Terra Nil

Terra-Nil is a short and sweet relaxing builder game about restoring barren lands.

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Terra Nil is a game about transforming a barren, lifeless landscape into a thriving, vibrant ecosystem. Turn dead soil into fertile grassland, clean polluted oceans, plant sprawling forests, and create the ideal habitat for animals to call home. Then recycle your buildings and leave no trace that you were there. Reclaim the wasteland. A REVERSE CITY BUILDER Use advanced eco-technology to purify t…

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

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

Reviews

86%

Audience ScoreBased on 3,448 reviews

gameplay225 positive mentions

grinding61 negative mentions

Very chill and relaxing puzzle-like game.
Beautiful graphics and soothing soundscapes that enhance the gameplay experience.
Satisfying gameplay loop of restoring ecosystems and watching nature thrive.

The game is quite short, with only 8 levels, leading to a lack of replayability.
Some mechanics are not well explained, leading to confusion and potential soft-locks.
The recycling phase can become tedious and detracts from the overall enjoyment.

gameplay
667 mentions
34 % positive mentions
61 % neutral mentions
5 % negative mentions
The gameplay of "Terra Nil" is characterized by a satisfying loop of restoring ecosystems through strategic placement of buildings and plants, offering a relaxing yet engaging experience. While the mechanics are generally easy to grasp, some players find them simplistic and repetitive, with a desire for more depth and variety in challenges. The game features beautiful visuals and a soothing soundtrack, but its short length and limited content may leave some players wanting more, particularly in terms of replayability and complexity.
- “The gameplay is relaxing, but challenging enough to keep my attention.”
- “The core gameplay is relaxing and satisfying, and has a very unique take within this genre.”
- “The gameplay loop is enjoyable once you get the hang of it, and the soothing soundtrack and gorgeous visuals make for a calming environment that really allows you to get lost in the gameplay.”
- “Gameplay is lacking depth, but for a comfort game, that does not really matter that much; however, if you want Civ/AoE/SimCity kinds of strategy, look elsewhere.”
- “Unfortunately, this is one of those games that calculate their in-game mechanics based on the frame rate.”
- “The gameplay is very simple and shallow, and it starts to get repetitive after only 2 hours.”
graphics
408 mentions
58 % positive mentions
41 % neutral mentions
1 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game have been widely praised for their stunning visuals, charming art style, and soothing aesthetic that enhances the overall relaxing experience. Players appreciate the vibrant colors and attention to detail, which effectively convey the theme of ecological restoration. However, some users have noted performance issues and graphical bugs that detract from the experience, suggesting that while the visuals are beautiful, they may not be optimized for all systems.
- “The stunning visuals and enchanting soundtrack create a mesmerizing atmosphere, while the dynamic weather changes keep the gameplay fresh and engaging.”
- “Beautiful visuals, the gameplay is easy to pick up and the difficulty goes up by a good amount each level.”
- “The graphics are really pretty - the progression from muted, dull wasteland to saturated, vibrant nature is rewarding and really sells the idea that you're bringing a dead planet back to life.”
- “Considering how relatively simple the game's graphics are, it stutters terribly on each level from the grass stage onwards.”
- “The optimization is atrocious, and the game doesn't have graphics settings, except for LOD that goes from 'shit quality even when you zoom in all the way' to 'max resolution textures and highest quality models for every single object, even when you zoom out all the way out', with no settings in-between.”
- “The graphics could use a bit of an upgrade by modern standards.”
music
328 mentions
59 % positive mentions
40 % neutral mentions
1 % negative mentions
The music in the game is widely praised for its calming and soothing qualities, enhancing the overall relaxing atmosphere. Players appreciate how the soundtrack complements the gameplay, with gentle melodies that evolve as the environment is restored, creating a meditative experience. The combination of beautiful visuals and tranquil music contributes to a satisfying and immersive gaming experience, making it ideal for those seeking a peaceful escape.
- “The music is soothing and relaxing, and it perfectly complements the game's overall vibe.”
- “The soundtrack is beautiful, and the gameplay loop is satisfying for the most part on a first playthrough.”
- “The music and visuals combine into a relaxing vibe that I strongly recommend.”
- “The music is a bit mediocre, but it fits well enough.”
- “While this game is pretty, the soundtrack is calm and unobtrusive, it's just not enough to make me want to keep playing after my 6 hours sunk in.”
- “Its soundtrack is a bit sparse, but it gets the job done, and is similarly meditative and quiet.”
replayability
209 mentions
20 % positive mentions
71 % neutral mentions
9 % negative mentions
The game's replayability is a mixed bag, with many players noting that while procedural generation offers some variation, the overall experience can feel repetitive due to limited content and similar objectives across levels. Some enjoy the relaxing nature and find enough replay value in different difficulty settings and map layouts, while others feel that the short campaign and lack of significant changes in gameplay diminish long-term engagement. Overall, it has decent replayability for casual play, but many players express a desire for more content and variety to enhance the experience.
- “I haven't finished all the levels yet (I'm about halfway done), but I like how the maps are randomly generated and there are different difficulties for increased replayability.”
- “The fact that each time you go back to an area and restart your restoration efforts, the map will be generated slightly differently adds replay value, especially if you are hoping to get all the achievements.”
- “The maps are procedurally generated, so there's plenty of replayability to try and craft a more perfect habitat than before.”
- “My one gripe (pre-update) was that the length/replayability was pretty limited, since there were only a handful of levels with minor variation on replays.”
- “There's zero replayability.”
- “The replay value is low to has once you've beat the game, there's not much else to do or explore.”
story
172 mentions
9 % positive mentions
83 % neutral mentions
8 % negative mentions
The game's story is minimal, primarily revolving around the theme of ecological restoration without any significant narrative or character development. Players engage in a series of missions across various biomes, focusing on transforming polluted landscapes into thriving ecosystems, but many reviewers express a desire for a more substantial storyline or deeper context. While the gameplay is described as relaxing and satisfying, the lack of a compelling story leaves some players feeling that the experience is somewhat incomplete.
- “Despite the simplistic story, it provides these super emotional moments when you turn the tide and your previously poisoned wasteland turns into a thriving paradise with little animals running around, birds and butterflies coming back, etc.”
- “Each island in the game is kind of a unique and different story, adding to the immersive experience.”
- “There is no story, other than the planet has rotted away into a polluted wasteland, and you need to restore the wildlife.”
- “The story is very much in the background as the calming music, gameplay, and visuals take center stage in this relaxing strategy gem.”
- “The whole campaign feels like a tutorial, and I was really expecting to go to another planet after done with missions.”
grinding
66 mentions
2 % positive mentions
6 % neutral mentions
92 % negative mentions
Overall, players find the grinding aspect of the game to be tedious and often frustrating, particularly during the recycling and cleanup phases, which can feel like a chore rather than an engaging part of gameplay. Many reviews highlight that while the initial concept is enjoyable, repetitive mechanics and the lack of efficient processes lead to a grindy experience that detracts from the overall enjoyment. Despite some positive elements, the consensus is that the game could benefit from streamlining these tedious tasks to enhance player satisfaction.
- “It is not tedious, but each level you reach a point where you're an unstoppable restorative force.”
- “What I got was a tedious slog where you have to tear down every individual bit of machinery one at a time with no way to speed up this process, having to meticulously plan out not just the start, but also the middle and end bits.”
- “The recycling phase is too tedious; it needs to be sped up or just removed.”
- “Actions are repetitive, tedious, and with minimal payoff.”
optimization
64 mentions
25 % positive mentions
48 % neutral mentions
27 % negative mentions
Overall, the game's optimization has received significant criticism, with many users reporting poor performance, bugs, and a lack of smooth gameplay across various platforms. While some players noted improvements in recent updates, the consensus is that the game still struggles with optimization issues, particularly on lower-end hardware, leading to frustrating experiences despite its appealing aesthetics and engaging gameplay mechanics.
- “The standard difficulty has lots of room for optimization.”
- “Learning how to strategize and develop the land into the most optimized biomes is super satisfying.”
- “The core game loop is a pleasant mix of finding adjacency optimizations and puzzling out how to do the most with the resources you can.”
- “Fun game, but horribly optimized and the tutorials are lacking.”
- “Looks amazing but is not optimized well.”
- “Finally, the optimization of this game leaves a lot to be desired.”
atmosphere
62 mentions
66 % positive mentions
29 % neutral mentions
5 % negative mentions
The atmosphere of the game is widely praised for its calming and enchanting qualities, enhanced by stunning visuals, a soothing soundtrack, and dynamic weather changes that create a mesmerizing experience. Players appreciate the game's ability to evoke a sense of peace and relaxation, making it a perfect escape for those looking to unwind. However, some critiques mention that while the atmosphere is delightful, it may not compensate for perceived shortcomings in gameplay mechanics.
- “The stunning visuals and enchanting soundtrack create a mesmerizing atmosphere, while the dynamic weather changes keep the gameplay fresh and engaging.”
- “The hand-painted environments, music, and atmospheric ambient soundscape lend themselves to making Terra Nil an incredibly pleasant and relaxing experience.”
- “Terra Nil is a genuinely unique addition to the city builder/management sim/god sim genres, so take it slow, soak in the atmosphere, and really bask in how hopeful it feels to do something positive to your digital environment for a change.”
- “To me this is a type of game that largely lives off tone and atmosphere.”
- “But making the player repair something just to force them to break it down again for no reason but obviously bad game design in the very first level is at most an atmosphere of hostility towards the player.”
- “Which seems to run counter to the wholesome, relaxed atmosphere every other component is trying to build.”
emotional
59 mentions
100 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
0 % negative mentions
The emotional aspect of the game is overwhelmingly positive, with players describing it as a deeply wholesome and heartwarming experience. Many reviewers highlight the game's ability to evoke feelings of joy and satisfaction through its eco-friendly themes and the rewarding process of restoring nature, often leading to emotional moments that resonate long after gameplay. Overall, it is praised for its calming atmosphere, beautiful design, and the emotional impact of witnessing environmental rejuvenation.
- “The simplistic beauty of this game made me cry multiple times (in a good way).”
- “Finally, the heartwarming feeling of bringing life back to a desolate wasteland has been realized in a manner that is rarely seen in gaming.”
- “It made me happy, it made me cry with joy upon seeing a full habitat restored.”
stability
43 mentions
7 % positive mentions
2 % neutral mentions
91 % negative mentions
The game has been widely criticized for its stability issues, with many players reporting frequent bugs, glitches, and crashes that can disrupt gameplay and require level resets. While some users noted minor graphical glitches and occasional freezing, others experienced more severe game-breaking issues that hindered their overall enjoyment. Overall, the consensus is that the game needs significant optimization and bug fixes before it can be recommended for investment.
- “It's not a long game at the moment, but it's been, for me at least, a clean and bug-free experience that I've totally enjoyed.”
- “Though not buggy, the 'clean up' crew sometimes gets stuck.”
- “There's no troubleshooting or logistics management to try for a different solution to a puzzle; it is pure pass or fail.”
- “There are still many glitches in the game that need to be fixed; some have even caused me to have to reset a whole level right at the end.”
- “Until some of the glitches are ironed out, I would not recommend people invest the time and money in the game.”
- “Game-breaking bugs and glitches on launch.”
monetization
4 mentions
0 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
100 % negative mentions
The monetization aspect of the game has received mixed reviews, with some players appreciating the strategic elements introduced in the update, while others criticize the lack of transparency in advertising and express dissatisfaction with the overall monetization approach, likening it to a mobile game experience.
- “I would like to give it a 'meh', but for the above reasons and the not so transparent advertising, it gets a negative from me (also 'meh' is not possible on Steam :-( ).”
- “It seems more like a better mobile zen garden without the ads.”
humor
3 mentions
100 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is highlighted by its amusing characters, particularly a funny bear, and some entertaining gameplay elements. However, players note that the humor can become repetitive over time. Overall, the game offers a lighthearted experience, though it may lack variety in its comedic aspects.
- “Funny tree game.”
- “This game is good! It's got a funny bear!”
- “The gameplay is sort of funny, but repetitive.”