The Archotek Project
- April 28, 2017
- The Archotek Project Team
- 5h median play time
Get on Steam"The Archotek Project" is a city-building and management simulation game set in a procedurally generated world. As the leader of an ancient civilization, players must gather resources, construct buildings, and manage their society to ensure its survival and growth. The game features a variety of technologies to research, natural disasters to overcome, and the ability to trade with other civilizations.
Mac OS
PC
Windows
Linux
Reviews
- The game features a variety of dinosaurs and has a unique, charming art style that appeals to players.
- The community is friendly, and the game can be enjoyable when played with friends, providing a relaxing experience.
- There is potential for future updates and improvements, which could enhance gameplay and add more content.
- The game is largely abandoned by developers, with no significant updates or active player base, making it feel empty and lifeless.
- Gameplay is shallow, with limited activities and no engaging objectives, leading to a lack of motivation to continue playing.
- Technical issues, such as server problems and bugs, hinder the overall experience, making it frustrating for players.
- graphics43 mentions
- 33 % positive mentions
- 60 % neutral mentions
- 7 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game are characterized by a simplistic, cartoonish art style that some players find charming and vibrant, particularly in the dinosaur designs. However, opinions are divided, with some users criticizing the graphics as ugly and lacking detail compared to other dinosaur games like "The Isle." Overall, while the visuals have their unique appeal, they may not satisfy those seeking realism or high-end graphics.
“The dinosaur designs are adorable and accurate, and I love the art style.”
“This game has a fantastic, beautiful art style and landscape style.”
“I love this game in many ways; for example, the graphics are simple but look nice, the dinosaurs are scientifically accurate, and the game can be pretty fun, featuring many dinosaurs and maps.”
“First of all, the graphics are ugly and the dinosaurs aren't exactly detailed like the dinosaurs from The Isle.”
“Don't get this game; the graphics are horrible. When I was playing it, the maps were so glitchy that I could hardly move my dino.”
“The graphics are horrible; I don't think this game will last long in a sea of awesome dinosaur games.”
- gameplay17 mentions
- 35 % positive mentions
- 47 % neutral mentions
- 18 % negative mentions
The gameplay has been criticized for its lack of depth, relying heavily on shallow mechanics and player-driven roleplay, leading to a sense of emptiness due to low server activity. While the art style is appreciated, many players feel that the developers have prioritized adding new creatures over enhancing core gameplay mechanics, resulting in a bland experience. Overall, the game shows potential but currently lacks engaging gameplay elements and a solid gameplay loop.
“With its unique cartoon aesthetic and massive variety of playable creatures, gameplay never gets stale.”
“It's fun, accurate, up-to-date with everything; however, being an early access game, you may expect glitches/bugs, and all that fun stuff, but none really interrupt with gameplay.”
“Gameplay is amazing!”
“The gameplay loop is entirely non-existent, and relies on players establishing their own roleplay groups to even have any sense of playability.”
“There's a total laziness on the side of the devs to not add any new or exciting gameplay elements.”
“I brought this game expecting something worthwhile and fun to play; the devs seem more focused on dumping out new dinosaurs instead of working on game mechanics.”
- music6 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 33 % neutral mentions
- 17 % negative mentions
The music in the game is widely praised, with many players highlighting its ability to evoke strong emotions and enhance the overall atmosphere. While some appreciate the soundtrack and menu music, others note that the limited variety may be a drawback, especially in early access. Overall, the music stands out as one of the game's stronger elements, even amidst criticisms of other aspects.
“The soundtrack makes my eyes water from the pure joy I am about to witness.”
“I liked the graphics, the atmosphere, the selection of dinosaurs, and the music!”
“Great music though.”
“A bit of music here and there wouldn't hurt, but it's early access so I'll forgive it.”
- humor3 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is highlighted by its entertaining gameplay, especially when played with friends, and the amusing design choices, such as the oddly named "suicide" button in the pause menu. Players find the exploration of quirky maps like Sanctuary and the Vulture Plains' cave system to be particularly funny, making the game a delightful experience overall.
“For 1 dollar, this is well worth it if you have a friend to play it with. Hilarious and entertaining, can't wait for this game to be revived; it's a gem.”
“It's very funny to play with friends and explore the maps such as Sanctuary (which has a lot of secrets!) or the Vulture Plains' cave system.”
“The highlight of the game is the in-game pause menu, which features a respawn button the devs, for some odd reason, decided to call 'suicide' instead of just respawn, which is somewhat humorous.”
- stability3 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Overall, while players appreciate the fun and accuracy of the game, many report experiencing glitches and bugs typical of early access titles. However, most users note that these issues do not significantly disrupt gameplay, although some have encountered severe problems like freezing and crashing that prevent them from starting the game.
“I can't even start the game; I keep going to the starting screen, then it freezes and eventually crashes.”
“Buggy and glitchy.”
“It's fun, accurate, and up-to-date, however, being an early access game, you may expect glitches and bugs, but none really interrupt gameplay.”
- story1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
The story aspect of the game is criticized for its lack of direction and engagement, featuring no goals, missions, or interactive elements, which leaves players feeling unmotivated and questioning its uniqueness compared to other indie projects.
“There are no goals, no missions, nothing in the environment that you can interact with, no NPCs to engage with in any way, and no reason to play this game over any other indie dinosaur project.”
“The story feels disjointed and lacks any meaningful progression, making it hard to stay engaged.”
“Character development is virtually non-existent, leaving players with a sense of emptiness throughout the experience.”
- replayability1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
Users express disappointment in the game's replayability, noting that the premium version offers little additional value beyond more playable dinosaurs, which does not significantly enhance the overall experience.
“I wasted five dollars on the premium version only to find that there's nothing special about it other than adding more playable dinosaurs.”
“After completing the game once, I found no incentive to play it again; the lack of new content made it feel repetitive.”
“The game offers very little in terms of different outcomes or experiences, making replaying it feel pointless.”
- atmosphere1 mentions
- 300 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Reviewers praise the game's atmosphere, highlighting its impressive graphics, engaging music, and a well-curated selection of dinosaurs that enhance the overall experience.
“I loved the graphics, the atmosphere, the selection of dinosaurs, and the music!”
“The immersive atmosphere really draws you into the world, making every moment feel alive.”
“The combination of stunning visuals and haunting sound design creates an unforgettable atmosphere.”
- optimization1 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Users report that the game's optimization is commendable, with smooth graphics performance even on lower-end laptops, contributing to an enjoyable gaming experience.
“The community is incredibly friendly, the graphics (and this is the big one here) actually run smoothly on my laptop, and I can have fun.”
