TerraGenesis - Space Settlers | Game Brain

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TerraGenesis - Space Settlers is a fantasy simulation game that offers a unique atmosphere, combining space exploration and planet terraforming based on real NASA data. The game boasts an outstanding story, sensational gameplay, and delightful soundtrack, but can be very grinding with annoying ads and is known to be buggy. Despite its flaws, the game provides a highly emotional and entertaining experience.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

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

Reviews

78%

Audience ScoreBased on 10,000 reviews

graphics553 positive mentions

monetization1,416 negative mentions

Engaging gameplay that requires strategic thinking and planning.
Beautiful graphics and immersive sound design enhance the experience.
Optional ads provide rewards without interrupting gameplay.

Frequent crashes and lag issues, especially with larger planets.
Overlapping menus and unresponsive controls can hinder gameplay.
Slow progression can lead to frustration, especially with long wait times for upgrades.

monetization
1,570 mentions
3 % positive mentions
7 % neutral mentions
90 % negative mentions
The monetization strategy of the game has received mixed reviews, with many players appreciating the optional nature of ads that provide valuable in-game rewards, such as boosts and currency. However, numerous users have expressed frustration over the frequency and intrusiveness of these ads, often feeling pressured to watch them to progress effectively. While some players are willing to tolerate the ads for the benefits they offer, others find the reliance on ads and in-app purchases to be excessive, leading to a perception of the game as a cash grab.
- “No ads unless you choose to watch one, and if you do, you get some prizes.”
- “While there are in-app purchases, you don't have to buy anything unless you want to move the game a little faster.”
- “The in-app purchases are not necessary to play, and there are several ways of getting the benefits of the currency without real money.”
- “This game was good a few years ago, but it is becoming far too aggressive with its monetization and ad policy.”
- “You can't get anywhere without watching ads, so it creates revenue.”
- “The only thing stopping me from a 5-star rating is the constant barrage of 'incoming transmissions' which are merely video ads for other games.”
graphics
821 mentions
67 % positive mentions
30 % neutral mentions
2 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game have received widespread praise for their beauty and realism, with many users highlighting the stunning visuals that enhance the experience of terraforming planets. While some players noted that the graphics could be improved in terms of detail and interactivity, particularly regarding cities and colonies, the overall consensus is that the game's graphics are impressive for a mobile title. However, there are mentions of occasional lag and performance issues, suggesting that optimization could further enhance the visual experience.
- “The graphics are beautiful and there's so much to do.”
- “The graphics are stunning and the gameplay is seamless.”
- “The graphics are amazing and the fun facts on the planets were super cool!”
- “The graphics are fairly basic.”
- “The graphics are terrible to be honest, the planet is so jagged it's like PS1 (bad).”
- “Game play is slow, graphics are basic and ads are nonstop.”
gameplay
758 mentions
43 % positive mentions
53 % neutral mentions
4 % negative mentions
The gameplay of the game is characterized by a blend of strategic resource management and terraforming mechanics, offering a slow-paced yet engaging experience that encourages thoughtful planning. While many players appreciate the educational aspects and the depth of mechanics, some express frustration with the frequent need to watch ads for progression and the lengthy wait times for tasks to complete. Overall, the game is praised for its graphics and concept, but it faces criticism for its slow gameplay and occasional bugs that can detract from the experience.
- “The game uses real-world science and tech to terraform planets, and I have found its slower-paced gameplay fun, because it shows the extreme of the changes that are happening to the planet you are terraforming.”
- “It has many free worlds, and the gameplay is fun yet at your own pace, with great writing and story behind it and the optional governors of your cities.”
- “I love the gameplay and the science, especially the detailed modeling of the planets.”
- “The gameplay is very boring and consists of 5% strategy, 35% ad-watching, and 60% waiting for hours for your tasks to complete.”
- “Gameplay way too slow, spent more time watching ads for points as the game is practically unplayable without them; takes way too long to achieve anything.”
- “The gameplay is disappointing, 70% of the time you close the app and wait for a notification to appear just to be a yes or no question.”
music
347 mentions
57 % positive mentions
41 % neutral mentions
2 % negative mentions
The music in the game is widely praised for its beauty and calming qualities, enhancing the overall immersive experience. Many players appreciate the atmospheric soundtrack, which complements the game's graphics and gameplay, although some express frustration over the lack of volume control and issues with the music interrupting other audio sources. Overall, the soundtrack is considered a standout feature, contributing significantly to the game's appeal.
- “The music is lovely and the graphics are very good.”
- “The music is immersive, the game is challenging, rewarding, and teaches patience and wisdom.”
- “The beautiful graphics and soothing music make for relaxing, enjoyable gameplay.”
- “I can mute the music in the control panel, but there should be a volume control in the game.”
- “The music is annoying and I couldn't figure out how to turn it off, not that I had much of a chance to even explore the app because that person in the corner kept talking and would change scenes way too quickly.”
- “Features loud, obnoxious music with no way to disable it before beginning play.”
stability
277 mentions
1 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
99 % negative mentions
The game's stability is a significant concern among users, with frequent reports of freezing, lagging, and crashing during gameplay. Many players experience unresponsive interfaces, particularly during key interactions like starting new games or accessing menus, leading to frustration and loss of progress. While some users note that the game can be enjoyable when it functions properly, the overwhelming consensus is that persistent bugs and glitches severely detract from the overall experience.
- “The game is stable and bug free (so far).”
- “No glitches so far.”
- “No glitches yet.”
- “The game completely stopped loading, eventually presenting an error screen requesting that I send a screenshot of the error to the troubleshooting email.”
- “The game freezes whenever I open the governor page.”
- “I can't even play the game, constantly freezes every time I try to start a game.”
story
168 mentions
23 % positive mentions
71 % neutral mentions
5 % negative mentions
The game's story is generally engaging and immersive, with a blend of scientific realism and science fiction elements that enhance the gameplay experience. However, many players express a desire for a more structured and dynamic narrative, as well as additional story-driven content and unique storylines for different worlds. While the writing is praised, some users find the missions repetitive and the overall storyline lacking depth, suggesting that more interactive elements and varied narratives could significantly improve the experience.
- “Interesting and intellectually engaging, the game has some of the world-building thrill of many simulation games with a scientific reality blended with a science fiction storyline.”
- “The art is beautiful and there's an underlying story that has been fun to tease out.”
- “The terraforming process is well designed, the planets are varied and challenging, and the backstory of the factions adds to the immersion.”
- “Moon and Mars unfortunately had very little story apart from the randomly generated one!”
- “The only reason I'm not giving it a 5 is because I feel like the game is missing a story or more content or more variations on the theme.”
- “The gameplay is okay, but no storyline/campaign.”
atmosphere
164 mentions
32 % positive mentions
65 % neutral mentions
2 % negative mentions
The atmosphere in the game is a central and engaging aspect, with players appreciating the realistic and visually satisfying transformation of planets as they manage atmospheric conditions, water levels, and ecosystems. The game's atmospheric music enhances the immersive experience, although some players express frustration with the complexity and unpredictability of atmospheric management, which can lead to catastrophic failures if not monitored closely. Overall, the atmosphere is described as both captivating and educational, providing a unique blend of strategy and science fiction.
- “The first time I noticed the atmosphere starting to appear, when water began to cover the surface, and when greenery started to engulf the once barren planet, I got goosebumps.”
- “Watching Mars slowly become delicately green, seeing the atmosphere develop clouds and seeing lakes appear is quite spine-tingling.”
- “The graphics are tremendously satisfying, as you watch atmosphere, seas, and greenery creep across your world.”
- “Every time I get the atmosphere and land going well, the game abandons my largest city.”
- “About 30 minutes later, the game randomly decided to send in an asteroid that destroyed every single thing I had built on Venus and screwed up the atmosphere I'd spent weeks fixing.”
- “My only gripe is that the terraforming demands a certain level of micromanagement, requiring the player to check back every few hours to avoid flooding the atmosphere with oxygen or cooking the biosphere alive.”
grinding
68 mentions
4 % positive mentions
-3 % neutral mentions
99 % negative mentions
The grinding aspect of the game is widely criticized for being excessively tedious and slow, often requiring significant time investment or real money to progress. Players report that the gameplay becomes repetitive and frustrating due to long wait times for upgrades and resources, leading to a sense of monotony. While some appreciate the challenge and potential for growth, many feel that the grind detracts from the overall enjoyment, making it a barrier for casual players.
- “The grinding in this game strikes a perfect balance; it's engaging without feeling overly tedious.”
- “I appreciate that the grinding mechanics are rewarding and not bogged down by excessive ads.”
- “Grinding feels satisfying and is integrated well into the overall gameplay experience.”
- “The game is extremely slow, so ridiculously slow that your level ones to research take nearly 2 hours. Why would you make a game that's supposed to change the planet run at such a length of time? It's not even worth the argument, and it's so slow and pay-to-play. If the game was a little bit more responsive and a little bit less drag-your-feet to make big decisions, I would be with it, but instead, it is just a slow, tedious reason why we're not going to Mars.”
- “Sadly, the pace is glacial and the gameplay tedious - incremental tasks take hours or days to complete, and as far as I can tell, there's little opportunity to make meaningful strategic decisions.”
- “It's utterly pointless, hours of grinding, for next to no progression.”
optimization
45 mentions
20 % positive mentions
64 % neutral mentions
16 % negative mentions
Overall, the game's optimization has received mixed reviews, with many players expressing frustration over performance issues, particularly as they progress in the game. While some updates have improved the user interface and performance slightly, significant lag and slowdowns remain a common complaint, especially on lower-end devices. Players are eager for further optimization to enhance gameplay experience and reduce stuttering and freezing.
- “I can build 50 outposts without any performance loss, but 5 colonies already begins to freeze the game.”
- “Optimizations required for a more fluent in-game experience.”
- “Great game, fun optimization problem; the UI, though functional, leaves something to be desired.”
- “It seriously needs a performance overhaul.”
- “Original, fun, pretty and engaging idle game ruined by poor UI and god awful optimization.”
- “Fantastic game handicapped by terrible performance.”
replayability
30 mentions
30 % positive mentions
57 % neutral mentions
13 % negative mentions
Overall, the game exhibits a mixed reception regarding replayability. Many players appreciate the strategic depth and variety of factions and planets, which contribute to a high replay value, while others feel that once certain objectives are achieved, the excitement diminishes. Additionally, ongoing developer support and expansions are noted as factors that could enhance replayability, though some users express concerns about a lack of long-term engagement.
- “I love this game; I like all the different gameplay elements and how they interlock. If you change one, they all are affected, which requires a lot of strategy. I also love all the different modes and factions to choose from, providing lots of replay value.”
- “The group you choose can have a big impact on your strategy and victory conditions, which makes it fun and adds replay value.”
- “High replay value; you can play again on the same planet or on a different one.”
- “Cons: nothing solid to complain about but I don't believe there is much excitement for replayability currently.”
- “Lacks replay value; however, once you've created a stable biome, there isn't anything to do except see how high the population gets.”
- “Fun experience building a world, but little to no replay value.”
humor
16 mentions
100 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is widely appreciated, with players finding it both funny and engaging through clever writing and amusing scenarios, such as the "time traveler" bit and humorous notifications about in-game events. Many users enjoy the lightheartedness of the narrative and random events, which add to the overall enjoyment, despite some technical issues that can lead to comical situations. Overall, the game successfully blends humor with its complex science fiction themes, making it a delightful experience for players.
- “The 'time traveler' bit made me laugh.”
- “What I got is a sprawling yet detailed science fiction narrative that is thoughtful, funny, interesting, and complex.”
- “Many humorous messages in the game add to the enjoyment.”
emotional
12 mentions
100 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
0 % negative mentions
Players find the emotional aspect of the game deeply engaging, as they become invested in the transformation of barren planets into thriving ecosystems. The experience is described as a heartbreaking yet wholesome journey, with players feeling a strong connection to their in-game worlds and the passage of time, leading to an emotional roller coaster that keeps them coming back. Overall, the game's mechanics evoke a profound sense of investment and attachment, making it a memorable experience.
- “But the events are heartbreaking.”
- “It's also very easy to get emotionally invested in watching a barren planet turn green and wet and full of life.”
- “What an emotional roller coaster.”