Gaia Project
- May 31, 2021
- DIGIDICED
- 10h median play time
Get on Steam"Gaia Project" is a challenging board game of strategy and space exploration. As the leader of a faction, players must expand their territory, exploit resources, and research new technologies to enhance their space fleet. Diplomacy and conflict are key elements as players interact with alien factions and compete for control of the galaxy. The game features modular board design, hex-based tiles, and advanced AI to provide a unique and engaging experience.
iPad
iPhone
Mac OS
PC
Phone
Windows
Linux
Mobile Platform
Reviews
- Faithful adaptation of the board game with a clean and intuitive interface once familiarized.
- Challenging AI that adapts well to player strategies, providing a competitive experience.
- Great for solo play and allows for quick games without the setup and teardown of the physical version.
- The tutorial is inadequate for new players, making it difficult to learn the game without external resources.
- Frequent bugs and crashes, especially during multiplayer sessions, detracting from the overall experience.
- The UI can be clunky and unintuitive, leading to confusion about actions and game mechanics.
- graphics12 mentions
- 33 % positive mentions
- 42 % neutral mentions
- 25 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game are generally described as basic but aesthetically pleasing, with some users appreciating the updated artwork and clear presentation. While the game lacks advanced visual effects and optimization, it effectively fits the concept and remains faithful to its board game origins. Minor flaws in the graphics and interface have been noted, but overall, the visuals contribute positively to the gaming experience.
“Very intuitive and easy to follow, smooth controls and really good graphics.”
“Overall, the presentation of the information is crystal clear, and I appreciate they redid a lot of the artwork so it looks nicer too even if it remains fairly basic.”
“Soundtrack is great, artwork is respectful to the board game (love it!)”
“Game is not very optimized, because my laptop runs pretty hot, for a game that has pretty basic graphics.”
“To fit everything in, abbreviations are used and graphics are minimal.”
“Weird changes to the art style here and there.”
- gameplay10 mentions
- 30 % positive mentions
- 40 % neutral mentions
- 30 % negative mentions
The gameplay of Gaia Project is characterized by its complex, strategic mechanics that require careful planning and resource management, appealing to fans of math-heavy games. However, players have noted issues such as poor starting positions and a lack of clarity in the game's mechanics, which can lead to confusion without prior guidance. Additionally, some users have reported bugs that detract from the overall experience, suggesting that potential players might benefit from watching tutorials or gameplay videos before diving in.
“This tabletop game offers tremendous fun and challenge for those who enjoy highly strategic gameplay.”
“To determine this, it takes into account all available resource conversions, including power cycling mechanics, and then shows you all the ways in which you could pay for the action, letting you choose any alternatives you might prefer, and then handling all the needed conversions.”
“I'd strongly advise first watching a YouTube video teaching you the rules and maybe watch a 'let's play' video to get the basic flow of gameplay turns and rounds.”
“Gaia Project has very mathy, geeky gameplay which is based on 'cycling'. In some cases, you can get a bad starting setup position for your faction, and you just can't do anything with it. For example, I had only out-of-navigation reach [2] and the most costly colonization options at the start of my first game with the Terrans.”
“Otherwise, you will be completely lost on all the mechanics and iconography in this game.”
“Gameplay is buggy.”
- stability9 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The game suffers from significant stability issues, with frequent crashes, freezes, and bugs that hinder gameplay, particularly during local matches. Many users report being unable to progress past the first round due to these persistent problems, making it difficult to recommend the game in its current state.
“First off, this game crashes, freezes, and stalls out.”
“Ultimately, it is just too buggy to recommend though.”
“This is so riddled with bugs and freezes that I haven't been able to make it past the first round.”
- music6 mentions
- 33 % positive mentions
- 17 % neutral mentions
- 50 % negative mentions
The music in the game is generally considered thematic but suffers from repetitiveness and short loops, leading some players to suggest turning it off in favor of personal playlists. While the soundtrack is appreciated by some, others feel it could have benefited from a more diverse selection of royalty-free tracks. Overall, the music complements the graphics well, but it may not be a standout feature.
“The soundtrack is great, and the artwork is respectful to the board game (love it!)”
“The music and graphics are good.”
“The music is thematic but a bit repetitive.”
“The music is repetitive and on a short loop.”
“I wouldn't really expect this to be a development priority, but just cobbling together a bunch of appropriately themed royalty-free music would have been a better option.”
- optimization3 mentions
- 33 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 67 % negative mentions
The game's optimization is generally criticized, with players noting that it runs hot on basic hardware and suffers from performance issues despite its simple graphics. However, some users appreciate the PC-optimized UI in Gaia Project, marking an improvement over previous mobile ports. Overall, while there are notable drawbacks, the game remains a faithful adaptation of the original board game.
“Gaia Project is Digidiced's newest game and their first game not ported from mobile, so we have a nice PC-optimized UI.”
“The game is not very optimized; my laptop runs pretty hot for a game that has pretty basic graphics.”
“While it still has drawbacks (horrible tutorial, poor UI, occasional performance issues), this is otherwise a faithful, if clunky, reproduction of the excellent board game.”
- replayability3 mentions
- 67 % positive mentions
- -67 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The game boasts high replayability due to its 14 unique factions, each offering distinct abilities and play styles, along with randomized maps that enhance variety. Multiple victory paths and diverse bonus combinations further contribute to its replay value, although some players feel that the focus on theme detracts from overall playability.
“With 14 unique factions, each one with different abilities and play styles, and a randomized map on each play, this game offers a ton of variety and replayability.”
“There is no randomness; there are many paths to victory. The bonuses that contribute to your victory come in many combinations, granting this game high replay value.”
“I feel like too much focus was put on making the game more space-themed and not enough on making the game more playable, using automation and smart scripting to give players an overview and better play experience.”
“The game lacks meaningful choices in subsequent playthroughs, making it feel repetitive after the initial experience.”
“While the game has potential, the lack of diverse scenarios and challenges leads to a quick decline in replayability.”
