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The game was released last year on several platforms, including Steam, Nintendo Switch and mobile devices. Those points also serve as grabbig points for grab-navigation. Current idea is to use a point on a stick for interaction (rather than a raycast) so that you can build in the air. The game has an underlying algorithm that turns your block placements and configurations into auto-generated city objects, like houses, arches, stairways, bridges and gardens. There’s no real objectives or gameplay, just building quaint little towns in various colors, shapes and styles on an irregular grid. Oskar Stålberg is the sole developer on Townscaper, which he describes as an “experimental passion project” that’s “more of a toy than a game.” Since the developer admits no DLC’s on the horizon to address expected features that are MIA, this incomplete title’s one to skip, even at just $5.99.The developer behind Townscaper, a quaint city-building game, shared footage of him experimenting with VR controls, teasing a potential VR release. It doesn’t even have codes for town sharing (pc only). I have to call it what it is, an early access Steam experiment trying to pass itself off as a full-fledged Switch release. Townscaper offers little to keep players engaged and seemingly never will. Without any optional achievements or objectives, in this case, it’s worse. But it’s especially true here, for better or worse. I know that’s a cliched maxim I could say about any Switch release. But how about some silhouettes in the windows? Smoke from a chimney? Boats parked on the water? Something to indicate life! The lifelessness even extends to the music, or should I say lack thereof a sizable opportunity missed in a largely silent affair.
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I don’t expect a ton of people a la Labyrinth City. However, no matter how large your town gets, it’s lifeless. You can quickly build a small town and eventually a city.
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Here’s a title to plunk away at for a few minutes with the TV running in the background. Once I accepted the open-and-shut design of this release for what it was, I had some very brief albeit mindless entertainment.
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For instance, when paying on the touch screen, you “Long press to remove” something and “Very long press to pick color.” Not an ideal or intuitive setup. Without it, I can see early frustration setting in, especially with some of the choices.
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Until it hits mobile, you can get Townscaper on Nintendo Switch via. A bit of a shame as the audience I envision possibly gravitating toward this (children) would benefit from the inclusion. As of now, Townscaper has been confirmed for an October release date on iOS and Android. There’s a static instruction screen but no tutorial. The controls can take a while to get used to. What you see is what you get, and it’s not much.Įven simple titles can have control quirks, and Townscaper is no different. The simplicity and straightforward nature are well-made for the beginning but never really advance. Because the game decides what you’re building, and except for color and placement, your input is limited. So you’ll grow tired of Townscaper much sooner than expected, waiting for updates that will seemingly never arrive.Ī building title at its core, Townscaper is more of a ‘tap and see what happens’ release. And one the developer admits he has no plans of updating. However, it’s an experiment not seen through to completion. More of a toy than a game.” In that sense, it doesn’t fall short of its modest aims. It sums itself up better than I can, as “…an experimental passion project.
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Townscaper is a title full of potential that will sadly never get realized.
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