The Cenozoic Era

53%
Game Brain Score Based on 595 reviews
  • gameplay
  • graphics
  • stability
The Cenozoic Era Game Cover
View game
Get on Steam

"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.

  • PC
  • Windows
Genres & TagsPlay Modes

Reviews

53%
Audience ScoreBased on 595 reviews
graphics17 positive mentions
gameplay12 negative mentions
  • The game has beautiful graphics and a stunning environment, making it visually appealing.
  • It offers a unique animal survival experience with a variety of animals to play as.
  • The community is friendly and supportive, making it enjoyable to play with others.
  • The game suffers from numerous bugs and performance issues, making it difficult to play smoothly.
  • There is a lack of content and gameplay variety, leading to repetitive experiences.
  • The developer has been criticized for their behavior and controversial statements, affecting the game's reputation.
  • gameplay46 mentions

    The gameplay of the game has received mixed reviews, with many players finding it boring and lacking depth, primarily revolving around basic survival tasks like eating and drinking. While some appreciate the unique mechanics such as seasons and body temperature, others criticize the game for its unbalanced mechanics, poor animations, and a lack of engaging content. Overall, players express frustration with the game's current state, citing bugs, a restrictive server environment, and a lack of meaningful gameplay progression.

    • “The mechanics are just as amazing too, adding realism to the game with seasons, storing fat, and overheating/freezing.”
    • “The survival aspect is pretty good; I think the mechanics work well and are pretty balanced.”
    • “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.”
    • “The official server's 'no mass killing' rule destroys the survival aspect, making gameplay feel restricted and pointless.”
    • “The game itself is lacking in gameplay and mechanics.”
    • “The gameplay feels terrible.”
  • graphics31 mentions

    The graphics of the game receive mixed reviews, with many praising the realistic visuals and beautiful environments, while others criticize the animal models and overall optimization. Some players report significant performance issues, including low frame rates and graphical glitches, which detract from the experience. Overall, while the graphics are considered a strong point by some, there are notable concerns regarding consistency and technical execution.

    • “The graphics look so real, the animals are realistic, everything is just so realistic.”
    • “Extremely realistic, spectacular graphics, very calming and easy to learn how to play!!”
    • “The graphics are amazing, definitely recommend to animal lovers.”
    • “The game is unplayable; zero server population and the graphics look nothing like they do in the screenshots.”
    • “The animals look like utter shit, the graphics are okay, the controls are weird, and the game randomly starts to lag like a PS1 Zelda game.”
    • “The game is brand new and not ready; there are a lot of bugs and shortcomings in animation, settings, and graphics.”
  • stability30 mentions

    The game's stability is heavily criticized, with numerous reports of bugs, glitches, and poor animations detracting from the overall experience. Many players describe it as a "buggy mess" that hampers enjoyment, despite some acknowledging its potential and fun aspects. Overall, the game appears to be in a problematic state, with calls for significant improvements and updates.

    • “But other than that, it runs great, it looks great, and I have a great time playing with all my buddies!”
    • “Don't bother; this game will be nothing more than an asset flip that is beyond buggy, and the developer 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.”
  • humor8 mentions

    The humor in the game is often derived from its absurdities, such as the juxtaposition of serious themes like religion and sexuality in a non-serious animal survival context, as well as the chaotic interactions among players and the game's technical flaws. Many players find the experience amusing, especially in the early stages, despite the game's shortcomings and the sometimes sensitive nature of the community. Overall, while the humor can be hit-or-miss, it often stems from the game's quirks and the developers' lighthearted approach.

    • “Funny animations.”
    • “But the developer is open, honest, and makes updates often, and he's got a good sense of humor.”
    • “It's hilarious to play with some friends for the first half hour or so, but then the content becomes cyclical regardless if you choose to be a predator or prey (let's face it, the herbivores are just prey).”
  • optimization8 mentions

    The game's optimization has been widely criticized, with many users reporting severe performance issues, high system temperatures, and a lack of animations, making it nearly unplayable even on high-end PCs. While some praise its realistic details, the overall consensus is that significant improvements are needed for a smoother experience.

    • “This game is highly great for its realistic details and high performance!”
    • “Cool game, but it needs optimization; this causes the PC to run at a high temperature.”
    • “Last time I played the game, it was unplayable and not optimized at all.”
    • “Poorly optimized, bad animations and lack of animations, nothing to do, etc. It's so bad it's almost funny.”
    • “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.”
  • music6 mentions

    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 enjoyable, some users noted that it is not as frequent as in other games like Minecraft. Overall, the music contributes positively to the game's atmosphere, despite some concerns about server availability.

    • “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.”
  • story4 mentions

    The game's story is largely criticized for its lack of content, with users noting that it feels incomplete and lacking in quests. Some recommend alternative games like Wolf Quest for a more engaging narrative experience.

    • “You're much better off playing Wolf Quest instead.”
    • “---{ story }---”
    • “☑ no story”
  • monetization3 mentions

    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.”
  • replayability3 mentions

    The game offers good replayability, particularly for players who enjoy role-playing, despite its unrealistic environments. While the controls are simpler compared to similar games, the limited variety of playable creatures may affect long-term engagement. Overall, players can find extended enjoyment if they embrace the game's unique aspects.

    • “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 playable as the controls are simpler to me.”
    • “It's pretty similar to the Isle in most aspects, but I find this more playable as the controls are simpler to me.”
    • “It's a beautiful game; it could use more playable creatures.”
  • grinding1 mentions

    Players express that the grinding in the game is excessively time-consuming, often requiring a significant investment of time akin to having a second life to fully engage with it.

    • “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
    • “The grinding feels endless and tedious.”
    • “Grinding takes away from the enjoyment of the game.”
Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

Buy The Cenozoic Era

Play time

460hMedian play time
339hAverage play time
96-581hSpent by most gamers
*Based on 2 analyzed playthroughs

Videos

Similar Games