Smalland: Survive the Wilds

Smalland: Survive the Wilds is an impressive survival game with a lot of heart, and a crafting system that is filled with options.

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In "Smalland: Survive the Wilds" , players explore a vast, open world from a small perspective, encountering lake-sized puddles, skyscraper-sized trees, and hidden NPCs. The game allows players to tame and ride various creatures, uncovering recipes for creature-taming while venturing through dense forests, hazardous swamps, and ancient ruins. As Vanguard you are on an urgent mission to survive in this vast wilderness, left behind by the time of the giants.

Play Modes

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

Reviews

83%

Audience ScoreBased on 3,427 reviews

gameplay139 positive mentions

grinding146 negative mentions

Beautiful graphics and immersive world design.
Engaging gameplay with a mix of crafting, combat, and exploration.
Unique mechanics like moving your entire base between trees add depth to the gameplay.

Combat can feel clunky and lacks variety, with many enemies having similar attack patterns.
The game suffers from bugs and performance issues, especially in multiplayer.
The progression system can feel grindy, with some rewards not being worth the effort.

gameplay
457 mentions
30 % positive mentions
60 % neutral mentions
10 % negative mentions
The gameplay of "Smalland" has received mixed reviews, with many players praising its unique building mechanics and engaging visuals, but criticizing its unbalanced survival elements and clunky combat. While some enjoy the crafting and exploration aspects, others find the mechanics frustrating and poorly implemented, leading to a sense of repetitiveness and lack of direction. Overall, the game shows potential but requires significant improvements in core mechanics and performance to fully realize its promise.
- “The mechanics you're given to survive are pretty impressive; the treetop base system is very fun to work with, and once you accomplish staying up in the trees, you really feel like you've conquered the survival aspect of the game.”
- “Smalland is a fun co-op game with some interesting progression and a housing mechanic that is unique.”
- “The gameplay mechanics are incredibly unique and innovative, allowing players to experience the world from a new and refreshing perspective.”
- “The gameplay itself can be overwhelming, especially for beginners.”
- “Neat concept, but it is very unfinished and many changes they made did not have appropriate fixing to balancing nor environment. Many animations do not play in combat, mechanics that were changed are causing rippling effects to the gameplay. Worst of all, core gameplay info such as the great trees that act as a permanent settlement that can be relocated at any time have almost no information on how to actually find or claim one of them. Good concept, poor execution swamped with half properly implemented ideas.”
- “The game recently transitioned from early access to full release, but there is still a certain 'jank' to both the gameplay and performance of the game.”
story
439 mentions
24 % positive mentions
69 % neutral mentions
7 % negative mentions
The story in "Smalland" has received mixed reviews, with many players finding it underdeveloped and lacking depth. While some appreciate the charming setting and the potential for exploration, others criticize the linear and simplistic quest structure, noting that it often feels disconnected from the gameplay. Overall, players express a desire for more engaging narratives and clearer quest tracking as the game continues to evolve in early access.
- “The main story is beautifully crafted and a ton of fun to explore; bugs are challenging but fair, and taming insects to use them is a ton of fun, especially once you unlock the hornet which is a blast to fly around.”
- “The story of Smalland is fun, and the game world is lovely to explore.”
- “Great game, amazing story, and astounding visual style.”
- “The storyline felt very brief but it kept you pointed in the right direction to hit all the main bosses.”
- “The story is basically non-existent; some flavor text here and there.”
- “The main quest needs fleshing out.”
graphics
349 mentions
56 % positive mentions
40 % neutral mentions
3 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game receive mixed reviews, with many praising the beautiful art style and immersive environments, while others criticize optimization issues that lead to stuttering and performance problems. Players appreciate the vibrant visuals and attention to detail, but some feel that the graphics can appear dated or inconsistent, especially when settings are adjusted. Overall, the game's aesthetic is generally well-received, though it is clear that further optimization and polish are needed to enhance the experience.
- “The graphics are breathtakingly beautiful, delivering a visually stunning and seamlessly smooth gaming experience.”
- “The graphics are beautiful and stable with max settings and ray tracing on.”
- “The graphics and rendering are gorgeous, and it really feels like you’re a tiny person/wingless fairy of your own design in a gigantic, beautiful forest.”
- “Unfortunately, the optimization of graphics is terrible.”
- “The graphics are average but the design of land and plants is cluttered and a mess.”
- “Its basically unplayable at this time and any game that default sets your graphics settings to ultra generally tells you right off the bat there is 0 optimization.”
grinding
157 mentions
2 % positive mentions
5 % neutral mentions
93 % negative mentions
The grinding aspect of the game has received mixed feedback from players. While many find it to be excessively tedious, particularly in resource gathering and crafting, others appreciate the well-designed systems that make the grind enjoyable, especially when playing with friends. Overall, the game is described as grindy, with some players suggesting that adjustments to resource demands and crafting mechanics could enhance the experience.
- “Not too grindy, and holds a bit of challenge to reach end game.”
- “But overall, I enjoyed this early access experience; the resource gathering wasn't too grindy, even to make a mostly stone base and all the facilities/workstations.”
- “You still have to revisit areas, but you aren't grinding for ages.”
- “The excess of time you will spend on this is literally grinding for resources because of how little they give you.”
- “The devs recently added in a few artificial hurdles by for example introducing unnecessarily long crafting timers and quite an expensive fuel cost for crafting, thus making the game a lot more grindy.”
- “You would think something this grindy has a big payoff, but it offers stuff barely better than your craftable items.”
stability
98 mentions
13 % positive mentions
2 % neutral mentions
85 % negative mentions
The stability of the game has received mixed reviews, with many players reporting various bugs and glitches, particularly in building mechanics and character creation. While some users experienced significant issues, others found the game to run smoothly with minimal problems, especially considering its early access status. Overall, the consensus suggests that while the game is somewhat buggy, it remains playable and enjoyable, with potential for improvement in future updates.
- “The game seems to run great, as I have had little to no glitches or bugs as of yet.”
- “The game is almost entirely bug-free -- no glitches, server issues, etc. that we encountered that were game-specific.”
- “Runs great and as far as survival games go, surprisingly low amounts of jank.”
- “The game was also buggy; my UI hotbar occasionally would disappear, and suddenly I can't swap weapons. On occasion, it would break where nothing would let me interact or use said gear.”
- “It's gotten so buggy, and things that should have been fixed before 1.0 haven't been fixed or even addressed at all.”
- “Will be coming back when it's out for a while, but for now, it's too buggy and broken to play.”
optimization
85 mentions
15 % positive mentions
51 % neutral mentions
34 % negative mentions
The optimization of "Small Island, Survive the Wilds" has received overwhelmingly negative feedback, with players reporting severe stuttering, lag, and game-breaking bugs even on high-end systems. Many users feel that the game was released prematurely from early access, lacking the necessary performance updates and refinements, while a few noted that it runs well on specific setups. Overall, the consensus is that significant optimization is needed to improve gameplay experience.
- “On the technical side, the game seems to run well and is fairly optimized despite some minor microstutter when loading in.”
- “Overall the game is very well optimized, I get 90+ fps at 1440p with an RTX 2060.”
- “I truly recommend this game, one of the most complete and optimized early access games out there, very fun and entertaining as well as original, but the best part is that they are listening to the community and are adapting the game quickly based on our recommendations and input.”
- “Even after reducing graphical settings and making the game look bad, as soon as I would engage in combat, the game would start stuttering.”
- “I waited for 1.0 to try Smalland, but found it had truly awful performance optimization, and the first hour of gameplay feels very janky.”
- “The main reason I am disappointed with this game is that I really didn't expect the optimization to be this bad.”
music
84 mentions
57 % positive mentions
39 % neutral mentions
4 % negative mentions
The music in the game has received largely positive feedback, with many players praising its charm, immersive quality, and ability to enhance the atmosphere. While some noted that certain tracks can become repetitive during extended play, the overall sentiment is that the soundtrack is well-crafted and complements the game's whimsical and adventurous themes. Additionally, the sound design, including ambient sounds and combat music, contributes to a captivating experience, although a few players suggested a need for more variety in the music.
- “The music is magical and the world blends so well.”
- “The soundtrack is amazing and the art style is pleasing; I would definitely recommend picking this up for anyone into survival games in general.”
- “The music creates the most peaceful atmosphere when gathering or building your home.”
- “I like the style especially during storms; however, because of the nature of a survival game, which is to just binge-play for hours on end, the music started to get tedious.”
- “I'd like to see a little variety in battle scores and overworld music.”
- “The dramatic high-pitch music parts (start of the song) with storms get on my nerves after a while, but that could just be me. Don't get me wrong, the music in this game is very well done.”
atmosphere
40 mentions
70 % positive mentions
23 % neutral mentions
8 % negative mentions
The game's atmosphere is widely praised for its beautiful graphics, immersive sound design, and enchanting environments that evoke a sense of wonder and exploration. Players appreciate the vibrant biomes and the charming details that bring the world to life, although some suggest improvements, such as seasonal changes and enhanced weather effects. Overall, the atmosphere is considered a standout feature, contributing significantly to the game's enjoyment and potential for future development.
- “Every blade of grass, fluttering butterfly, and towering tree is beautifully rendered, creating an atmosphere that feels alive and brimming with possibilities.”
- “The melodic tunes perfectly match the game's atmosphere, evoking a sense of childlike wonder and exploration.”
- “The atmosphere is great and enchanting.”
- “Gameplay and atmosphere are too weak for 2023.”
- “I would advise to work on the change of seasons (there should be no thunderstorms in winter), perhaps the ponds should freeze and snow or the heat and blazing sun should force you to hide in the shade. A lot of interesting things can still be added, but I hope to preserve that charming and sweet atmosphere!”
- “With a more pleasing atmosphere, better game controls and mechanics, and a diverse array of weapons and combat styles, Smalland is a definite recommend for me.”
humor
11 mentions
100 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is highlighted by its quirky mechanics and amusing moments, such as the option to replace spiders with funny blobs and the comedic challenges of survival, like instant death from cold. Players enjoy the lighthearted interactions and unexpected funny glitches, contributing to a playful atmosphere that enhances the overall experience. The game successfully combines adventure with humor, making it enjoyable for players seeking both fun and laughter.
- “Love playing this with my boyfriend (many trolls and funny moments too hehe), so fun being tiny and taming and flying and ahhh :d.”
- “Also, there is a setting to change the spiders with arachnophobia settings to 'bugs' and if you set it higher you get funny blobs.”
- “Seasonal changes are wonderful, but instant death from cold after a few moments outside is hilariously broken.”
emotional
9 mentions
89 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
11 % negative mentions
Players find the emotional aspect of the game to be a mixed experience; while it offers a welcoming environment and encourages exploration, it ultimately lacks the depth and emotional resonance found in other survival games. The game's aesthetic and control options are praised, but some users feel that the story is boring and the gameplay can feel rushed, particularly towards the end of the current content. Overall, the emotional engagement is present but not fully realized, leading to a recommendation to wait for further development before diving in.
- “So many games forget that what the player sees for the first time is crucial to game success, and Smallands made me feel welcomed and allowed me to learn at my own pace.”
- “Hats off to you guys. Smallands made me feel like playing more, exploring more, building more... and all that with some of the best and amazing amounts of control options.”
- “But night time makes me want to cry.”
- “Good idea but a boring story.”
replayability
7 mentions
43 % positive mentions
14 % neutral mentions
43 % negative mentions
The game's replayability is enhanced by regular content updates from developers, which keeps players engaged and offers variety. However, some users feel that the lack of random world generation significantly diminishes its replay value, leading to mixed opinions on its overall replayability.
- “Content is regularly being added by the developers, which enhances the replayability factor and keeps players coming back for more!”
- “Favorite game since 2016! 10/10, really good replayability.”
- “It makes for better variety and replayability, in my opinion.”
- “It's not replayable in my opinion.”
- “That is pretty boring and I cannot see any replay value in this design.”
- “That doesn't make it any less janky or any more playable.”
monetization
5 mentions
0 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
100 % negative mentions
The monetization aspect of the game has drawn mixed reactions, with some players feeling it resembles an early access cash grab rather than a fully realized product. While there is anticipation for future content, concerns about limited options and the lack of balance for solo play have left some users dissatisfied. Overall, the game's pricing and monetization strategy appear to be a significant point of contention among players.
- “Another early access cash grab.”
- “This game is like one of those old ads for a comedy movie where you know all of the best moments of the movie will be the same ones you saw in the ad.”
- “No private servers and pretty much zero in terms of options and tweaks to the games for the server you make and that in itself is kind of a deal breaker for me personally as I like to play these games solo, and this despite advertising itself as single player or multiplayer is very much not balanced for solo play at all.”
character development
2 mentions
100 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
0 % negative mentions
Reviewers appreciate the character design, noting that it is visually appealing and enhanced by a deeper character creation process. The overall enjoyment of both the environment and character aesthetics contributes positively to the game's character development.
- “The character design is nice, especially with the added depth in character creation.”
- “The environment and character design are very enjoyable.”