Homeseek
- July 20, 2023
- Traptics
- 29h median play time
Homeseek is a punishingly bleak post-apocalyptic city builder where every action feels consequential.
Get on Steam"Homeseek is a strategy game with single-player and multiplayer modes, including PvP. In a post-apocalyptic world, lead survivors to rebuild civilization in two campaigns across 9 scenarios, with multiple game modes. Expand your settlement, manage resources, and research advancements to ensure survival and growth."
PC
Windows
Reviews
- The game offers a unique blend of survival strategy and storytelling, providing a fresh experience compared to similar titles like Frostpunk.
- Players appreciate the challenging gameplay that requires strategic decision-making and resource management, making each choice feel impactful.
- The atmosphere and graphics are well-received, with many players enjoying the immersive post-apocalyptic setting and engaging soundtrack.
- The game is criticized for its linearity and lack of meaningful choices, often forcing players to follow a specific path to succeed.
- Many players find the resource management system frustrating, particularly the convoluted piping mechanics and the scarcity of essential resources.
- Bugs and unpolished elements detract from the overall experience, leading to issues with gameplay flow and player engagement.
- story78 mentions
- 41 % positive mentions
- 55 % neutral mentions
- 4 % negative mentions
The game's story is a central focus, offering a linear narrative that blends survival mechanics with engaging storytelling, though some players find it lacks depth compared to similar titles like Frostpunk and Endzone. While the atmosphere and world-building are praised, the gameplay can feel restrictive and challenging, with some players experiencing bugs that hinder progress. Overall, the story is described as interesting and well-told, making it a compelling experience for fans of the genre, despite some frustrations with mission difficulty and resource management.
“What sets this game apart is its expedition aspect, which injects storytelling into the gameplay, making each journey a compelling adventure rather than just resource collection.”
“Overall, this game offers a captivating blend of strategy and storytelling, making it a must-play for fans of survival games.”
“Homeseek is a game that masterfully blends the brutality of survival with the allure of engaging storytelling.”
“Otherwise the game is fairly simple compared to previously mentioned games with just 3 basic resources (and some types of water quality) and not much in-depth story which I was hoping for to be some Fallout-like city builder :-|”
“The story is split up into different scenarios, so as you advance from one level to the next your progress (resource count, population, etc.) doesn't carry over.”
“This isn't a game you play.. you just need to rush everything and find out how the devs want you to finish the storyline.”
- gameplay34 mentions
- 29 % positive mentions
- 53 % neutral mentions
- 18 % negative mentions
The gameplay is characterized by impactful decision-making that enhances the survival experience, though it can lead to a sense of frequent "wrong decisions." While the game features engaging expedition mechanics and a compelling narrative, it suffers from poor explanations of complex systems, particularly the piping mechanics. Overall, it offers a challenging blend of strategic city building and storytelling, making it a recommended title despite some comparisons to Frostpunk, which highlight its higher difficulty and lack of personality.
“What sets this game apart is its expedition aspect, which injects storytelling into the gameplay, making each journey a compelling adventure rather than just resource collection.”
“Its challenging gameplay, strategic base building, and well-crafted narrative make it a standout title in the genre.”
“It allows you to deploy scavenger teams to gather essential supplies and forgotten technology, adding an intriguing aspect to the gameplay!”
“The game struggles to engage players due to its poor explanations of mechanics, particularly the perplexing and convoluted piping system, especially when it involves pumps.”
“If you played Frostpunk, this has the same gameplay but it lacks the personality of Frostpunk.”
“As far as the gameplay is concerned, Homeseek gives you hard choices to make and boxes your ears when you make the wrong ones.”
- graphics22 mentions
- 18 % positive mentions
- 55 % neutral mentions
- 27 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game receive mixed reviews, with some praising the atmospheric artwork and effective world-building that enhances the setting, while others criticize the lack of graphical options and issues like screen tearing. The aesthetic is noted to evoke nostalgia, though opinions on the color palette vary, with some finding it unappealing. Overall, while the visuals are generally considered good and fitting for the game's theme, technical shortcomings detract from the experience for some players.
“Excellent world-building through very atmospheric artwork!”
“The game's aesthetic is spot-on, and the user interface evokes a sense of nostalgia for classic games.”
“The atmosphere and the visuals are great.”
“Terrible game....terrible graphics.”
“There's a lack of graphical options, including an absence of V-Sync leading to a ton of screen tearing.”
“I don't really like the art style of yellowish and brown colors.”
- atmosphere16 mentions
- 63 % positive mentions
- 19 % neutral mentions
- 19 % negative mentions
The atmosphere of the game is consistently praised for its haunting soundtrack and charming artwork, which together create an immersive experience in a desolate world. Reviewers highlight the strong world-building and storytelling that enhance the overall mood, making players feel a constant sense of urgency as they navigate the environment. Overall, the game is described as "dripping" in atmosphere, effectively capturing the intended themes and emotions throughout.
“Excellent world-building through very atmospheric artwork!”
“This game is *dripping* in atmosphere and it nails it every single step of the way.”
“The haunting soundtrack immerses you in the barren atmosphere, enhancing the experience of navigating this dead world.”
“Additionally, the art and atmosphere is charming and really adds to the mood.”
“This game is dripping in atmosphere and it nails it every single step of the way.”
- music8 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 25 % neutral mentions
- 25 % negative mentions
The music in the game is widely praised for its haunting and immersive quality, effectively enhancing the barren atmosphere of the post-apocalyptic setting. Reviewers highlight the captivating soundtrack that draws players in from the main menu and complements the game's storytelling and environmental design. The subtle background music and sound effects, like the ticking clock, further enrich the overall experience.
“It captivates you right when you hit the main menu (the music is amazing).”
“The haunting soundtrack immerses you in the barren atmosphere, enhancing the experience of navigating this dead world.”
“The subtle music in the background, the ticking of the clock whenever something happens, the dusty post-apocalyptic desert everywhere you go, the scrapwork designs of the buildings, the constant struggle against the elements to get a drop of water before more people die.”
- stability6 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- -17 % neutral mentions
- 67 % negative mentions
The game's stability has received mixed reviews; while some players report a bug-free experience, others have encountered significant issues, particularly in chapter 1.3, leading to frustration. Overall, the game appears to have stability problems that may affect the experience for some users.
“I am also happy that the game didn't release in early access and, for me at least, has been bug-free.”
“I appreciate that the game launched without any major issues, providing a smooth experience.”
“The stability of the game has been impressive, with minimal bugs and a seamless performance.”
“Then, just when the two-hour return window closes, chapter 1.3 goes to buggy-buggy bug hell.”
“It's also still pretty buggy.”
- optimization4 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 50 % neutral mentions
- 50 % negative mentions
The game is widely criticized for being poorly optimized, with users noting its excessive GPU demands and suggesting that there is significant room for improvement in performance.
“It's a shame, but this is currently an unoptimized mess.”
“I don't know why the game is so GPU intensive; I think there might be some optimizations to be had.”
- replayability2 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 50 % neutral mentions
- 50 % negative mentions
The game has limited replayability, as players feel that once they complete the main content, there isn't much incentive to revisit it.
“Once you've done that, there isn't a whole lot of replayability.”
- character development2 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 50 % neutral mentions
- 50 % negative mentions
Reviewers suggest that enhancing character development would significantly increase the emotional weight of potential character deaths, thereby adding greater depth to the overall narrative experience.
“More detailed character development could make their potential deaths even more impactful, adding another layer of emotional depth to the game.”
- emotional2 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Reviewers suggest that enhancing character development could significantly increase the emotional impact of the game, particularly during pivotal moments such as character deaths. This added depth would create a more profound emotional experience for players.
“More detailed character development could make their potential deaths even more impactful, adding another layer of emotional depth to the game.”
- humor2 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is consistently praised, with players finding it genuinely funny and reminiscent of the comedic elements found in "Frostpunk."
“Really funny, reminds me of Frostpunk!”
