Pandora: First Contact

About

Pandora: First Contact is a sci-fi strategy game where you lead a human colonization team on an alien planet. Manage resources, research technologies, and build infrastructure to ensure your colony's survival while dealing with the planet's dangerous and mysterious lifeforms. Can you turn this hostile world into a thriving human settlement?

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

63%

Audience ScoreBased on 409 reviews

gameplay21 positive mentions

grinding7 negative mentions

Pandora: First Contact offers a unique blend of 4X strategy and customizable unit mechanics, reminiscent of Alpha Centauri.
The randomized tech tree adds replayability and keeps each game feeling fresh and different.
The game features a visually appealing world with engaging alien life and a variety of tactical options.

The AI is often erratic, switching between friendly and hostile without clear reasoning, leading to frustrating gameplay.
Diplomacy is lacking, with limited options and often nonsensical interactions between factions.
The game can feel unbalanced, with certain factions or strategies dominating, making it difficult for players to enjoy a fair challenge.

gameplay
67 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
31%
64%
4%
The gameplay of the game is described as straightforward with a mix of strategic options, though some find it simplistic and lacking depth compared to classics like Alpha Centauri and Civilization. While the mechanics are innovative and the AI is praised, there are criticisms regarding certain features, such as the orbital bombardment and pollution mechanics, which detract from the overall experience. Despite its flaws, the game offers a solid 4X experience with decent graphics and a variety of gameplay styles, appealing to fans of the genre.
- “In terms of gameplay, there are several ways to accomplish tasks strategically, and you can play in a few different ways.”
- “The gameplay is solid, the game itself runs smoothly on my not-optimal laptop, and the download is ridiculously thin compared to other games.”
- “The game is a fighting-centric 4x game right out of the gate, and unlike Civ or Beyond Earth, the aliens will give you a serious beat down for a good portion of the game.”
- “The gameplay was stale 10 years ago and is mind-numbing now.”
- “It's all luck... which can screw with gameplay.”
- “Was very much looking forward to this - am still very much an Alpha Centauri fan and this was looking like a great spiritual successor to it and the expansion - and am finding myself to be exceptionally disappointed; encountered so many gameplay issues and involuntary resets it just wasn't funny and has led to me to give up on further attempts.”
graphics
65 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
38%
55%
6%
The graphics of the game receive mixed reviews, with some praising the visuals as polished and aesthetically pleasing, while others criticize them as outdated or bland compared to modern standards. Many players appreciate the attention to detail in unit design and terrain, but note that the overall graphical quality does not match that of competitors like Civilization: Beyond Earth or Endless Legend. Despite the varied opinions, the consensus suggests that while the graphics are decent, they may not be enough to elevate the gameplay experience for all players.
- “The graphics and UI are super, but the AI breaks the game.”
- “Graphically, it's on par with competitors like Civ: BE or Endless Legend - while I don't necessarily play 4X for the graphics, these are well-done and I particularly like the look of many alien units (a leviathan underwater looks impressive, and rightly so!).”
- “The graphics are nice and crisp, the gameplay does not lack much either.”
- “I've seen better graphics on games twice as old.”
- “The graphics and visuals are bland, and the music is awful.”
- “The graphics are just worse, much worse; some tiles I can't even see what they're supposed to be.”
story
34 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
24%
68%
9%
The game's story is often compared unfavorably to Sid Meier's Alpha Centauri, lacking depth and meaningful progression, though it does feature rich lore and backstory for its factions. While some players appreciate the unique narratives that emerge from gameplay and the detailed character backgrounds, others criticize the overall plot as shallow and disconnected from the gameplay experience. Despite its engaging elements, many feel the game misses opportunities for a more compelling and cohesive story, leaving players wanting more in terms of narrative impact and consequences.
- “The story/lore/background information for each faction is rich and interesting.”
- “Lore is actually apparent in this game; you can find it when you look through some tabs. There is a tab that says 'story.' This game doesn't leave you hanging and having to guess what each faction leader did in their life or how the faction came to be.”
- “The basic story is that you are a leader of a corporation/faction/band of hippies, and because Earth has been screwed over, you are to colonize a new planet and compete against others.”
- “The game is a truncated version of Sid Meier's Alpha Centauri, and by truncated I mean with the general premise but without the depth of story, technology tree (this game has more of a technology grass) or variation in customizable vehicles.”
- “I keep thinking this game has anything approaching a story worth bothering to read or any consequences beyond winning by any means.”
- “The story is ham-fisted, rooted deeply in the politics of the ecological left, taking itself deadly serious without a hint of irony or humor.”
music
20 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
55%
30%
15%
The music in the game receives mixed reviews, with some praising its polished quality and atmospheric fit, while others find it repetitive and lacking in variety. Many players appreciate the soundtrack's ability to enhance the sci-fi experience, though some note that it can become stale and doesn't always match the on-screen action. Overall, while the music is generally well-received, there is a consensus that a larger selection of tracks would improve the experience.
- “Very polished - nice graphics, menus, music, with the same Alpha Centauri atmosphere.”
- “The flow and strategic depth are definitely there, and the musical score is splendidly executed throughout.”
- “In addition, the game's presentation is very nice (introduction video, graphics, artwork, quote voice overs), soundtrack is great, UI is intuitive and smooth.”
- “The music is oppressive.”
- “The graphics and visuals are bland, and the music is awful.”
- “Ost could be larger, music is fine but there aren't many tracks.”
replayability
14 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
29%
50%
21%
Overall, the game's replayability is generally considered low, with many reviewers noting a lack of depth, customization, and variety in gameplay. While some players find potential for replay value through unique tech trees and ongoing developer support, the consensus leans towards a limited experience that may not justify the cost, especially for a game released in 2013. A few users mention that it can be enjoyable but often feels repetitive and grindy.
- “This allows replayability as no two games will have the same tech trees.”
- “Anyway, that's about it. It's a good game, very complex and interesting, almost as replayable as Civilization, though not quite.”
- “Very good, lots of replayability but can be a bit of a grind sometimes: like all Civ games.”
- “All in all, I had my fun; there is definitely some stuff not good here. Replayability, once you've won, is up to your level of how much you can endure the same over and over again.”
- “However, while interesting, this game appears to lack depth and replay value.”
- “What kills it for me and why I had to downvote the game is the lack of replayability.”
grinding
7 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be tedious, particularly due to the cumbersome diplomacy menu and the overwhelming AI in combat. While the resource pooling system is praised for its efficiency, the overall experience can become monotonous, especially when dealing with constant alien threats and limited micro-management options.
- “Every turn you have to deal with several items of diplomacy, and the menu for it sucks, making it tedious and awful.”
- “Combat can get slightly tedious at times and the spy system is overkilled by the AI.”
- “Annoying and tedious, which are not adjectives I like to apply to my leisure activities.”
optimization
5 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
40%
60%
The optimization of the game is mixed; while some players report smooth performance even on less powerful hardware and commend the developers for their attention to optimization, others criticize it for being poorly optimized and lacking content. Overall, the game runs well for many, but there are notable issues with multiplayer functionality and aging visuals.
- “It is really well done without many issues, runs smoothly, and it is actually fun and has good depth to it.”
- “The gameplay is solid, the game itself runs smoothly on my not-optimal laptop, and the download is ridiculously thin compared to other games.”
- “Sadly, it lacks a lot of content, is poorly optimized, multiplayer doesn't work anymore, and its look definitely hasn't aged well.”
- “As for personality, Pandora doesn't have any wonders or memorable personalities like Civ's Montezuma and Gandhi, just the brutal optimization game of managing your population and keeping up your military.”
- “It also runs extremely smooth and shows that some developers still care for optimization, which I value most in games.”
atmosphere
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
67%
33%
The atmosphere of the game is noted for its polished graphics, appealing menus, and immersive music, reminiscent of Alpha Centauri. However, some reviews criticize the lack of depth in the plot and design, leading to a disjointed experience with poorly conceived science and unengaging alien interactions. Overall, while there are strong elements, inconsistencies detract from the overall atmospheric experience.
- “Very polished - nice graphics, menus, and music, creating an atmosphere reminiscent of Alpha Centauri.”
- “Although the plot takes a significant portion of the atmosphere, there is still plenty to appreciate.”
- “No atmosphere, no design, terrible science random system, aliens... well, they are just raging.”
humor
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Reviews on the humor aspect are mixed; while some praise the intelligent and funny story writing, others criticize the game for taking itself too seriously, lacking irony, and failing to deliver humor amidst gameplay issues. Overall, the humor seems to be a hit or miss, depending on individual expectations and experiences.
- “Great art and very intelligent/funny story writing.”
emotional
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players express that the emotional aspect of the game is heightened by the strategic necessity of protecting cities from spies, creating a sense of tension and urgency as they must actively manage military units to safeguard their territory.