Paleon

About

Paleon is a single player strategy game. It was developed by PaleodevGames and was released on October 27, 2023. It received mostly positive reviews from players.

"Paleon" is a survival and civilization-building game set in the past. Your time machine is broken, and you must guide your settlement from the Stone Age to the late ages, hunting, crafting tools, breeding animals, and planting crops. To return home, you must also arrange the production of spare parts for a new time machine and trade with caravans.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player

Skip User Reviews

78%

Audience ScoreBased on 166 reviews

gameplay7 positive mentions

graphics3 negative mentions

Paleon offers a charming and relaxing gameplay experience, allowing players to build and manage a settlement from scratch in a prehistoric setting.
The game has a solid foundation with a logical research system and a satisfying sense of progression as players unlock new technologies.
The developer is actively working on updates and improvements, showing dedication to enhancing the game based on community feedback.

The game lacks essential features such as a tutorial, sound effects, and a clear user interface, making it difficult for new players to understand mechanics.
AI pathfinding and task management are poorly implemented, leading to frustrating experiences where villagers do not prioritize tasks effectively.
The gameplay can feel repetitive and lacks challenge, with no significant threats or enemies to engage with, resulting in a lack of long-term motivation.

gameplay
27 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
26%
63%
11%
Gameplay in this title is characterized by a mix of solid mechanics and a lack of depth, often feeling repetitive and grind-heavy as players manage resources and wait for progress. While the absence of a tutorial encourages self-learning, it can lead to confusion, and the gameplay loop resembles that of a clicker rather than a traditional survival-colony sim. Despite some janky controls and pathfinding issues, the game shows promise with ongoing updates and a charming aesthetic, appealing to fans of similar titles like RimWorld.
- “It does take a few tries to optimize your little village, especially as the game doesn't hold your hand through the mechanics.”
- “Tech-tree, managing resources, managing workers, expanding your village, etc. What I find refreshing is that you teach yourself the mechanics as you progress, with no hand-holding and no annoying pop-ups over-explaining everything.”
- “Good, fluent gameplay.”
- “The mechanics, while solid, can begin to feel repetitive as you wait for crops to grow or for villagers to slowly gather research points.”
- “It lacks any real strife, no enemies (that I can tell), and the gameplay seems to be rather one-dimensional.”
- “There is absolutely zero tutorialization or explanation of any game mechanics or your goals.”
music
12 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
25%
50%
25%
The music aspect of the game has received mixed feedback, with some players appreciating the relaxing tunes that enhance the atmosphere, while many others criticize the lack of music entirely, noting its absence as a significant drawback. Suggestions for improvement include adding minimal background music to create a sense of progression and engagement. Overall, the consensus indicates that the game's music is either underwhelming or completely missing, detracting from the overall experience.
- “The game features nice, chilling music that enhances the overall relaxing atmosphere.”
- “Maybe start the game with a simple drum beat, something basic and primal, and then, as players advance through the skill tree, add a new layer of music on top of it.”
- “It will create a sense of progression through the game and let players know they've essentially entered a new age of progression when the music evolves with their village.”
- “Not worth the money - you can't even click on a name to find that person on the map, the priorities won’t work properly, some of the production chains are not well explained, and there is not even any music in this game.”
- “There is no music, no skills, no enemies...”
- “I spent a good four+ hours digging through this game and the lack of music is definitely noticeable.”
graphics
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
33%
17%
50%
The graphics of the game are characterized by a charming pixel-art style that is both efficient and pleasant, appealing to fans of retro aesthetics. While some players appreciate the simplicity and cuteness of the visuals, others feel that the graphics could be more elaborate, especially if the gameplay systems were deeper. Overall, the graphics contribute to a nostalgic and enjoyable experience, particularly on platforms like the Steam Deck.
- “Very nice, pixel-art graphic.”
- “But the graphics are really cute, no bugs, and the gameplay is classic but very cool. Don't expect a huge game even when finished; it's a small, nice game!”
- “The graphics are very simplified, which could be acceptable if the game compensated for it with deeper systems.”
- “It reminds me of the Settlers games, but without all the fancier-than-necessary graphics.”
- “Its kind of like a more hands-on Outlanders type game with a Terraria reminiscent art style.”
grinding
5 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be quite tedious, involving repetitive tasks like planting crops, chopping trees, and crafting tools to unlock technologies. While some enjoy the overall experience, many feel that the grind becomes overwhelming and can lead to frustration, especially in the late game.
- “Research is incredibly grindy in this one.”
- “The game is currently horrifyingly tedious and grindy.”
- “It gets very tedious, so I called it quits.”
story
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
75%
The game's story is minimal, revolving around a broken time machine that players must fix, which some find lacking in depth and visual narrative. While the premise of a time traveler rebuilding civilization intrigues some players, others prefer a more grounded storyline, suggesting alternatives like a tribal village narrative. Overall, the story is seen as a weak point, but it does spark interest in the game's concept.
- “The story is 'your time machine is broken, fix it' but you control the game like a god.”
- “It's a very good game, but I would prefer a story that focuses on more realistic themes, like a tribal village being destroyed and the struggle to survive.”
- “The game currently doesn't have much of a story, or at least a visual one.”
- “The story is 'your time machine is broken, fix it,' but you control the game like a god.”
- “The story of a time traveler trying to get back by starting civilization is what got me interested in trying Paleon.”
humor
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players appreciate the humor in the game, noting that the trial-and-error mechanics result in amusing interactions that enhance the overall experience.
- “The trial-and-error approach leads to some hilarious little interactions.”
- “The humor in the game is cleverly woven into the gameplay, making every moment entertaining.”
- “I found myself laughing out loud at the witty dialogue and absurd situations.”
atmosphere
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game's atmosphere is enhanced by soothing music that contributes to a relaxing and immersive experience for players.
- “The game features nice, chilling music that enhances the overall relaxing atmosphere.”
- “The immersive sound design and stunning visuals create a captivating atmosphere that draws you in.”
- “The hauntingly beautiful landscapes and ambient sounds make every moment feel magical.”
replayability
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
33%
67%
The game offers limited replayability, lacking the depth found in more complex titles like RimWorld. While it has potential for fun and increased replay value, its current pre-alpha status significantly impacts the overall experience.
- “Has the potential to be really fun with some solid replay value, but buyer beware; it is currently pre-alpha, and it shows.”
- “It's a fun little game, but don't expect the complexity and replayability of RimWorld or anything close.”
- “Not much replay value.”
stability
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Users generally find the stability of Paleon to be commendable, noting that the basic systems are largely bug-free and well-balanced, contributing to a smooth gameplay experience.
- “I recommend Paleon because all of the basic systems are, as far as I've seen, bug-free and balanced.”