Moons of Ardan
- October 21, 2021
- Pandora Technology
- 9h median play time
Get on Steam"Moons of Ardan" is an engaging city-building and colony simulation game set in a simulated planetary system. Assemble a civilization across multiple moons, starting from a stranded group of Axonauts. Experience a visually stunning space environment and manage resources carefully to overcome ecological challenges, all while expanding your settlements in this dynamic planetary ecosystem.
Reviews
- The game is very fun and engaging, offering a relaxing city-building experience with unique interplanetary trading mechanics.
- It is well-polished for an early access title, with smooth gameplay and active developer support, making it worth the investment.
- The graphics and atmosphere are appealing, with a charming aesthetic that enhances the overall experience.
- The game can become repetitive, with a structured progression that may limit creative freedom in building and resource management.
- There are performance issues, particularly with frame rates dropping significantly as the population increases, which can hinder gameplay.
- Some mechanics, such as trade routes and resource management, feel underdeveloped and could benefit from further refinement and clarity.
- gameplay19 mentions
- 37 % positive mentions
- 47 % neutral mentions
- 16 % negative mentions
The gameplay of "Moons of Ardan" is characterized by a well-paced and smooth experience, reminiscent of other production-chain builders like the Anno series. Players appreciate the straightforward core mechanics that gradually introduce new challenges, allowing for a relaxed yet engaging strategic experience. While the game offers depth and optimization opportunities, it does have some performance issues, but overall, it remains enjoyable and accessible for fans of the genre.
“A nicely paced game, mechanics similar to other production-chain builders like Foundation or Anno series.”
“Moons of Ardan is very easy to pick up, but it also offers a continuous flow of new mechanics without overwhelming the player.”
“The game mechanics are introduced in a very deliberate way; you have time to get comfortable with the current stage of your civilization before new challenges are introduced.”
“The core gameplay loop is relatively straightforward.”
“You unlock all the structures for the game within the first 10 minutes of gameplay, and most of the gameplay is just making sure blue shapes aren't touching.”
“Does have performance issues; you might encounter framerates as low as 5fps according to the in-game counter, but even then the game is actually still playable - physics/logic seem detached from fps so neither gameplay nor UI lags really.”
- graphics11 mentions
- 27 % positive mentions
- 45 % neutral mentions
- 27 % negative mentions
The graphics in "Moons of Arden" are generally well-received, featuring a unique space colony aesthetic that enhances the gameplay experience. While the visuals are described as cartoony and somewhat repetitive, with buildings blending together, the smooth gameplay and strategic depth compensate for any graphical shortcomings. Some players expressed a desire for more graphical options and clearer settings adjustments.
“The graphics and visuals were well done.”
“One unique thing about Moons of Arden is the space colony aesthetics.”
“Smooth gameplay, cool visuals, and a lot of strategic options make for a very fun experience.”
“The graphics aren't special; each building has the same gray with yellow stripes, and it all blends in.”
“Increasing or decreasing the graphics settings (which give no indication as to what they actually change) seems to do nothing.”
“More graphical options (anti-aliasing type, disabling the depth of field effect) would also be nice to have, but this is not critical.”
- music11 mentions
- 27 % positive mentions
- 45 % neutral mentions
- 27 % negative mentions
The music in the game is generally considered decent, with some reviewers noting it as above average and enjoyable, while others find it repetitive and potentially annoying after extended play. While the soundtrack complements the gameplay and aesthetics well, there are calls for more variety to enhance the overall experience.
“The soundtrack is above average.”
“Music is great, gameplay is clean, well thought out, and the level increases manageably.”
“Music is repetitive, but enjoyable.”
“The music is also basic as well and does get annoying after an hour.”
“The only thing I'd fault it for is that the music gets repetitive in a hurry, but hopefully that is something the dev team has been working on and will add more sounds and music before the final release.”
“The music is decent, albeit a bit repetitive.”
- atmosphere3 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The game's atmosphere is generally praised for its relaxing and enjoyable setup, creating a pleasant experience despite some areas needing refinement. Reviewers emphasize that while it may not offer the complexity of titles like Factorio, it provides a laid-back challenge that enhances the overall ambiance.
“Even now (v0.11), the game and overall atmosphere are nice, though several things still need to be polished.”
“Everything is set up in a very relaxing manner, creating a great atmosphere.”
“Don't go looking here for your next Factorio; instead, enjoy the atmosphere and the laid-back challenge.”
- stability3 mentions
- 67 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 33 % negative mentions
Overall, the game is praised for its impressive stability, with users noting it is largely bug-free and runs smoothly. While there are minor issues like poor quality textures and visual glitches, these do not significantly detract from the overall experience.
“Still, like others said, it's got a great UI and is impressively bug-free. I mean, I've seen full release games that are way buggier than this!”
“Fun game, well worth 6 bucks. I had zero problems with it; it runs great.”
“This game is quite fun; however, there are a few poor quality textures and visual glitches.”
- story2 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 100 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The story aspect of the game is not explicitly detailed in the provided text, but it suggests a desire for interconnectedness between various gameplay elements, such as the VAB, rocket launcher, and mission control, which could enhance the narrative experience. Overall, the campaign may benefit from more cohesive storytelling through these connections.
- optimization2 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- -150 % neutral mentions
- 150 % negative mentions
The game exhibits significant performance issues, with framerates dropping as low as 5fps, yet it remains playable due to the physics and logic being unaffected by these drops. Conversely, some players on lower-end PCs report smooth performance, indicating variability in optimization across different hardware setups.
“I'm not on a super high-end PC and everything runs smoothly for me.”
“Does have performance issues; you might encounter framerates as low as 5fps according to the in-game counter, but even then the game is actually still playable - physics and logic seem detached from fps, so neither gameplay nor UI lags really.”
“The game has significant performance issues, with framerates dropping as low as 5fps according to the in-game counter. However, despite this, the game remains playable since the physics and logic seem detached from the framerate, meaning neither gameplay nor UI lags noticeably.”
“Optimization is severely lacking; I often experience stuttering and frame drops that disrupt the overall experience.”
“Even on high-end hardware, the game struggles to maintain a stable framerate, making it frustrating to play at times.”
- grinding1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
Users find the grinding aspect of this game more satisfying compared to Dyson Sphere Program, citing that the simpler mechanics and recipes make the experience feel less tedious and more enjoyable.
“The grinding in this game feels endless and repetitive, making it hard to stay engaged.”
“I spent hours grinding for resources, and it just felt like a chore rather than fun gameplay.”
“The amount of grinding required to progress is overwhelming and detracts from the overall experience.”
- emotional1 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Players feel that the emotional engagement in the game is minimal, as the quick unlocking of all structures and the simplistic gameplay mechanics lead to a lack of depth and emotional investment. The focus on preventing blue shapes from touching does not evoke significant feelings or connections.
