Ostriv
- March 19, 2020
- yevhen8
- 28h median play time
Get on Steam"Ostriv is a single-player Historical Strategy game with a focus on organic town layouts and realistic challenges. Though currently in development, it offers compelling gameplay, sensational graphics, and a memorable soundtrack, despite some grinding, bugs, and long waits for updates. Buy now to support the creation of a living, believable city-building experience."
Reviews
- Ostriv features stunning graphics and intricate building animations, allowing players to watch structures being built piece by piece.
- The game offers a unique gridless building system, enabling organic town layouts that feel realistic and immersive.
- The developer is actively engaged with the community, providing regular updates and addressing bugs, even amidst challenging circumstances.
- The game can be painfully slow, especially in the early stages, making it difficult to progress quickly.
- There are significant balancing issues, particularly with the economy, leading to challenges in managing resources and keeping citizens satisfied.
- Some players experience frequent crashes, especially in late-game scenarios, which can hinder the overall enjoyment of the game.
- graphics206 mentions
- 62 % positive mentions
- 36 % neutral mentions
- 1 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game are generally well-received, with many players appreciating the detailed building animations and the overall aesthetic that reflects a medieval setting. While some reviews note that the graphics are not the most advanced compared to other titles, they effectively convey the game's atmosphere and charm. Overall, the visuals are described as beautiful and immersive, contributing to a relaxing gameplay experience, despite occasional bugs and performance issues.
“The graphics are stunning, with picturesque landscapes and beautifully designed structures that bring the world to life.”
“Beautiful graphics, interesting building management, and relaxing gameplay.”
“The attention to detail in both gameplay and graphics is stunning - it's the only sim/building game that I've ever cared enough to think carefully about how to place buildings and beautify their surroundings.”
“Graphics are ho-hum although the building construction animations are very interesting to watch ... for a while.”
“Graphically, this game isn't outstanding at all; this is more about the gameplay and mechanics. If you came here for aesthetics, you'll be disappointed.”
“Literally dreadful, the game is buggy as hell. Buildings jump about in the air, bits of wood fly across the screen, the people are half a person with or without all the minimal graphic options on or off. Even with everything switched off, it's awful. Do not buy this game; it's woeful.”
- gameplay201 mentions
- 38 % positive mentions
- 61 % neutral mentions
- 1 % negative mentions
The gameplay of Ostriv is characterized by its slow, organic pace and deep mechanics that require a learning curve but ultimately provide a rewarding experience. Players appreciate the unique building and economic systems, which are well-integrated and realistic, though some find the gameplay can become repetitive after a certain point. Overall, the game is praised for its captivating atmosphere, beautiful graphics, and potential for future updates to enhance gameplay further.
“The gameplay loops are solid and engaging even in early access, the art is lovely to watch, and there is just the right amount of depth to keep you busy without feeling like everything is spiraling out of your control.”
“The mechanics are full of depth which makes the game challenging but really interesting.”
“The attention to detail is extraordinary, and the gameplay is comprehensive to say the least.”
“The game became boring in 20-30 hours when I understood all game mechanics.”
“It feels like the majority of the main functions don't work; I've tried over and over and I want to love the game, but its broken mechanics make it pretty much unplayable.”
“While there are still things they can tweak or improve, as well as fully implementing the mechanics they're still working on, it's been a fantastic start to it for any hardcore city builder fans.”
- music91 mentions
- 60 % positive mentions
- 36 % neutral mentions
- 3 % negative mentions
The music in the game is widely praised for its beautiful, calming, and authentic soundtracks that enhance the overall atmosphere and gameplay experience. Many players find it relaxing and fitting for the game's setting, contributing to a serene ambiance while managing their villages. However, some reviewers noted a lack of variety in the tracks, suggesting that more songs could improve the experience further.
“It's obviously a labor of love and that shows in everything from the game's art design through to the gorgeous soundtrack.”
“The soundtrack is amazing and the gameplay is very relaxing.”
“The music perfectly accompanies the leisurely and medievalesque rhythm.”
“There aren't many music tracks, so they'll repeat somewhat often.”
“If you're just waiting for building to build, the music gets old after 30 mins of listening to it.”
“Could do with more variation in the soundtrack, not necessarily always music.”
- grinding52 mentions
- 4 % positive mentions
- 4 % neutral mentions
- 92 % negative mentions
The grinding aspect of the game is a mixed bag; while many players find the farming and city-building mechanics engaging and unique, they also note that the micromanagement can become tedious, especially as the population grows. Some players appreciate the depth of the farming system, including crop rotation and soil management, but others feel that the repetitive tasks and resource limitations can lead to burnout. Overall, the game offers a relaxing experience, but it may require significant time investment to navigate its complexities effectively.
“You'll need a second life for grinding.”
“There is no tedious road building because this is the 18th century and the footpaths trodden by your people around points of interest is really the only necessary sign of somewhere being a ways.”
“On top of running out of actual manpower, if you make one mistake you lose most of your population, making the run practically unrecoverable or really tedious to recover.”
“This is a very tedious task and can be made so much better.”
“Spent an all-nighter playing this game because I really wanted to get over the oh-so-many tedious humps early in the game and just got so burnt out that I will most likely just revisit this game when it's complete and maybe then it will have the quirks out of it that are driving me nuts.”
- story32 mentions
- 9 % positive mentions
- 81 % neutral mentions
- 9 % negative mentions
The game's story aspect is largely viewed as minimal or non-existent, with many players noting a lack of a traditional narrative. However, some appreciate the subtle messages conveyed through gameplay mechanics and the immersive city-building experience. There are calls for a more developed story mode or campaign to enhance engagement, as the current gameplay can feel repetitive without additional narrative elements or challenges.
“The graphics, the gameplay, the story - everything is incredibly captivating.”
“The game has a lot of depth in terms of the mechanics and the story, as there are several paths to success, plus different strategies you can employ.”
“This game is like a beautiful blend of Cities: Skylines with a detailed, but not over-complicated city building system and Stardew Valley with a small dev team and a cute story to tell while being easy to sink many hours into.”
“The game seems to have a subtle message, even though there is no story - it is effectively delivered by the gameplay itself.”
“I have yet to see the story mode in this game, nor have I seen any updates on the health building that was supposed to be included in the game in upcoming patches.”
“I put yes to recommend this game for sandbox builders out there, but the game needs more work and the lack of story does put one to sleep during this game.”
- stability32 mentions
- 13 % positive mentions
- 3 % neutral mentions
- 84 % negative mentions
The game's stability is a mixed bag, with many players reporting minor glitches and bugs, but few game-breaking issues. While some users experience frequent crashes, especially with larger populations, others find the game surprisingly stable for an alpha version. Overall, the game shows promise but still requires significant improvements to its stability and bug management.
“No glitches and crashes.”
“Surprisingly stable & bug free for an alpha.”
“Awesome game, satisfying content, good documentation, intuitive controls, very well done, no glitches or abnormalities, and excellent community guides.”
“A lot of the times you have to completely start over and do it all again due to the game-breaking bugs/glitches.”
“The game's constant crashes make it unplayable for me; I have checked and I am not the only player to have this issue.”
“Sure this game is in alpha so glitches and crashes are expected, but even after starting the game, my game crashes at random between 10 and 30 minutes to hours after. If my city's population goes above 100, it crashes upon launching, sometimes even on the menu screen.”
- optimization31 mentions
- 39 % positive mentions
- 52 % neutral mentions
- 10 % negative mentions
Overall, optimization in the game is a mixed bag. While many players praise its smooth performance, beautiful graphics, and efficient resource management, others report occasional crashes, significant frame rate drops in larger towns, and a need for further adjustments to CPU and GPU performance. As the game is still in early access, many users express hope for future updates to enhance optimization.
“Beautiful, runs smoothly, encourages organic village design, and gives a feeling of peace.”
“The frequent updates are very nice, and I swear it is the most optimized game in the world; it loads, saves, and starts new games in less than a second.”
“I have been so impressed by the attention to detail and the overall performance of the game; I haven't yet seen any lag when my towns grow very large.”
“So I would say optimization isn't there yet, at least for me.”
“A critical point for this game, it really needs a complete adjustment in both RAM, CPU, and GPU performance.”
“The game really struggles performance-wise; it's early access so that's to be expected to some degree - but from the outset, the framerate halves when you're looking at trees, and it steadily goes down as your town grows - even on a high-end GPU.”
- atmosphere30 mentions
- 63 % positive mentions
- 27 % neutral mentions
- 10 % negative mentions
The atmosphere of the game is widely praised for its depth and detail, featuring a relaxing blend of medieval-inspired music and beautiful graphics that evoke a cozy, authentic Ukrainian village. Players appreciate the meditative gameplay and the intricate design of the villages, which contribute to a calming and immersive experience. Overall, the game is described as atmospheric, uplifting, and perfect for those seeking a chill gaming environment.
“A breathtaking atmosphere of a village, meditative gameplay and audio.”
“From the architectural styles to the authentic sounds and ambient atmosphere, Ostriv transports you to a bygone era in a way that few games can.”
“The music and atmosphere is one of a kind.”
“It's very slow paced as well, lots of time spent will just be waiting for things to be built or produced but it really adds to the very comfy and chill atmosphere.”
“I desperately would love more decorations though, because with such a slow paced game I could spend downtime really building the atmosphere!”
“But the most important - music and atmosphere, they make it feel real.”
- replayability7 mentions
- 57 % positive mentions
- 14 % neutral mentions
- 29 % negative mentions
The game is generally regarded as highly replayable, with many users praising its fun mechanics and unlimited replay value. However, some critiques point out a lack of purpose and continuity that may hinder its replayability for certain players. Overall, it is seen as a game with significant replay potential, especially if features like a map generator were included.
“It is not as simple as it appears, but it is lots of fun with unlimited replay value.”
“I would give this game a 10/10 because it definitely has a replayable factor.”
“A seeded or random map generator would also make for added replayability.”
“The game in its current state lacks purpose and continuity, which affects its replayability.”
- emotional5 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Players find the game deeply emotional and immersive, highlighting its ability to evoke feelings of nostalgia and connection through its historical accuracy and personal storytelling elements. The experience is described as beautiful and wholesome, making it not just a city simulator but a heartfelt tribute to Ukrainian culture and history.
“This is not just a simulator of a Ukrainian town - it's the best (and the most wholesome) city sim I've ever played.”
“It is immersive, and in an emotional way; for instance, clicking on a gravestone shows you the memorial, and you can remember when that person first arrived in the village and so on.”
“Beautiful, wholesome, calming, and historically accurate.”
- humor1 mentions
- 300 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is highlighted by the stark contrast between the financial situations of the villagers, with most being nearly broke while a select few possess a significant amount of money, creating a comedic disparity.
“It's hilarious when most of the villagers have barely any money, and then there are a few who have 500 or more.”
“The humor in the game is top-notch, with witty dialogue and funny situations that keep you laughing.”
“I love how the game uses absurd scenarios to create humor, making even the most mundane tasks entertaining.”
