will keep you on your toes. As such, you must create a base that protects you and keeps your people happy and safe. Whether you build above ground and reinforce your walls and doors, or you head underground and carve out a cave, they both have their pros and cons.
What you must get to grips with is the use of your settlers. These helpful individuals can do a vast number of tasks that make your life much easier. They will mine, cut trees, gather resources, farm, and attack unwanted individuals and creatures. Furthermore, they will move resources to stockpiles, complete your research, and plenty of other mindless jobs. Accordingly, you are free to create new structures, explore the world, or tackle some of the end-game bosses.
Fighting and exploration.
Farworld Pioneers is a phenomenal base-builder and people management sim. However, where it excels is the fighting, exploration, and tech aspects. You must battle wave after wave of asshat raiders! These annoying turds stop at nothing to destroy you, your people, and your base. Yet, if you develop your equipment, build some armour, and create a plan, they will be blown away.
Alongside this, you are free to explore however you wish. Furthermore, once you progress enough, you can leave the opening world behind and move to another planet. This end-game experience makes it stand out from its peers. Furthermore, it enhances both the replay value and the longevity. The same can be said for the cruel boss battles. Without giving anything away, these unfair encounters will test your patience and push you to the limits.
Multiplayer action.
I loved and hated the multiplayer action in equal measure. With up to 32 players in one lobby, it was a troll’s playground! No matter how much you tried, PvP was the go-to option. Accordingly, you’d be blown out of the water before you even got a chance to get established. However, this hardship was equally amusing. Whenever you got one up on your cruel raiding counterparts, it felt unbelievably rewarding.
Alternatively, if you find a lobby that is peaceful and willing to work towards an end goal, it can be spectacularly enjoyable. If every cog in the machine is working together, the research and development aspects fly along. Moreover, your base becomes a monstrous spectacle that is impressive and useful in equal measure.
Farworld Pioneers has some issues.
Unfortunately, this simple 2D pixelated affair doesn’t run all that well. If the gameplay is saving or there are too many assets on the screen, the frame rate drops through the floor. Additionally, the animation can stutter and you get caught in the scenery repeatedly. However, with these massive issues to one side, I liked the varied backdrops and the easy-to-identify resources. What’s more, the UI is great even though there were some minor problems here as well.
The audio fared much better. The dramatic soundtrack works perfectly with the unfolding action. During dangerous encounters, the hard-hitting music creates energy while keeping you on your toes. Alternatively, slower moments are matched with a sombre and relaxing selection of songs. The music is complemented by the basic but workable sound effects. Whether it was the shot of your gun, the clunk of your sword, or the thud of an axe, it worked extremely well.
Controls are not this game’s forte.
The controls are not good at all. Disappointingly, it feels clunky and cumbersome no matter what you try. What’s more, there are issues with the building menus and selecting your settlers is not that easy. Consequently, it is unnecessarily frustrating and during difficult moments, you will die repeatedly as the controls are not good enough.
If you can put up with the poor control setup, you’ll experience a game full of longevity and replay value. Thanks to the incredible multiplayer mode and the exceptional end-game options, you will keep returning for more. Even though the controls will make you scream, it is remarkably addictive, and I struggled to put it down.
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Farworld Pioneers could be exceptional.
Despite its shortcomings, I loved my time with Farworld Pioneers. Whether you played using the peaceful mode or you accepted the hardcore challenge, it was fascinating. Yes, it has its shortcomings, but I think that these will be patched out in the near future. Available as part of the Game Pass subscription, this is a title that you shouldn’t miss. However, if you don’t subscribe, it is great value for money as it’ll keep you playing for hours. Accordingly, I loved it and I recommend that you buy it here! Can you escape the planet and start again? Work as a team, kill your opponents and thrive where others fail.
