The Planet Crafter

Surprising at every turn. That's the best way to describe it, really. I got into this game without knowing much about it, it was just there - languishing in the early access section of my wishlist, and when it hit 1.0, a friend of mine suggested playing it together. So play it we did.
To keep it spoiler-free: it starts out feeling like Subnautica, except on dry land. But then - it unfolds. Yes, it's that kind of game, and I'm pleased to tell you it unfolds really nicely - and keeps things balanced and fun until the end. I've played on the Intense difficulty with a friend, for reference - it makes survival needs drop faster and the terraforming grind somewhat longer, but I still felt it was pleasant.
Step 1: Survive
When it comes to survival, this is a pretty standard fare. Oxygen, thirst, and health/hunger; there is no combat in the game, so it's fitting - but you can take damage from other sources such as falling. Carry emergency rations in case of a fall! How else are you going to mend that broken leg?
What is interesting is that the way you take care of these needs keep changing. Once your initial rations are out, what are you going to do, hunt for rocks? Fish? In what water? Grow stuff? In sand? With what technology? Oh, your benevolent corporate overlords will probably provide for you... if you live long enough to make yourself useful, at the very least.
As for water... you melt the naturally ocurring ice, of course. But what if the ice runs out, for one reason of another? Other sources of the precious liquid will have to be found. What will they be? I don't know about you, but I found such questions very exciting. And whenever you discover a new way to deal with the limitations of your flesh, it's always such a joyful moment.
Step 2: Build
Since this planet is just a barren rock, you'll need shelter to even breathe. I had lots of fun building a cool and useful base, but let's be honest, the main things you'll be building are the devices to terraform the planet. Heaters. Drills to generate pressure. Some special tubes, where hardy plants can grow to provide some oxygen. And more, later on; just keep in mind - the process of getting what you want is slow and gradual.
It's actually a little bit like an idle game. Build stuff to generate stuff, and then more stuff happens. Build more stuff. But make no mistake - if you won't take an active role in constantly expanding your facilities, you won't get anywhere. You're to terraform an entire planet; so better get to work.
That said, there will be moments where your production is satisfactory and you need some rare materials anyway. And that's where the other fun part of the game comes in.
Step 3: Explore
I can't write too much here because this part is the easiest one to spoil... so let's just say that the map is large. There's a lot to see. And you will need to explore to find the resources to expand your facilities, considering that better buildings require more rare materials.
There are different "biomes" (no biosphere here, so calling them that feels weird), and they all have their unique feel, and some contain resources not found elsewhere. And, perhaps, ways to build more advanced gear and/or buildings can be found, too.
Step 4: ...Story?
Yes, the game has a plot, of sorts. You're here for a reason. And this barren rock has been chosen for terraforming for a reason as well. And you didn't choose to be here; you're a convict, and this is a way for you to carry out your sentence. Put the two and two together.
While the writing is pretty shoddy, it still managed to make me care - although I felt like some parts didn't make sense, or didn't have a good story progression. Still, you don't exactly play this kind of game for the story, so I'm not going to complain too much.
Conclusion
Roughly 57 hours to complete on Intense with a friend. The final few hours were a bit of a drag, but that's because we were a little tired and didn't want to expand our production one final time. Once we did, things got moving and we got to the ending. We'll likely play the DLC as well - we did like the game, after all.
If you do decide to play this, for the love of f*ck, don't look up anything on the wiki. The game tells you everything you need to know. The wiki is full of stuff I personally would consider spoilers, so for the best experience just stay away. With that out of the way, I just have one last thing to say:
IKHLAS LIVES
Curator page

If you're looking for a tech-savvy, realistic terraforming Mars type of experience, look elsewhere.
On the other hand, if you're looking for a game that is absorbing, but that you can just pause for a while to just look around in, then this is it.
In short, it's just beautiful. In fact it's the most beautiful game I've ever played. The designs for the plants, the animals, and the forests and plains that grow from them are wonderful.
Relaxing? Yes. Busy? Yes. Do you feel like you've really achieved something as you progress? Oh, hell, yes. You've grown a world that is so lovely you'll wish that you could leave this one behind and live there.
And I've only spent 132 hours playing it ...

An excellent, slow-paced survival-crafter game.
Pros:
* Lots and lots of secrets to discover.
* Great tech tree to unlock.
* A surprising number of biomes.
* Freaking beautiful, and great (low-annoyance) soundtracks.
Cons:
* Some of the late-game mechanics aren't explained very well. (genetics, mostly, tho that may've been because I unlocked mammals way later than I should've)
* One biome (rainbow caves) is key to mid-to-late game progress - if you haven't found it yet, you're almost crippled by a lack of quartz varieties. A hint towards it would have been nice.
Meh:
* Most of the late-game "special" foods' perks were... useless, to me? I certainly never bothered, anyhow.
TL;DR: If you like exploring/crafting games, 9/10; else, avoid.

I really didn’t know what I was getting into when I bought this. I just wanted a casual game for the steamdeck, saw this title, bought it and figured it would be one of those games I would probably only play once. I could never get into Minecraft or Valheim; not for a lack of trying. Thought this might be similar.
Hours and days later, I realize this is nothing like those games. There is something strangely tranquil about this game. I get lost in time and have a hard time putting it down.
It seems boring at first; maybe a bit pointless. You pick up rocks and run for oxygen every few minutes. It’s tedious. You wonder why you’re doing this. What’s the point?
Then you suddenly notice the sky is blue. Lakes are forming. Grass is growing. You didn’t notice this until you turned around. You go into a wreckage and come out. Where did those trees come from? How long have they been there?
Everything about this game is subtle. It’s so subtle that it sneaks up on you. You think you’re alone. Then you discover there is someone out there trying to help you. It’s lovely, and it’s a little sad. You realize that maybe you didn’t want to be here, but you’ll do your best to make it liveable.
The game gently nudges you in ways that feel natural. Maybe it’s the music. It’s also subtle. It’s nice, and it’s relaxing.
This game doesn’t seem like much on the surface. The graphics don’t seem all that great at first, but then it turns into something beautiful, and you appreciate it for all its hard work.
Do yourself a favour. Don’t look anything up. Don’t watch videos of this game, and don’t google anything. I didn’t, and I’m glad I didn’t.
Be patient and explore it the way it was meant to be explored.
There are so many small touches in this game. It will guide you where you need to go if you’re paying attention.
I love this game. I have no idea what I’m doing. Am I doing too much? Am I doing too little? All I know is the world around me is changing, and I was able to survive another day to witness this beautiful evolution that I have awakened.
I can only hope that I don’t mess this up. I’ve come too far to turn away now. If I fail, I will fall.
Great game. Love it. There are so many things I didn’t expect.
I would recommend this to anyone.

8/10 Would recommend
Pros:
-Very relaxed game, reminiscent of Subnatica.
-Works great on Steamdeck. No issues whatsoever.
-Okay replay value; the story endings are different but the game itself doesn't change at all.
-No real enemies. The only enemy is your lack of foresight or decision to play roulette with your oxygen levels.
-The gameplay is remarkably simple, and keeps building on itself in an easy to understand system.
- I made a bed in giant room and stood at the window overlooking my newly forming lake and realized this is the closest I'll ever be to owning lakefront property.
-There's an entire subplot you can easily miss if you aren't paying attention, and I enjoy the environmental storytelling it showcases.
Cons:
-Really, the biggest issue I have is that if you join a co-op game with someone who's farther in than you are, it will trigger all achievements to unlock for what the other person has accomplished in their run. Not an issue in the grand scheme of things, but it was mildly annoying when it happened.
-You have to do a ton of micromanaging to get everything accomplished.
-It gets rather repetitive at times while you're trying to figure out what to do next.
-Graphics are a little wonky at times, especially towards the end, but it's not a huge detraction.
In Summary:
Every dollar you spend on a game should be at least 1 hour of entertainment. This game is definitely worth the purchase to play through, especially if you can grab it on sale. Don't expect anything life-changing, but it's overall a decent game to play if you need something to dull your brain for a while.

I have been a gamer since the first days of video gaming (Pong) and only got back into it recently.
Planet Crafter has brought me back to the fold and have clocked about 1800 hours of amazing fun.
Thank you to the creators of this captivating fun game.

Yo get this game, man. If you're missing the thrill you had when you first played Subnautica, this will scratch that itch. It might not seem super promising at first, but it will pull you in. You will feel the joy. I am still in what I think is the mid game. Do yourself a favor and don't watch any videos or pictures of the game, if you can help it. Let it be a surprise.