Reus

About

Reus is a single-player fantasy strategy game with excellent graphics, music, and innovative game mechanics. As a player, you control powerful giants to shape the planet, creating terrain and providing for humanity, who will thrive or succumb to greed based on your actions. With countless upgrades, synergies, plants, animals, and minerals to unlock, Reus offers endless styles of play and replayability.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player Play through the game's story or campaign solo

78%

Audience ScoreBased on 4,708 reviews

gameplay298 positive mentions

story28 negative mentions

Unique and charming art style with a relaxing soundtrack.
Engaging gameplay that combines resource management and strategy.
Offers a variety of unlockable resources and achievements that encourage replayability.

Frequent crashes and technical issues that disrupt gameplay.
Slow pacing and long tutorials can make the game feel tedious.
Limited direct control over villagers can lead to frustration when they become greedy or aggressive.

gameplay
838 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
36%
59%
6%
The gameplay of *Reus* is characterized by its unique mechanics that blend resource management with god simulation, allowing players to create and nurture civilizations through strategic placement and interaction of resources. While the game offers a charming aesthetic and a relaxing atmosphere, many players find the gameplay can become repetitive and shallow over time, with some mechanics feeling overly complex or poorly explained. Overall, it provides an engaging experience for those who enjoy puzzle-like challenges, but may not satisfy players seeking deeper or more varied gameplay.
- “The game's mechanics are unique and well thought out, providing players with the tools they need to create a thriving and prosperous world.”
- “The symbiosis between different plants/gems/animals/etc. makes for fun and interesting gameplay and the humans being uncontrollable entities makes it so much better.”
- “The gameplay is addictive and keeps you thinking how you could have done things differently as you play through an era... then you start another and go through differently.”
- “For me it feels like an unfinished game, gameplay- and graphics-wise.”
- “Unfortunately, the gameplay is really, really dull.”
- “The gameplay is rather boring and the graphics rather uninspired.”
graphics
508 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
55%
43%
2%
The graphics of the game are generally praised for their charming and colorful art style, which is described as cute, simple, and effective in creating an inviting atmosphere. While many players appreciate the visuals and find them aesthetically pleasing, some critiques mention that the graphics can feel dated or simplistic, and there are issues with text readability. Overall, the graphics contribute positively to the game's relaxing vibe, though performance issues have been noted by some users.
- “The graphics are simple but effective, providing players with a clean and easy-to-read interface that is both intuitive and functional.”
- “The graphics are pretty and the gameplay is somehow challenging and calming.”
- “The visuals are smooth and the gameplay is fun!”
- “For me it feels like an unfinished game, gameplay- and graphics-wise.”
- “The graphics were kind of limited and the action was as slow as it gets.”
- “Graphics are very frustrating in that sense, making Reus no different than a board game, except you play it on your own.”
music
200 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
59%
36%
5%
The music in the game is generally described as relaxing, soothing, and fitting well with the overall aesthetic, enhancing the gameplay experience. While many players appreciate the charming and pleasant soundtrack, some note its repetitiveness and limited variety. Overall, the music contributes positively to the game's calming atmosphere, making it enjoyable for players seeking a peaceful gaming experience.
- “Like Stardew Valley and Animal Crossing and other such 'peaceful' or 'relaxing' games, this game simultaneously is gripping, entertaining, and stressful but backed by a really relaxing theme and soundtrack.”
- “The music is soothing, the gameplay is slow but requires thought, and the aesthetics are fantastic.”
- “The soundtrack ensures that the game is meant to be relaxing, because once again it is smooth and adorable.”
- “The soundtrack suffers from lack of variety and will replay frequently.”
- “The music is very passive, being heard mainly as a few lonely chords interspersed with the sounds of the god's activities.”
- “My only disappointment in front of the game is the music which isn't as present as you could want it to be.”
replayability
168 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
35%
62%
4%
Overall, the game exhibits a high level of replayability, driven by innovative systems such as synergy, unlockable achievements, and varied gameplay mechanics that encourage different strategies. Many players appreciate the depth and randomness that contribute to unique experiences in each playthrough, although some express concerns about potential repetitiveness after completing objectives. While most reviews highlight significant replay value, a few note limitations that may affect long-term engagement.
- “The progression system enhances replayability considerably.”
- “It has a surprising amount of replayability too in the form of achievement challenges that encourage radically different approaches.”
- “The game's replay value comes largely from its slew of challenges, which largely boil down to 'be this successful with these limitations.'”
- “I wish I could recommend this game because I really do enjoy the art, but the playability isn't really beyond 3 hours and the replayability, at least for me, was 0.”
- “On the downside, the game's replayability runs a bit short when you complete all the objectives, and there seems to be a glitch that lets you unlock achievements on the 'easy' mode (which is normally supposed to disable achievements).”
- “This game has little replay value, limited customization options, and overall is very simple without much strategy.”
story
136 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
13%
66%
21%
The game's story is largely criticized for its lack of depth and structure, with many players noting that it feels more like a series of self-imposed challenges rather than a cohesive narrative. While some appreciate the charming titans and the immersive world-building, the absence of a clear storyline or progression leaves many feeling unsatisfied and bored over time. Overall, the game is described as a sandbox experience with minimal storytelling, focusing more on gameplay mechanics than on a guided narrative.
- “Don't know any other game that tells the story of the perfect symbiosis of our world in a more immersive, captivating way than this.”
- “I really liked this game because, not only does it have extremely beautiful art, but it has a continuous, creative story.”
- “Reus is a god game by Abbey Games where you have 4 giants who must have no motivation to improve, but still improve the planet for some unknown reason; maybe they just like creating life. Whatever the story is behind that, I'm sure you'll have hours of fun unlocking creatures and upgrades for your planet.”
- “The graphics are decent, the music is not a big deal and the story is just an anecdote to stitch it all together.”
- “There's no story or anything which the game kind of eludes to but eventually you realize it's just a 'self challenge' type of game where you just see how far you can go.”
- “After the tutorial, there is no story to speak of and you can only play in segments of 15 minutes, 30 minutes, and an hour.”
grinding
62 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
3%
97%
The grinding aspect of the game is frequently described as tedious and repetitive, particularly in the later stages where players must engage in micromanagement and optimization of limited resources. While some players find enjoyment in the grind and appreciate the strategic elements, many feel that the gameplay can become slow and boring, often requiring external resources like wikis to navigate the complexities. Overall, the game offers an interesting premise but may frustrate those who dislike grinding or repetitive tasks.
- “A big mistake the developers made was the gameplay at its core makes the game kind of boring and tedious and a tad slow.”
- “Ultimately the depth of strategy is a bit too shallow for me, and the focus on slow grinding (you'll need a full 60-minute round or more to get some incremental progression) makes it too frustrating for me to play.”
- “Gameplay purely comes down to optimizing a very small set of tiles while managing a similarly small set of values, and that truly boils down to a lot of tedious testing which feels more like work than fun.”
humor
40 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is described as a mix of amusing mechanics and quirky characters, with players finding enjoyment in the absurdity of certain actions, like creatures sneezing to break the ground. While many reviews highlight the game's funny elements and unique gameplay, some players feel that the humor can wear thin over time, especially as the gameplay becomes repetitive. Overall, it is seen as a light-hearted and entertaining experience, particularly for fans of strategy games, though not everyone finds it universally appealing.
- “Reus is just a great game, especially when you make a bunch of snakes that go and ravage a town, hilarious stuff.”
- “There's also the hilarious game mechanic where, if the resource source sits on blessed ground, it will have a chance of jumping into superadvanced when you upgrade it.”
- “A really funny and complex game, the perfect time stealer for a creative and calculating mind.”
stability
28 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
11%
4%
86%
The stability of the game is highly inconsistent, with many users reporting frequent crashes, bugs, and lag, particularly during intense gameplay moments. While some players experience smooth performance and minimal issues, the overall sentiment leans towards frustration due to the game's instability, leading to a mixed reception regarding its reliability.
- “Runs great, and has no major problems.”
- “No glitches.”
- “Runs great, and has no major problems.”
- “Well, I love the style of this game; its cartoony look and animation are great, but personally, I am experiencing a lot of crashes, usually when I get 4 minutes in the game or try to save. It has potential, but the glitches ruin it.”
- “Nothing quite as frustrating as having to force restart your computer only to get another 5-20 minutes of gameplay before it crashes to desktop or freezes.”
- “It reminds me of the old Lionhead Studios game Black & White, except terrible, laggy, buggy, and unnecessarily hard.”
optimization
26 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
46%
42%
12%
The game's optimization mechanics are praised for their interesting dynamics and good price-performance ratio, appealing to fans of resource optimization. However, many players report significant performance issues, including crashes, stuttering, and high processor requirements, particularly in the endgame, which detracts from the overall experience. While the fna-version addresses some performance problems, the game's optimization challenges may lead to frustration and burnout for some players.
- “Balancing optimization with speed makes a really interesting and unique dynamic which has lots of different solutions depending on the types of towns you end up with.”
- “It's less of a resource management game and more of a resource optimization game.”
- “Good tutorial, simple-but-not-too-simple gameplay, there seems to be plenty of room for depth and optimization in the building up of wealth by spreading villages across the planet.”
- “This alternate version has lower performance (framerate) in the endgame.”
- “Processor requirements seem a little high, and with my setup mainly being GPU heavy, I have noticed stuttering already.”
- “☐ unoptimized”
atmosphere
22 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
64%
23%
14%
The atmosphere of the game is consistently praised for its relaxing and colorful qualities, blending a casual vibe with strategic depth. Players appreciate the charming art style, fun animations, and soothing music, which together create an enjoyable and immersive experience. Overall, the game is described as having a pleasant, childlike innocence that enhances its appeal and makes it fun to play casually.
- “Reus offers a colorful atmosphere, fun animations, and a fairly challenging god game.”
- “It manages to blend a casual atmosphere and a surprising degree of strategy together seamlessly, while still remaining fun to play.”
- “Its art style, music, and atmosphere come together sweetly and make for an enjoyable experience.”
- “The atmosphere feels flat and uninspired, lacking the depth needed to immerse players.”
- “Despite the cute visuals, the overall atmosphere fails to evoke any real emotion or engagement.”
- “The game’s atmosphere is inconsistent, often leaving players feeling disconnected from the experience.”
monetization
8 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
50%
The game is praised for not incorporating real-money in-game purchases, a refreshing change in the current gaming landscape. However, some players express concerns that the gameplay may become repetitive, reminiscent of mobile farming games that rely heavily on ads.
- “Does this game use real money for in-game purchases?”
- “But if you go too far, the gameplay might become repetitive and seem unnecessary and get to the point where it feels like one of those farming games you tend to ignore on your phone but the ads are everywhere.”
- “To give credit to Abbey, it is great to see a game of this nature in the last decade that doesn't rely on in-game purchases, which easily could have been worked into the game.”
emotional
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players find the game to be deeply emotional, evoking strong feelings through its heartwarming and challenging narrative. However, some express a reluctance to revisit it, indicating a profound impact that may be too intense for repeated experiences.
- “It makes you feel emotional.”
- “A very innocent, heart-warming, challenging game.”