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 some players find appealing.
- It can be fun to explore the game world, especially with friends, and some players appreciate the cute designs and models.
- For a low price, it offers a casual experience that can be enjoyable if you have friends to play with.
- The game is largely abandoned, with very few players online, making it feel empty and unengaging.
- There are significant issues with gameplay, including lack of content, bugs, and poor animations, leading to a frustrating experience.
- Many players feel misled by the developers due to the game's lack of updates and the perception that it is a low-quality copy of better dinosaur games.
- graphics86 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 many criticizing the graphics as lacking detail and realism compared to other dinosaur games like "The Isle." Overall, while the visuals have their unique appeal, they may not satisfy players seeking a more serious or realistic aesthetic.
“The dinosaur designs are adorable and accurate, and I love the art style.”
“This game has a fantastic, beautiful art style and landscape style.”
“Beautiful game with great graphics and an amazing community.”
“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.”
- gameplay34 mentions
- 35 % positive mentions
- 56 % neutral mentions
- 9 % negative mentions
The gameplay has been criticized for being shallow and lacking depth, with many players noting a reliance on player-driven roleplay due to the absence of engaging mechanics and NPCs. While the game's art style is appreciated, the overall experience is described as bland and underdeveloped, with calls for more substantial gameplay elements and improvements. Comparisons to other dinosaur games highlight a significant gap in multiplayer engagement and gameplay variety, suggesting that the current state is not fulfilling for many players.
“With its unique cartoon aesthetic and massive variety of playable creatures, gameplay never gets stale.”
“Gameplay is amazing!”
“I've seen plenty of playthroughs of this game and I just love the art style and gameplay.”
“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.”
“Like I said, it's cute and fun for a while, but there are never any people on even when the events were happening and there's really no backbone gameplay at all; maybe when the other forms of play styles get released it'll be better, but until then I'd wait.”
- music12 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 42 % neutral mentions
- 8 % negative mentions
The music in the game is widely praised, with many reviewers highlighting its ability to evoke strong emotions and enhance the overall experience. While some players feel that the soundtrack is a standout feature amidst other shortcomings, others note that additional music could improve the atmosphere, especially in early access. Overall, the music is a significant positive aspect that draws players in.
“The soundtrack makes my eyes water from the pure joy they are 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.”
- humor6 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 amusingly unconventional naming of the respawn button as "suicide." Players find the exploration of secret-filled maps like Sanctuary and the Vulture Plains' cave system to be particularly funny, contributing to the game's charm. Overall, it is considered a hilarious and enjoyable experience, especially for its low price.
“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 since it features a respawn button the devs, for some odd reason, decided to call 'suicide' instead of just respawn, which is somewhat humorous.”
“For 1 dollar, this is well worth it if you have a friend to play it with; it's hilarious and entertaining. Can't wait for this game to be revived; it's a gem.”
- stability6 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The game's stability is mixed; while many players enjoy the fun and accurate gameplay, being in early access means it is prone to glitches and bugs. Some users report significant issues, such as freezing and crashing at startup, which can hinder the overall experience, though most glitches do not disrupt gameplay significantly.
“I can't even start the game; I keep going into the starting screen, then it freezes, and eventually crashes.”
“- Buggy and glitchy.”
“- Buggy and glitchy.”
- story2 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 50 % neutral mentions
- 50 % negative mentions
The game's story is criticized for its complete lack of goals, missions, and interactive elements, leaving players with no engaging narrative or reason to choose it over other indie titles.
“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.”
- replayability2 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 50 % neutral mentions
- 50 % negative mentions
Users express disappointment in the replayability of the game, particularly criticizing the premium version for offering little beyond additional playable dinosaurs, which does not enhance the overall experience.
“I wasted five dollars for the premium version only to find that there's nothing special about it other than adding more playable dinosaurs.”
- atmosphere2 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The atmosphere of the game is highly praised, with users highlighting the impressive graphics, engaging music, and a well-curated selection of dinosaurs that enhance the overall experience.
“I liked the graphics, the atmosphere, the selection of dinosaurs, and the music!”
- optimization2 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Players 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.”
