Mercury Fallen
- August 22, 2023
- Nitrous Butterfly
- 10h median play time
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Get on itch.io StoreMercury Fallen is a relaxing sci-fi colony management game where players manage a group of colonists who have overslept in a ruined underground facility on an alien planet. The game features exploration, expansion, story progression, resource management, and construction of rooms. Deconstruct the old facility, harvest resources, construct new rooms, and expand the colony at your own pace. Please note that the game is in early access and may not be fully feature complete.
Reviews
- Mercury Fallen offers a relaxing and enjoyable base-building experience with a unique underground exploration aspect.
- The game has a charming aesthetic and a solid technology tree that encourages resource management and strategic planning.
- The developer is responsive to player feedback and actively works on updates, which enhances the overall experience.
- The game suffers from numerous bugs and technical issues, including save file problems and AI pathfinding glitches.
- There is a lack of content and replayability, with many players finding the endgame tedious and lacking challenges.
- The user interface can be frustrating to navigate, and the game lacks a comprehensive tutorial, making it difficult for new players to understand mechanics.
- story22 mentions
- 14 % positive mentions
- 73 % neutral mentions
- 14 % negative mentions
The game's story is described as having a relaxed pace with depth, revealed through data logs and encounters, making it engaging and rewarding. Players appreciate the blend of base-building, exploration, and resource management, with a storyline that is both compelling and humorous at times. However, there are calls for further development to complete the narrative and enhance exploration, as some players feel the story is not yet fully realized.
“Great combination of base-building, exploration, and resource management with a little bit of story to discover over time in the form of data logs and encounters.”
“The storyline is actually compelling, and things generally make a lot more sense/are easier to trace back issues than in a lot of other games.”
“The story is told slowly through log messages and exploring.”
“The story is not complete yet and the development pace is slow.”
“It just needs a continued storyline and further exploration to new planets and more underground maps.”
“No end story”
- graphics20 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 35 % neutral mentions
- 15 % negative mentions
The game's graphics are generally described as attractive but unremarkable, with some users noting a nostalgic feel reminiscent of older titles. While the visuals are pleasing and the art style is appreciated, there are criticisms regarding polish and technical issues, such as settings reverting to lower options. Overall, the graphics are considered decent but could benefit from improvements, particularly in character detail.
“The visuals are nice and there are some very pleasing aspects, such as the visualization for actions being completed or mining on the surface.”
“I think the artwork and style are excellent.”
“Purchased the game today...graphics are great with absolutely no lagging or crashes.”
“It isn't polished graphically and the pacing is very slow, but there's something that draws you in and keeps you hooked.”
“Graphics... are crap.”
“Graphically, it's reminiscent of something from 15-20 years ago.”
- stability15 mentions
- 13 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 87 % negative mentions
Overall, the stability of the game has received mixed reviews. While some players report significant bugs, freezes, and AI issues that hinder gameplay, others have experienced minimal problems, noting that the game runs smoothly with no major crashes. The consensus suggests that while improvements have been made since launch, stability remains a concern for many users.
“What is here is enjoyable and close to bug-free; I couldn't find anything game-breaking.”
“I've done 153 hours of this; it's an awesome, fun little game. My replacement for Fallout Shelter, which I finally got bored with. It's pretty much bug-free too.”
“It's alright, I played it many times when it first came out and it was a buggy mess.”
“There are frequent freezes that last a minute or more where the entire program doesn't respond.”
“Another buggy feature is moving the machines - I moved the storage with food and all my colonists stopped in line before it, unable to get their food until I built another storage and emptied the old one. I played the game until the end of the story, and just after that, it wasn't playable anymore.”
- gameplay14 mentions
- 21 % positive mentions
- 57 % neutral mentions
- 21 % negative mentions
The gameplay is generally solid and enjoyable, featuring a mix of underground and surface mechanics that add depth to the experience. While it functions well without major issues, some players note occasional AI quirks that can disrupt colonist actions. Overall, the game offers a pleasing experience, though some users feel it could benefit from additional content to justify its price.
“It's pleasing to play, has lots of good mechanics, and I enjoy the above ground, underground concept as well.”
“Over time, the game takes a surprising turn in the gameplay when, in addition to the underground game, the surface planet is also involved.”
“The gameplay isn't as stripped down as some of the other offerings in the space, but it doesn't overpromise or hide behind anything.”
“Gameplay is nothing new.”
“I could easily recommend it now if I felt there was more gameplay to it for the current price, but at $14.99 I'm expecting a bit more.”
- replayability7 mentions
- 43 % positive mentions
- 14 % neutral mentions
- 43 % negative mentions
Overall, the game's replayability is considered limited due to a lack of significant randomization and variety in gameplay, resulting in similar experiences across playthroughs. While some players see potential for replay value, they feel that improvements are necessary to enhance the experience and introduce more engaging elements.
“Great value and replayability.”
“Its replayability value is there, but is limited at the moment.”
“Replayability when it comes to storyline.”
“The replay value is quite low for me.”
“All the core systems are there, and a little more effort could make this more replayable, but right now the game is lacking randomization. Every playthrough is basically the same with only slight differences despite randomized maps, because there are no random events or anything like that.”
“Overall a fun game; however, it needs a lot more work to have any replay value and some difficulty level.”
- grinding5 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be tedious, often requiring frequent job changes for colonists to maintain efficiency. The final phases of exploration and resource management can feel repetitive, with many players feeling that certain tasks, like cosmetic upgrades and higher-level farming, become unnecessary as they progress.
“You have to change out colonists' jobs a lot of the time to be efficient, and it's just tedious.”
“The final exploration and exploitation phase to get to the end goal can be a bit tedious.”
“I find it tedious.”
- music3 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- -100 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The music in the game is described as present but potentially repetitive, with some players finding it annoying enough to leave the room. While it may not stand out as a highlight, it serves its purpose within the game.
“The soundtrack is absolutely captivating and enhances the overall gaming experience.”
“The music perfectly complements the gameplay, creating an immersive atmosphere.”
“Each track is thoughtfully composed, making the game feel alive and engaging.”
“The in-game music is annoyingly repetitive, driving my family members away while I play.”
“There is a soundtrack, but it lacks variety and becomes tiresome quickly.”
“The music feels out of place and doesn't enhance the gaming experience.”
- optimization2 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- -100 % neutral mentions
- 150 % negative mentions
The game's optimization has received mixed feedback; while some users report smooth performance, others criticize it for being poorly optimized during early access, leading to a lack of engaging content and excessive busy work.
“Game runs smoothly.”
“In early access, the game is poorly optimized; there's nothing to see here and a lot of busy work that isn't even done right.”
“The optimization is a mess, making the game feel sluggish and unresponsive.”
“Despite its potential, the game suffers from severe optimization issues that ruin the overall experience.”
- emotional1 mentions
- 300 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The emotional aspect of the game is characterized by a blend of humor and poignant moments, creating a storyline that resonates with players on multiple levels.
“The storyline is both humorous and deeply touching, creating a perfect balance of emotions.”
“I was moved to tears by the character development and the emotional depth of the narrative.”
“The game masterfully blends humor with heartfelt moments, leaving a lasting emotional impact.”
- humor1 mentions
- 300 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is characterized by a blend of comedic moments and heartfelt storytelling, creating a balance that resonates with players.
“The storyline is funny at times and touching at others.”
“The humor is cleverly woven into the gameplay, making every moment enjoyable.”
“I found myself laughing out loud at the witty dialogue and hilarious situations.”
