Havendock
- April 20, 2023
- YYZ
- 11h median play time
Get on Steam
Get on itch.io Store"Havendock is a Real Time Strategy game available on Steam, with support for single-player, multi-player, and co-op modes. In the game, you gather resources, build infrastructure, and manage citizens to create a thriving town in the middle of the ocean. With exceptional visuals and promising game mechanics, players can expect a satisfying experience, although be prepared for some grinding."
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Reviews
- Fun and addictive gameplay with a charming art style.
- Offers a relaxing experience with plenty of tasks to manage and explore.
- The game has a solid foundation for early access, with a good amount of content and a responsive developer.
- AI can be frustrating, as settlers may not perform tasks efficiently or get stuck.
- Limited creative freedom in building layouts due to predefined structures.
- Some mechanics feel unbalanced or unintuitive, leading to potential gameplay frustrations.
- gameplay53 mentions
- 45 % positive mentions
- 49 % neutral mentions
- 6 % negative mentions
The gameplay of Havendock is characterized by its engaging and strategic mechanics, particularly in coastal city management, which combines traditional city-building with innovative maritime elements. While many players find the gameplay enjoyable and relaxing, with charming graphics and a variety of activities, there are concerns about some mechanics being unpolished and the game lacking late-game content. Overall, it offers a satisfying experience, especially for casual players, but still requires further refinement and balancing to enhance its depth and challenge.
“Havendock excels in its gameplay, offering a deep and engaging experience that challenges players to think strategically about city layout, resource management, and economic development, all while considering the unique challenges of a coastal environment.”
“The game features a variety of mechanics, including resource gathering, crafting, construction, farming, fishing, and exploration.”
“Great product even in early access, for its price you can easily get 20 plus hours of addictive gameplay in the beginning with more to do in the later stages of the game as you progress and it's only in early access currently.”
“It's a fussy and annoying mechanic.”
“However, it's obviously a work in progress and lacks a late game, a polished interface, and more fine-tuning regarding the core mechanics.”
“Some mechanics are a bit dumb and don't even work; altogether, it's an idle game to kill around 10 hours of your time (the price is a bit high in my opinion).”
- graphics35 mentions
- 43 % positive mentions
- 57 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game have received a generally positive reception, with many players appreciating the cute and simple art style that enhances the overall experience. While some initially found the graphics underwhelming, they grew to love them as they played, noting the charming underwater elements and diorama-like visuals. Overall, the graphics are described as visually appealing, well-executed, and fitting for a cozy colony-builder game, contributing to its addictive gameplay.
“Graphically, Havendock is a feast for the eyes.”
“It stands out for its innovative approach to coastal city management, breathtaking graphics, and compelling gameplay.”
“The graphics are actually extremely nice (it looks like a diorama made from children's toys and the water effects are just gorgeous).”
“The graphics are very simple, but the game is very addicting.”
“I mean, yes, the graphics aren't fancy, but there is a lot going on and the game boots up in seconds which makes sneaking in a casual 3 hours really easy.”
“Yes, it's in early access, and the graphics are very simple, but the game is very addicting.”
- story27 mentions
- 4 % positive mentions
- 96 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The game's story is generally perceived as minimal and underdeveloped, with players expressing a desire for more depth and guidance in completing missions. While some enjoy the creative freedom and light narrative elements, many feel that the main quest lacks substance and leaves players feeling unsatisfied upon completion. Overall, there is a call for more engaging content and story updates to enhance the gaming experience.
“It feels like it has the creative free world side where you can do what you want in the order you want to do it in or follow along a story.”
“There is also a light story element, which involves investigating the mystery of how the survivors came to be on the ocean.”
“You create your own story here where you are stranded on a dock and you need to find ways to get resources to build up your settlement.”
“There's a questline checklist in the bottom left, but I finished the 'main' quest in a matter of hours without actually...getting anywhere?”
“Game works, it's not too terrible if you get your colony up and running with amenities before you start taking on settlers, but the storytelling and quest scripting is absolutely awful, and endgame feels like you've been cheated.”
“-in reality there's no real reason for playing (the amount of story you get is really 'you crashed' and 'you flew home')”
- grinding26 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 12 % neutral mentions
- 88 % negative mentions
The grinding aspect of the game is described as both tedious and relaxing, appealing to fans of grindy games, particularly in its farming and building mechanics. While some players enjoy the mindless nature of resource gathering and construction, others find it repetitive and suggest that it can become tedious after about 20 hours of gameplay. Overall, the game caters to those who appreciate slow-paced, micromanagement experiences, but may frustrate players who dislike grinding or tedious tasks.
“You'll need a second life for grinding.”
“You'll need a second life for grinding.”
“You'll need a second life for grinding.”
“The game becomes tedious once islands become available.”
“Hopefully the game will be more fleshed out in the future; after about 20 hours, I felt 'done', so with the content that is in the game now, a 20-hour romp is about what you should expect before the game starts to get tedious.”
“The mistake most similar games make is that, after a while, you just find yourself grinding on a few basic resources.”
- music12 mentions
- 42 % positive mentions
- 42 % neutral mentions
- 17 % negative mentions
The game's music is generally praised for its calming and pleasant quality, effectively complementing the tranquil atmosphere and gameplay. However, some users note issues with the music being repetitive and the audio settings resetting unexpectedly. Overall, while the soundtrack enhances the experience, there are suggestions for improvement, particularly regarding the length of music loops and the need for more diverse tracks.
“The game’s audio is equally impressive, with a soothing soundtrack that complements the tranquil yet bustling city life and sound effects that bring the environment to life.”
“The very chill soundtrack keeps you relaxed even when your character’s hunger and thirst are running low.”
“The music, art, and atmosphere are pleasant.”
“The music and SFX sliders stay on min, so you have to turn them up and then min them again to get it to shut up.”
“The music is a bit repetitive, so after about 30 minutes, I turned it off and found a nice ASMR stream on YouTube to listen to.”
“The music loop is a bit annoying as it's too short.”
- humor10 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is described as light-hearted, quirky, and charming, contributing to a relaxing and enjoyable gameplay experience. While some elements appear unfinished, the overall comedic tone is well-received, with players appreciating the unique and fun antics that elicit genuine laughter. Despite being in early access, the humor feels integrated and enhances the game's appeal.
“It's a base builder game, but so visually pleasing with a light-hearted sense of humor.”
“A soothing building game with a sense of adventure and a very quirky sense of humor!”
“The game has a great sense of humor that feels rather unique and despite being early access, most features feel fleshed out and balanced.”
- optimization8 mentions
- 25 % positive mentions
- 75 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Overall, the game's optimization is mixed; while many players report a seamless experience with smooth performance, particularly on lower settings, others encounter frame drops and lag when the game is pushed to its limits, especially in densely populated areas. Some users have noted technical issues and bugs that detract from the experience, indicating that further optimization may be needed.
“The game's performance on this setup is seamless, with no noticeable lag or frame drops, even in densely populated areas.”
“Great game, runs smoothly and is very addictive.”
“Don't listen to the people saying there are optimization issues.”
“Has some of the same performance issues that Forager has. On max settings with a pretty decent computer, once all the villagers and everything gets moving, there are some frame drops. Fortunately, there is a built-in setting to decrease the calculations that the villagers do to increase performance.”
“There are some technical problems you need to fix, such as bugs and laggy performance when high quality is enabled.”
“Terribly optimized with bare-bones mechanics, even for early access.”
- stability7 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Overall, the game's stability is mixed, with many users reporting various bugs and glitches, particularly in multiplayer and end-game scenarios. However, some players have experienced minimal issues, noting that the game runs well and that developers are actively addressing problems through regular updates. As the game is still in early access, players remain hopeful for improvements in stability over time.
“The end game is extremely buggy.”
“I find the multiplayer to be just as described: 'buggy'.”
“Even though there are some bugs and it says single player, you can do multiplayer; it's just buggy but work-aroundable at least.”
- replayability4 mentions
- 25 % positive mentions
- 75 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Users generally find the game to be highly replayable, noting its fun and casual nature, as well as the inclusion of various additions that enhance play styles and overall replay value.
“It's fun, casual, and highly replayable.”
“All of these additions would contribute to differing play styles and enhance replay value.”
“The game offers great replayability.”
“It seems even replayable.”
“All of these additions would add differing play styles and replay value.”
- atmosphere1 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The atmosphere of the game is characterized by a pleasant combination of music and art, creating an enjoyable overall experience for players.
“The music, art, and atmosphere create a truly pleasant experience.”
“The immersive atmosphere draws you in and makes you feel part of the world.”
“The combination of stunning visuals and haunting soundscapes sets an incredible mood.”
