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RimWorld

RimWorld Console Edition is not without its faults and flaws, but there’s nothing else out there quite like it.
RimWorld Game Cover
91%Game Brain Score
story, gameplay
grinding, stability
98% User Score Based on 132,230 reviews
Critic Score 80%Based on 5 reviews

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RimWorld Game Cover

About

RimWorld is a single player survival real-time strategy game with a science fiction theme. It was developed by Ludeon Studios and was released on October 17, 2018. It received mostly positive reviews from critics and overwhelmingly positive reviews from players.

A sci-fi colony sim driven by an intelligent AI storyteller. Generates stories by simulating psychology, ecology, gunplay, melee combat, climate, biomes, diplomacy, interpersonal relationships, art, medicine, trade, and more.

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RimWorld screenshot
RimWorld screenshot
RimWorld screenshot
RimWorld screenshot
RimWorld screenshot
RimWorld screenshot
RimWorld screenshot
RimWorld screenshot
RimWorld screenshot
RimWorld screenshot
RimWorld screenshot
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98%
Audience ScoreBased on 132,230 reviews
story2.7k positive mentions
grinding899 negative mentions
  • RimWorld offers exceptional replayability, with each playthrough providing unique narratives and experiences due to its dynamic AI storytellers and procedurally generated worlds.
  • The game excels in character development, allowing players to form deep emotional connections with their colonists, leading to impactful and memorable stories.
  • The atmospheric music and immersive gameplay create a captivating experience, enhancing the emotional depth and engagement of the game.
  • The game can become excessively grindy and tedious, requiring extensive micromanagement that some players find overwhelming and detracting from overall enjoyment.
  • While the graphics are functional, they are simplistic and may not appeal to players seeking visually stunning experiences, leading to initial resistance to the game.
  • There are concerns about the game's monetization strategy, with some players feeling that the DLCs are overpriced and that the focus on expansions detracts from improving core gameplay.
  • story
    10,878 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    Rimworld is widely regarded as a "story generator" rather than a traditional game, emphasizing emergent storytelling through its unique AI storytellers that create unpredictable events and challenges. Players appreciate the depth of character development and the ability to craft their own narratives, leading to a diverse range of experiences in each playthrough. While some critiques mention a lack of cohesive overarching storylines, the game's charm lies in the personal stories that unfold as players navigate the complexities of colony management and survival.

    • “Every colony tells a different story, shaped by your choices and the chaos the game throws your way.”
    • “Rimworld is a game that not only offers countless hours of entertainment but also provokes thought and introspection through its dynamic storytelling and moral dilemmas.”
    • “The game's ai storyteller dynamically generates events—everything from simple trade caravans to terrifying mech raids—keeping the experience fresh and often wildly unpredictable.”
    • “Rimworld is a story generator disguised as a colony sim.”
    • “The storytelling aspect is bullshit, as events make no sense, and most often take the piss out of the colony management aspect.”
    • “Rimworld claims to be a story generator, but it really only generates the same story over and over.”
  • gameplay
    6,655 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The gameplay of RimWorld is widely praised for its depth, complexity, and emergent storytelling, allowing players to create unique narratives through colony management and survival mechanics. While the game features a steep learning curve and can be overwhelming for newcomers, many players find it rewarding once they grasp the mechanics, leading to countless hours of engaging gameplay. The extensive modding community further enhances the experience, offering a plethora of options to customize gameplay and introduce new features, ensuring high replayability and variety in each playthrough.

    • “I'm eternally fond of base-builders and games with diverse social mechanics, which RimWorld delivers well.”
    • “The gameplay is fun; there's no telling what is going to happen next in terms of who will go insane from being in a grouchy mood first, and then how the rest of them will deal with that person.”
    • “For players who love emergent gameplay, complex intertwined systems, and a game that respects their intelligence, RimWorld is a masterpiece with near-infinite replayability, further extended by a galaxy of high-quality mods.”
    • “Gameplay centers around a handful of annoying mechanics and is mostly uncreative and one-dimensional.”
    • “They add stuff but don't fix basic mechanics; tell me why my guy is running into the middle of the enemy team because he has a small fire on his fully kitted body, yk there's a firefoam pack on him that I can't use, and a lake in the opposite direction, but no, he runs right into the mech horde.”
    • “The game does a poor job of explaining its own mechanics.”
  • replayability
    4,116 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    RimWorld is widely praised for its exceptional replayability, with players noting that no two playthroughs are ever the same due to its procedurally generated worlds, diverse colonist traits, and dynamic storytelling driven by various AI storytellers. The extensive modding community further enhances this replayability, offering countless modifications that can dramatically alter gameplay and keep the experience fresh. Overall, players find that the combination of the base game and its mod support provides near-infinite replay value, making it a must-play for fans of strategy and simulation games.

    • “The sheer replayability of this game is insane, and the hours I've put into this game at the time of writing this review is considered not a lot, for this specific game, and I still haven't finished the game once.”
    • “Rimworld is an incredibly unique, replayable, and entertaining game.”
    • “For players who love emergent gameplay, complex intertwined systems, and a game that respects their intelligence, Rimworld is a masterpiece with near-infinite replayability, further extended by a galaxy of high-quality mods.”
    • “The replayability that you get for 32 € (35 USD, as of Sept. '25) is in my opinion amazing - there are tens of dozens of people in the community that have clocked over 1000 hours because there is always the option to start again when you lose or simply want a fresh start.”
    • “The replayability is high because of the world seed system making every world you generate unique, and the events that create the story are all random with good variety so it doesn't feel repetitive unlike some other games where you can predict an attack from a sector exactly on hour 3 of day 5 if you played that game enough.”
    • “The game has a lot of replayability, but one playthrough can last long enough to be worth it on its own, especially if you play like I do and try to have the perfect base.”
  • graphics
    3,524 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The graphics of RimWorld are often described as simplistic and reminiscent of older games like Prison Architect, which may initially deter some players. However, many reviewers emphasize that the minimalist art style effectively supports the game's complex mechanics and storytelling, allowing players to focus on gameplay rather than visual fidelity. Overall, while the graphics may not be cutting-edge, they are functional and charming, contributing to the game's unique appeal and depth.

    • “Don't let the charmingly simplistic, top-down graphics of RimWorld fool you into thinking this is just another colony builder; beneath its unassuming surface lies one of the most complex and brilliant story-generating engines ever conceived.”
    • “The amount of depth in RimWorld is absolutely mind-blowing, and while the graphics are 'only' 2D and simple in nature, I find my mind somehow being far more engaged with a world I created with those simple 2D graphics.”
    • “Don't let the simple graphics fool you - this game provides an incredibly rich experience and will get you hooked until very late hours in the night.”
    • “The graphics suck, but the game is just downright fun and silly.”
    • “The graphics put me off for ages.”
    • “I was really resistant to playing it at first because the graphics were too simplistic for me, but since the first day I tried it a month ago, I haven't stopped.”
  • humor
    1,363 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The humor in RimWorld is a standout feature, characterized by its dark, absurd, and often chaotic nature. Players frequently recount hilarious and tragic stories that emerge from the unpredictable interactions of their colonists, leading to unexpected and comical outcomes, such as bizarre deaths and absurd scenarios. The game's ability to generate unique narratives filled with both humor and heartbreak keeps players engaged and entertained, making it a beloved choice for those who appreciate a blend of strategy and dark comedy.

    • “This game is less about winning and more about collecting increasingly deranged anecdotes of how your perfectly logical, ethically questionable colony descended into cannibalistic madness because a squirrel looked at someone funny.”
    • “The stories you can create with it can be both hilarious and sad.”
    • “The emergent stories created by the interactions of all your colonists, the events that happen, and your choices create some of the most bizarre, hilarious, and unexpected things at times, much like the random events in dwarf-fortress.”
    • “Has started so many times over that it is not funny.”
    • “The first DLC was a blast and a great addition, and I can't wait to add religion to my list of unfunny jokes I can make about this game with the second DLC.”
    • “Still not funny.”
  • music
    1,131 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The music in RimWorld has received widespread acclaim for its atmospheric and immersive qualities, often described as a blend of relaxing and engaging tracks that enhance the gameplay experience. Many players appreciate the soundtrack's ability to evoke a "space western" vibe, reminiscent of shows like Firefly, while also noting that it can become repetitive over extended play sessions. Additionally, the modding community has contributed significantly to the music experience, with mods like "p-music" adding variety and depth to the original soundtrack. Overall, the music is considered a standout feature of the game, contributing to its charm and replayability.

    • “The soundtrack is perfect, bar none—one of the best OSTs I've heard in any game, ever.”
    • “The music is absolutely top-notch and fits every situation perfectly.”
    • “The soundtrack is both calming and inspiring, and the replayability is top-notch.”
    • “The music gets stuck in my head commonly.”
    • “The only downside to this game is that the OST gets a little dry sometimes.”
    • “I found that the music often repeats itself to the point where I get irritated.”
  • grinding
    1,019 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The grinding aspect of the game is a significant point of contention among players, with many describing it as tedious and requiring extensive micromanagement. While some enjoy the depth and complexity of managing resources, colonists, and various tasks like farming and combat, others find the repetitive nature of these tasks overwhelming and frustrating, often feeling that it detracts from the overall enjoyment. Overall, players suggest that while the game offers a rich and varied experience, it can become excessively grindy, necessitating a considerable time investment to achieve meaningful progress.

    • “Does require slight dedication to succeed, but given how fun it is, it's not tedious to put some time into it.”
    • “It gives you tools to automate everything, so it is not tedious - one of the challenges is to set it up so that almost everything works by itself.”
    • “Challenging but not tedious gives this game great gameplay that keeps you coming back.”
    • “The pawns and their stories aren't very interesting, and building your base is quite tedious and repetitive between runs.”
    • “Every raid is just free stuff until you have too much wealth and population, and the game incessantly sends raid after raid until you just have no time to do anything but clean up after every tedious raid.”
    • “The game is incredibly tedious, and it's just small busywork that should be automated.”
  • emotional
    709 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The emotional aspect of RimWorld is a profound and multifaceted experience, with players frequently expressing deep attachments to their colonists, leading to genuine feelings of heartbreak and joy as they navigate the unpredictable challenges of survival. The game excels at generating unique, often tragic narratives that resonate on a personal level, making losses feel impactful and victories rewarding. Players report a rollercoaster of emotions, from laughter to tears, as they witness the absurdity and tragedy of their colonists' lives, creating a rich tapestry of stories that linger long after gameplay ends.

    • “You get so emotionally attached to the characters, to the base, to everything.”
    • “The stories are absurd, heartbreaking, and hilarious, often at the same time.”
    • “It's heartbreaking watching your best pawn die or have your entire base go down in flames.”
    • “The only thing you can do is roleplay in your head, at the mercy of boring storytelling.”
    • “Seriously just don't play Randy because he is the most boring storyteller and can literally only make one threat over and over again (lose all electricity) nothing else; use the far superior mod ones or Cassandra; Phoebe is just casual Cassandra.”
    • “Heartbreaking.”
  • optimization
    557 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    RimWorld is generally well-optimized for a variety of systems, allowing it to run smoothly even on lower-end hardware. However, players frequently report significant performance issues in the late game, particularly when managing large colonies or extensive mod setups, leading to lag and stuttering. While recent updates have improved performance, many users still recommend utilizing performance-enhancing mods to mitigate these issues, especially as colony size increases.

    • “For the immense complexity of its simulation, RimWorld is remarkably stable and well-optimized.”
    • “Astounding performance from a game with so many different and exotic game loops.”
    • “The new performance upgrades in the 1.6 update are amazing; the dev really knows what the community wants.”
    • “The game is a massive optimization puzzle; you can make something basic but functional or super complex and efficient.”
    • “Performance issues in the end game but it's so glorious you won't really care that much.”
    • “The game is poorly optimized to be used with mods, bad support for it and most mods don't work.”
  • stability
    237 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The stability of the game is a mixed bag, with many users reporting a generally smooth experience, especially on Linux and lower-end hardware. However, the game can become buggy, particularly when using multiple mods, leading to issues like lag, freezes, and glitches that can detract from gameplay. While some players find the game mostly stable and enjoyable, others express frustration with the frequent need for troubleshooting and the impact of mods on performance.

    • “Amazing game, one of the few out there that is bug free and is a lot of fun.”
    • “It has great replayability, has aged really well, has a great modding community, and is pretty stable and bug free.”
    • “The game is fully functional, relatively bug free, playable, and fun.”
    • “If you want to never have to spend money on an unfinished buggy mess that only lasts for 10 hours with useless DLCs that do nothing to enhance the experience, this is the game for you.”
    • “Eventually this bloats your save file to the point it just stops working properly and your pawns and screen just become laggy and start doing micro freezes every second to the point it's unplayable.”
    • “The game is too expensive in comparison to other similar games, nearly $100 for a rather buggy game made in Unity is just too much.”
  • atmosphere
    150 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The atmosphere in the game is widely praised for its immersive qualities, enhanced by a captivating soundtrack and dynamic storytelling that draws players into a rich, imaginative world. Despite its simplistic graphics, the game effectively conveys a unique charm and depth, creating a compelling environment that balances tension and tranquility. Players appreciate the game's ability to evoke a range of emotions, from the serene to the suspenseful, making it a standout experience in the colony management genre.

    • “The atmosphere and music are captivating: calm melodies accompany the early days, and a touching song in the credits helps you accept that you won't see your beloved colonists again.”
    • “From the haunting soundtrack to the vivid descriptions of events, every aspect of the game contributes to its atmospheric charm.”
    • “The atmosphere is incredible, and the depth of what you can do seems really amazingly thought-out.”
    • “While the graphics are effective in conveying the game’s mechanics and atmosphere, they are relatively simple and may not appeal to players looking for visually stunning games.”
    • “Environmentally, the landscapes are earth-like and lack creative environments resembling other known planetary environments/atmospheres as well as the necessary systems in order to creatively challenge and delight players.”
    • “My initial complaints with the game are: the art style is awful and unfitting for the atmosphere of the game (even if you like this art style, you can't deny that some of the models and animation are terrible), it seems slightly overpriced in its current state; the UI is unintuitive, the hotkeys need reworking; there's no good in-game tutorial, progress can be slow with steel and components being a constant bottleneck - the only two resources which seem to matter.”
  • monetization
    65 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The monetization of the game has received mixed reviews, with some players praising the absence of microtransactions and the value of the DLCs, while others criticize the high prices and perceive them as cash grabs. Many users appreciate the game's solid foundation and active modding community, but express frustration over the developers' focus on DLC rather than improving gameplay. Overall, while the game offers good content for its price, concerns about developer greed and the cost of expansions persist.

    • “It's nice to see a game with a healthy community and an enormous modding scene in these gaming dark ages full of microtransactions and empty promises.”
    • “There are no microtransactions, pay-to-win, or anything of the sort - the two DLCs are also excellent, but purely optional.”
    • “Huge bang for your buck - no nickel-and-diming you with microtransactions or pay-to-win items.”
    • “Another cash grab game that focuses on DLC rather than fixing gameplay.”
    • “I'm not against paid DLC as I know that when it comes to games like this, that's their only form of monetization, but when the DLCs are almost at the same price as the base game, it reaches the point of greed.”
    • “Was a good enough game until it became a grossly overpriced cash grab.”
  • character development
    41 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    Character development in the game is highly praised for its depth and emotional engagement, with unique personalities, backstories, and relationships that create dynamic interactions among characters. Players appreciate the blend of storytelling and character progression, which enhances the overall gameplay experience, despite some criticism regarding character design aesthetics. While the game offers rich character development opportunities, it is noted that certain traits remain static, limiting the evolution of characters over time.

    • “The character development and storytelling aspects of the game are top-notch, and the randomly generated events and challenges ensure that no two playthroughs are the same.”
    • “What sets RimWorld apart is its unparalleled depth in character development and storytelling.”
    • “The depth of its character development, from personalities to relationships, adds a layer of emotional investment rarely seen in other games.”
    • “You cannot influence the larger world or have any meaningful diplomacy and interaction with other factions, and pawns themselves never change and are static entities in terms of character development; they have none aside from replacing their kidneys and arms with bionics after they get blown away.”
    • “Less complex and in-depth history and character development, but certainly a more finalized and directed route that the gameplay could and can take.”
    • “Unfortunately, traits can never change, and they're decided entirely at character development.”
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80%Critics’ scoreBased on 5 critic reviews
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201h Median play time
559h Average play time
60h Main story
353h Completionist
48-709h Spent by most gamers
*Based on 1,326 analyzed playthroughs
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Frequently Asked Questions

RimWorld is a survival real-time strategy game with science fiction theme.

RimWorld is available on PC, Mac OS, Steam Deck, Windows and others.

The main story can be completed in around 60 hours, while the entire game is estimated to take about 353 hours to finish. On average players spend around 559 hours playing RimWorld.

RimWorld was released on October 17, 2018.

RimWorld was developed by Ludeon Studios.

RimWorld has received mostly positive reviews from players and mostly positive reviews from critics. Most players liked this game for its story but disliked it for its grinding.

RimWorld is a single player game.

Similar games include Stellaris, Cities: Skylines, Kenshi, Prison Architect, Project Zomboid and others.