The Cenozoic Era

About

The Cenozoic Era is a multiplayer simulation game. It was developed by Opendix [Studios] and was released on January 20, 2023. It received neutral reviews from players.

"The Cenozoic Era" is a detailed simulation game that transports players to the terrestrial ecosystem of the past 66 million years. Explore different time periods, manage various habitats, and ensure the survival of species while learning about their real-life evolutionary history. With thorough research and realistic graphics, the game offers an immersive educational experience for both casual gamers and enthusiasts.

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52%

Audience ScoreBased on 643 reviews

gameplay13 positive mentions

stability32 negative mentions

The game has beautiful graphics and a massive map to explore.
Animal models and animations are solid, providing a visually appealing experience.
The game has potential for growth and improvement, with a dedicated community.

The game is very buggy and unoptimized, leading to performance issues.
The player base is small, with many servers being empty or dead.
There is a lack of content and gameplay mechanics, making it feel repetitive and boring.

gameplay
53 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
25%
52%
23%
The gameplay has received mixed reviews, with many players noting a lack of quests, mechanics, and animations, leading to a feeling of boredom and frustration. While some appreciate the survival aspects and unique mechanics like seasons and body temperature, others criticize the game for being buggy, unbalanced, and lacking depth. Overall, players express hope for future improvements, but current gameplay is seen as underwhelming and in need of significant updates.
- “The mechanics are just as amazing too, adding realism to the game with seasons, storing fat, and overheating/freezing.”
- “If you join a decent server or just communicate from the start that you need to learn, it's quite easy and the mechanics are all great. I think it's super cool looking and fun; I like this better than most of these types of games, so I hope to see all the progress!”
- “It has kind players, admins, etc. I personally love the game because the graphics are incredible, and I am ever so passionate about wildlife, therefore love the cycle used in the gameplay.”
- “It's lacking in multiple departments; animations and game mechanics are in dire need of updates and additions.”
- “The official server's 'no mass killing' rule destroys the survival aspect, making gameplay feel restricted and pointless.”
- “The gameplay feels terrible.”
graphics
42 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
43%
50%
7%
The graphics of the game receive mixed reviews, with some players praising the realistic visuals and beautiful environments, while others criticize the overall quality and optimization, noting issues like lag and poor animal models. Many users see potential for improvement, particularly in nature graphics and map design, suggesting that while the game has strong visual elements, it still requires significant refinement. Overall, the graphics are described as a combination of good and lacking, with a need for better optimization and unique designs.
- “The graphics are great, and there is a huge world to explore.”
- “The graphics are amazing, definitely recommend to animal lovers.”
- “Extremely realistic, spectacular graphics, very calming and easy to learn how to play!”
- “The graphics for the nature (trees, grass, etc.) could use a lot of work.”
- “The game is unplayable; zero server population and the graphics look nothing like they do in the screenshots.”
- “The game is brand new and not ready; there are a lot of bugs and shortcomings in animation, settings, and graphics.”
stability
33 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
3%
97%
The game's stability is heavily criticized, with numerous reports of bugs, glitches, and overall poor performance, making it barely playable for many users. While some players find enjoyment despite these issues, the consensus is that the game is a "buggy mess" that requires significant improvements to be considered stable or enjoyable. Overall, the game's current state is seen as unoptimized and lacking in quality, leading to concerns about its longevity and future updates.
- “But other than that, it runs great, it looks great, and I have a great time playing with all my buddies!”
- “Dont bother, this game will be nothing more than an asset flip that is beyond buggy and the dev will disappear again due to 'stress' that he created.”
- “The recode was beyond buggy, completely barren, and was a complete downgrade to the original version.”
- “This game is way too buggy right now and unoptimized; can't recommend it even if it's free, it's unplayable.”
optimization
10 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
30%
20%
50%
The game's optimization is widely criticized, with players reporting severe performance issues, including lag and high temperatures on even high-end PCs. Many users find the game unplayable due to its poor optimization and lack of customization options, leading to a diminished player experience. Overall, the game's technical shortcomings overshadow its potential, making it difficult to recommend.
- “This game is highly great for its realistic details and high performance!”
- “Doesn't seem very optimized, so you will have to have a high-end gaming PC to play, and even then you probably won't get 60 fps.”
- “Cool game, but it needs optimization; this causes the PC to run at a high temperature.”
- “The game is unoptimized, customization is horrible (unless you spend around ten dollars for a DLC), player base is gone (0 at lowest and 17 at highest point) and the moderation is horrible (being too good of a predatory animal will get you banned for 'killing too much' in an open world PvP game about wildlife survival).”
- “Last time I played the game it was unplayable and not optimized at all.”
- “Poorly optimized, bad animations/lack of animations, nothing to do, etc. so bad it's almost funny.”
story
8 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
25%
37%
38%
The game's story aspect is polarizing; while some players appreciate the presence of quests and find the gameplay engaging, others criticize the lack of a clear narrative or objectives, leading to a sense of boredom. Overall, the absence of a compelling story is a common complaint among users.
- “I cannot believe this game is free! Everyone should be playing this game; it even has quests and is not boring at all. So if you were wondering if it is worth it, the answer is yes! I loved this game so much and I hope you start playing.”
- “If this game was fully functional with quests, etc., it would be amazing!”
- “There's no story.”
- “You're much better off playing Wolf Quest instead.”
- “It's just not fun; there isn't any goal or point to the game, no missions or objectives. It gets very boring very fast.”
humor
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is derived from its absurdity, such as the juxtaposition of animal behavior with human social issues like religion and homophobia, which players find amusing. Additionally, the game's poor animations and optimization issues contribute to a comedic experience, while the developer's openness and sense of humor are positively noted by the community. Overall, the humor is a mix of intentional and unintentional elements that resonate with players.
- “Funny animations.”
- “But the developer is open, honest, and makes updates often, and he's got a good sense of humor.”
- “Funny because animals aren't religious and don't really care about homosexual issues, so religion and homophobia don't belong in an animal survival game, lol.”
music
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
83%
17%
The music in the game is praised for its beauty and immersive quality, with calming soundscapes that enhance the overall experience. While the soundtrack is noted to be less frequent compared to other games like Minecraft, it still contributes significantly to the game's atmosphere. However, some users expressed disappointment regarding the lack of servers, overshadowing their appreciation for the music.
- “This is a good game with immersive music and ambient sounds.”
- “The calm music and peaceful nature sounds make this one special.”
- “Beautiful music and soundscape.”
replayability
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
75%
75%
Players find the game's replayability appealing, particularly for those who enjoy role-playing, despite some criticism regarding the limited variety of playable animals. The simpler controls enhance the experience, allowing for extended playtime, especially if players are open to the game's unrealistic environments. Overall, while the game is visually stunning, an increase in playable creatures could further boost its replay value.
- “Replay value: if you enjoy role-playing and don't mind the unrealistic environment other players create, you can play this game for an extended period of time.”
- “It's pretty similar to The Isle in most aspects, but I find this more enjoyable as the controls are simpler for me.”
- “It's a beautiful game; it could use more playable creatures.”
- “It’s a beautiful game but could use more playable creatures.”
- “Make some more playable animals.”
- “It's pretty similar to The Isle in most aspects, but I find this more playable as the controls are simpler to me.”
monetization
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The monetization of this game is widely criticized as a cash grab, with users expressing frustration over infrequent and poor-quality updates. Many reviewers advise against supporting the game due to its exploitative practices and disappointing downloadable content.
- “This game is a cash grab with a developer who rarely updates it, and when updates do come, they're terrible.”
- “Reading reviews of DLCs proves that this game is nothing but a crappy cash grab.”
- “I wish I hadn't... like, yeah, don't even want to get started on the cash grab aspect. Don't support this, please.”
grinding
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
50%
Players express that the grinding in the game is excessively time-consuming, often requiring a significant investment of effort akin to having a second life to keep up with the demands.
- “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
atmosphere
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
300%
Reviewers highlight the game's atmosphere as immersive, characterized by dynamic sounds and rich atmospheric noise that enhance the overall experience.
- “The game features more dynamic sounds and atmospheric noise, creating an immersive experience.”
- “The atmosphere is incredibly rich, with layers of sound that enhance the overall gameplay.”
- “The ambient sounds truly bring the environment to life, making every moment feel unique.”