Aven Colony

Whatever else I have to say about this game, I keep coming back to it over the years. That alone is worth a lot to me and I think others should check it out, as well.
Aven Colony is, at its core, a city builder. For any newcomers looking to pick this up, I feel it vital to say that, since all too often trailers and teasers can show you "neat stuff" that may or may not pertain to what you'll actually be doing. If what you want is a game where you build a city, on an alien planet, Aven Colony may well scratch that itch.
I don't believe in "11/10 great game, would bang" as a review strategy, so I'll try to describe some positives and negatives for me that you may wish to keep in mind if you are thinking about picking this game up.
The game has a story mode "campaign" that is a string of missions. These aren't bad, per se, I even kind of like them, though sometimes individual objectives it gives in the missions can fall under the "trivial" category, i.e. "build 3 more structures" in which I find myself ticked off that it even deigned to give me that as an objective. C'mon...
Likewise is the "mundane" category, in which it just has you do the basics as if you aren't in the last mission of the story and were instead in a tutorial. After a certain point I am well aware that farms are important for my budding city. Maybe...don't assign me to build one like I'm new?
Also, something that I find odd in a game that's been out this long is the lack of real "endgame" stuff. What I mean is something that is expensive and/or time consuming to set up, but trivializes simple tasks. Case in point, there are three "megastructures" in game that are quite pricey in building materials. Two of these are just entertainment venues while the third has practical effects, being the most effective means of transferring colonists to the surface of the planet while also providing a butt load of storage (something that fills up very fast).
But, where's the building that trivializes my power needs, my water production, my air filtration? Even at the end of a session my sprawling city relies on the same structures it did at the start. This isn't bad, but it is annoying.
Really, these are just a few gripes that I have. If I wanted to, I could go into every single feature and find something I wish was done differently to some extent, but suffice to say Aven Colony isn't perfect and I do have my quibbles with it. So why the blue thumb?
Well, like I said above, as the years have gone by I find myself consistently playing it again and again. For the most part, while there are things that annoy me, not a one is a game breaker and, after a couple of missions to understand what does what I found myself easily understanding what I needed to do to get things done when I first played Aven and those same senses come back almost as soon as I boot up the game, regardless of how long it's been since I last played.
Yet, the fun bit for me, the part that scratches that strategist itch, it's that problem solving is the right amount of "organic". It's not explicitly scripted, so I know what I want, but need to figure out how to get there. Sure, I want to expand to this green area so my food production is stable, but do I want to expand in this other direction and get this supply pod, first? Or maybe do I want to build lightning towers, since winter and it's storms are right around the corner? Options like this, agency for me, the player...that means a lot in my book.
To sum things up, the game is not flawless by any means, but nothing was a stone cold deal breaker for me. A neat story mode, plus bonus missions and sandbox provide good variety and the gameplay is simple, but not dull. I understood that I had to provide for my people, but with limited building material, what problem do I tackle first?
Player choice like that is hard to come by these days, regardless of the genre, and Aven Colony is a satisfying city builder that never strains my brain, but never bores me, either. If you at all think this might be up your alley, I say give it a shot.

As a city-building enthusiast, "Aven Colony" immediately piqued my interest with its sci-fi spin on the genre. Here's my take on this space colonization adventure, detailing both its strengths and weaknesses.
Pros:
Sci-Fi Aesthetics: "Aven Colony" boasts stunning sci-fi visuals that immerse you in an otherworldly experience. The futuristic landscapes and alien flora are a visual treat, making every moment spent in the colony a visual delight.
Unique Setting: Unlike traditional city builders, "Aven Colony" takes place on an alien planet, giving you the exciting challenge of dealing with extraterrestrial elements. This unique setting adds a refreshing twist to the gameplay.
Varied Environments: The game features diverse environments, from arid deserts to frozen tundras, each with its set of challenges. This variety keeps the gameplay engaging and ensures no two colonies are the same.
Depth of Management: "Aven Colony" provides a deep management experience. You'll need to consider factors like air quality, temperature, and alien threats, adding complexity and strategic depth.
Scenarios and Objectives: The game offers a range of scenarios and objectives, giving you a sense of purpose and progression. It's not just about building a city; it's about thriving under unique circumstances.
Cons:
Steep Learning Curve: For newcomers to the city-building genre, "Aven Colony" can be overwhelming. It introduces numerous complex mechanics and challenges without always providing clear guidance.
Limited Replayability: Once you've completed the various scenarios, replayability can be limited. The absence of a sandbox mode may leave you wanting more creative freedom.
Performance Issues: On some systems, "Aven Colony" may face performance issues, including occasional lag or crashes. This can be frustrating, especially when you're deeply invested in your colony.
In conclusion, "Aven Colony" successfully blends traditional city-building mechanics with a captivating sci-fi setting. Its striking visuals and unique challenges offer a refreshing take on the genre. However, the steep learning curve and limited replayability may deter some players. With more guidance for newcomers and additional content, "Aven Colony" has the potential to be a stellar choice for fans of city-building and sci-fi genres.
Como entusiasta de la construcción de ciudades, "Aven Colony" despertó inmediatamente mi interés con su enfoque de ciencia ficción en el género. Aquí tienes mi opinión sobre esta aventura de colonización espacial, detallando tanto sus fortalezas como sus debilidades.
Pros:
Estética de Ciencia Ficción: "Aven Colony" presume de impresionantes visuales de ciencia ficción que te sumergen en una experiencia fuera de este mundo. Los paisajes futuristas y la flora alienígena son un deleite visual, haciendo que cada momento en la colonia sea un placer para la vista.
Ambiente Único: A diferencia de los constructores de ciudades tradicionales, "Aven Colony" tiene lugar en un planeta alienígena, lo que te plantea el emocionante desafío de lidiar con elementos extraterrestres. Este entorno único añade un giro refrescante a la jugabilidad.
Entornos Variados: El juego presenta diversos entornos, desde desiertos áridos hasta tundras congeladas, cada uno con su conjunto de desafíos. Esta variedad mantiene la jugabilidad atractiva y garantiza que no haya dos colonias iguales.
Profundidad de la Gestión: "Aven Colony" proporciona una experiencia de gestión profunda. Deberás considerar factores como la calidad del aire, la temperatura y las amenazas alienígenas, lo que agrega complejidad y profundidad estratégica.
Escenarios y Objetivos: El juego ofrece una variedad de escenarios y objetivos, lo que te brinda un sentido de propósito y progresión. No se trata solo de construir una ciudad; se trata de prosperar en circunstancias únicas.
Contras:
Curva de Aprendizaje Pronunciada: Para los recién llegados al género de construcción de ciudades, "Aven Colony" puede resultar abrumador. Introduce numerosas mecánicas y desafíos complejos sin proporcionar siempre una guía clara.
Rejugabilidad Limitada: Una vez que has completado los diversos escenarios, la rejugabilidad puede ser limitada. La ausencia de un modo sandbox puede dejarte deseando más libertad creativa.
Problemas de Rendimiento: En algunos sistemas, "Aven Colony" puede enfrentar problemas de rendimiento, como retrasos ocasionales o bloqueos. Esto puede resultar frustrante, especialmente cuando estás profundamente involucrado en tu colonia.
En conclusión, "Aven Colony" combina con éxito las mecánicas de construcción de ciudades tradicionales con un cautivador entorno de ciencia ficción. Sus impresionantes visuales y desafíos únicos ofrecen un enfoque refrescante en el género. Sin embargo, la pronunciada curva de aprendizaje y la rejugabilidad limitada pueden disuadir a algunos jugadores. Con más orientación para los recién llegados y contenido adicional, "Aven Colony" tiene el potencial de ser una elección sobresaliente para los fanáticos de los géneros de construcción de ciudades y ciencia ficción.

It is OK. I would give it a 70 to 75
it is a little long in the tooth
But considering its age, I think it is a challenging, mission driven game that is pretty balanced.
Compared to something like Planetbase, this game is a bit more clicky, in that you have to stay on top of a lot of things. Almost micromanagement, mostly because there is no auto repair on the buildings. But getting production, lifestyle, research, and survival balance it tricky and it changes over time and based on the environment.
Some regions are mineral poor so you have to go agrarian and trade for metals, other places are arctic, so you trade metals and energy for food...
Very good management game, not great, but very good.

If the Game Crashes, add a Environment Variable to fix the Problem (hopefully)It can fix the problem on some Intel CPUs of 11th and 12th Generation, Maybe aboveVariable name: OPENSSL_ia32capVariable value: ~0x200000200000000

TL;DR: If you like colony-builders, then I expect you'd like this.
It's a city-builder. More correctly, it's a colony-builder. The game takes place on an alien world. You're not going to be building a metropolis like you would in, say, Sim City. I don't recall ever developing for more than about 1,500 people during the campaign, and it was often much less than that. This was all during the campaign, and I have not played maps outside of the campaign yet; I suppose you could potentially develop for maybe 5-6k people but this is pure speculation on my part.
My only real complaint is the length of the campaign. I felt there could have been at least a few more levels. There are maps that you can play that are not part of the campaign.
The campaign itself was fun, albeit rather difficult at times. It seemed like after the first level or two, the game basically tested your ability to develop a colony while being unable to work with certain aspects. For example, one of the maps has it so you can't produce earth crops, only the alien crops, which makes food production much more difficult. It should be noted that alien crops can be used in food production to an extent, but unlike earth crops this requires extra infrastructure.
There are several difficulty settings. I completed the campaign on Normal. One of the achievements, of which I've earned them all, calls for completing one of the campaign levels on the highest difficulty. It was difficult, but I don't think it was unreasonably difficult.
There's no actual military aspect to speak of. However, you can build cannons to protect your structures and people from various hazards.
Each campaign level calls for a certain number of objectives to be completed. It is possible to complete these out of order and get credit for them. I found it's not always a good idea to do the current displayed objective, but your mileage may vary.
An in-game tutorial is available and I recommend developing an understanding of what it has to offer before commencing with the campaign.

Great City builder game, different difficulties, Campaign and sandbox mode, achievements aren't too difficult to get. A fair amount of juggling between resources and QOF of your colony. All around fun game.

I bought this on sale seven years after its initial release, so I am satisfied with my purchase. It lacks depth, and I'm not sure how replayable it will be (I have only played the campaigns), but it is a fun twist to city and colony builders. And I like the science-fiction element it brings to the genre. It doesn't rank amongst my favourites, but it is a nice addition to my city, colony, empire, etc. building game collection. I'd say it's a 6–7/10 for me.