Originally released into Early Access in 2022, The Planet Crafter has touched down on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S! Touted as “A space survival open world terraforming crafting game, designed for 1 to 10 players”, could this be a must-play survival title for consoles?
Developer Miju Games’ debut title is currently sitting at an impressive “Overwhelmingly Positive” rating on Steam. Very impressive, but would it be just as fun to play on consoles?
The Planet Crafter: Terraforming fun or Terra-boring tedium?
There are plenty of survival crafting titles out there. However, this one seems to be a highlight of the genre based solely on the Steam reviews. Have you played The Planet Crafter before? Then I’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments below!
Gameplay
After stepping out of your escape pod with little knowledge of where you are or why you’re there, it’s clear that the story isn’t the main focus here. There is an overall objective, though: terraform the planet and make it habitable for life! Right away, you’re given a small list of tasks, with no guidance on how to complete them. I don’t have an issue with lack of handholding, but it may be a problem for some who prefer a more guided introduction. Controls can take a while to get used to. Having jump assigned to R2 instead of X just doesn’t feel right! That said, the rest of the controller mapping works. The developer has translated the mouse and keyboard controls over to console very well.
The opening consists of roaming around collecting resources. Then racing back to your base before your oxygen runs out. It’s a slow start for sure, and my base was little more than a square room and a wind turbine to generate power. Resources don’t stack in your limited inventory, so it’s a constant back and forth between storing materials and collecting what you can. Eventually your base becomes a sprawling, multi-storeyed, thing of beauty. It’s going to take several hours to see your progress pay off, though…
Since you’re terraforming a dead planet, you won’t need to contend with any three-eyed monsters or bands of space pirates. Instead, you’ll need to take care of yourself by staying fed and hydrated. And of course, keeping an ample supply of oxygen! Again, this can be difficult early on, as you’re limited to scavenging wrecks in the hope of finding sustenance. Getting my first farm up and running was a genuinely rewarding experience, and it was nice to know that I was able to eat any time I wanted!
Is Base Building Ever Not Fun?
The game does open up more eventually as you progress with the terraforming. The grind is a slow one, but I definitely felt a sense of progression thanks to it. Going from roaming around on foot with a limited air supply, to zooming around in a buggy on a planet with breathable air is a genuinely fun gameplay loop. Adding more and more to your ever-expanding base, such as drills, heat sources, a water source, and so, so much more means there’s always something to be working towards.
There are no inherently complex systems or mechanics, and the whole experience is actually quite relaxing. Aside from when you run out of oxygen… Terraforming is as simple as crafting items that raise the planet’s oxygen, heat, and pressure levels. This, in turn, raises the Terraformation Index (Ti). This gives you an idea of how far along in the process you are. Of course, the environment also changes visually to go alongside this. The more this number increases, so too does the amount of blueprints you unlock. Blueprints then offer new machines, structures, and equipment for you to craft.
Then, there are the animals. Once you get your hands on some Creature DNA, you can bring life to the once-dead world! From fish and insects, to odd-looking mammals, filling up the environment with all manner of creatures certainly makes things feel less lonely! Like I said, it isn’t too complex, but it is rewarding. The Planet Crafter quickly became very addictive, and, despite some of the grind early in the game being a bit of a slog, I’m glad I pushed on.
Graphics & Audio
Visually, The Planet Crafter is fine, although it can look a little drab when you’re first starting to terraform. Obviously, the more viable the planet gets, the more colourful and lush it becomes. It’s not an incredibly detailed title, reminding me somewhat of a less varied No Man’s Sky, if anything. Still, it has its own charm, and runs at a steady framerate. So, whilst there isn’t much to write about and sing its praises, there equally isn’t anything to be overly critical of.
Similarly, the audio isn’t anything special. The ambient music is pleasant enough, and effects sound as they should. But there wasn’t anything that really grabbed my attention.
Longevity
Like many titles in this genre, The Planet Crafter will last as long as you remain entertained by it. There’s lots to do, and the simple, yet satisfying, base building is likely to keep me occupied for hours to come. Plus, the addition of co-op means you can do it all with up to nine other people! There are plenty of difficulty options to keep players coming back. Enter creative mode to just unwind and build a sweet base with no restrictions. Or, if you’re a glutton for punishment, the Hardcore mode completely erases your save data if you die. Yikes! Either way, The Planet Crafter has enough options to mix things up a bit.
Final Thoughts
Overall, I enjoyed my time with The Planet Crafter much more than I thought I would. Despite the opening hours being a bit slow and repetitive, once things get going, then this is a game worth investing some time into. Base building is intuitive and works well using a controller. The lack of danger may not be for everyone, but I found this a perfect title to jump into after a stressful day at work.
Therefore, The Planet Crafter receives the ThumbCulture Gold Award!
Disclaimer: A code was received in order to write this review.
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