Ardarium

About

Ardarium is a single player casual strategy game. It was developed by Daniel Cox and was released on September 10, 2021. It received very positive reviews from players.

"Ardarium is a 2D simulation game featuring a dynamically generated world where plants, animals, and humans coexist. Witness the constant evolution of the landscape through erosion, tectonic shifts, and climate changes, while animals and humans interact, compete, and adapt. As a player, you can influence the world by spawning animals or meteor showers, offering a relaxing yet engaging sandbox experience."

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player

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92%

Audience ScoreBased on 25 reviews

graphics1 negative mentions

The game offers a surprising amount of depth and mechanics, making it enjoyable to watch civilizations rise and fall.
It's a unique sandbox experience that can be entertaining to observe while multitasking, akin to an interactive screensaver.
Active development and routine optimizations from the developers enhance the overall experience and show commitment to improvement.

Performance issues arise on larger map sizes, leading to noticeable lag and decreased frame rates.
The gameplay is quite passive, with limited direct control over events, which may not appeal to all players.
Graphics are primitive, requiring players to use their imagination to fully appreciate the experience.

gameplay
8 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
25%
50%
25%
The gameplay is described as a mix of fun and depth, with some mechanics offering surprising complexity. However, players may experience issues like slow panning and lag, particularly in larger game areas, which could detract from the overall experience. While some find the gameplay simple, others appreciate the depth of events and mechanics available.
- “It's a fun toy and surprisingly in-depth with some of its mechanics.”
- “There's a surprising amount of depth to the events and mechanics.”
- “The gameplay is simple to non-existent as advertised.”
- “If that bothers you for this type of game (slow panning, laggy gameplay, etc.), you'll want to keep it below 900 tiles².”
optimization
5 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
40%
20%
40%
Overall, while the game features routine optimizations and improvements, users report significant performance issues, particularly in larger scenarios, leading to noticeable frame rate drops. Despite these concerns, the game's engaging mechanics and visuals may still appeal to players willing to overlook optimization shortcomings.
- “Other than those, the routine optimizations and tweakings of the game are nice to see.”
- “The UI and the optimization leave a little to be desired (I have a decently powerful PC, but running anything larger than a 20x20 grid tends to slow it down to <20 fps). However, if you have literally a buck, a curious mind, and even a passing interest in watching a beautiful pixel world and its systems and cycles - including watching animals have population booms and busts, observing natural selection processes, seeing various human factions fight over the most fertile lands, and noting how clouds rise from the forests after dusk to flow towards the still-warm oceans - then Ardarium is 110% worth your time.”
- “My only gripe is with performance; it deteriorates noticeably as time goes on and things get busier. Hopefully, this can be improved somehow.”
- “The UI and the optimization leave a little to be desired. I have a decently powerful PC, but running anything larger than a 20x20 grid tends to slow it down to less than 20 FPS.”
graphics
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
50%
The graphics are described as very primitive, requiring players to use their imagination to enhance the visual experience.
- “You do have to use your imagination, as the graphics are very primitive.”
story
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
150%
Players find themselves creating their own narratives while engaging with the game, often stepping away and returning to interpret the unfolding events and characters. This suggests that the game provides a rich enough environment for players to imagine and construct personal stories, enhancing their overall experience.
- “I often AFK in this game and come back after a while to see what is going on, then make a little story in my head about these people.”
- “The story feels disjointed and lacks depth, making it hard to connect with the characters.”
- “I found the plot to be predictable and uninspired, leaving me disengaged from the overall experience.”
- “The narrative is poorly executed, with many plot holes that detract from the immersion.”