The new game “Preserve” has launched in Early Access on Steam. Here, you are supposed to build your own ecosystem – all in a relaxed atmosphere.
Many players love to get lost in city builders and create huge metropolises where everything is interconnected. The constant building and combining of various elements can be both relaxing and quite tricky at the same time.
The new game “Preserve” on Steam follows a similar approach – just without cities. Instead, you will arrange various “nature puzzle pieces” so that a functioning ecosystem is formed.
The game started its Early Access on Steam on August 8, 2024. You can see how it looks here:
In Preserve, you can sit back – most of the time
This is how Preserve plays: The game starts with a small tutorial that explains the gameplay. Basically, it goes like this:
- You have various cards to choose from. These can be things like:
- Rain clouds
- Biome components like plants or rocks
- Various animals
- You use these cards to build an ecosystem from different biomes
- Three identical “habitat puzzle pieces” together create a habitat where animals can be placed
- You earn points for your biomes
- You can continuously expand the ecosystem with more landscapes
You start with a small landscape made of wasteland. You first need to water it by using rain cards. Once that is done, you can start creating habitats.
After doing that, you can house animals and collect points so you can later expand the landscape further. This creates space for other habitats and additional species.
The game is played in three modes:
- The classic mode gives you different tasks to fulfill
- The puzzle mode is a bit trickier, and you have to figure out how to meet the requirements
- The creative mode allows you to build freely
One noticeable aspect is the relaxed atmosphere, supported by the beautiful soundtrack. In Preserve, you can easily lean back a bit, enjoy the pretty visuals, and calmly assemble habitats.
How is the game received? On Steam, the game starts with “Very Positive” at 97% positive reviews, though it should be noted that only 85 reviews have been submitted for this indie game so far (as of August 12, 12 PM). The gameplay is particularly praised for ranging from relaxed to tricky, as well as the atmosphere and visuals of the game.
Overall, Preserve is likely to be a game for city builder lovers who want a more casual experience or simply want to try a different approach in the building genre. Preserve combines the nature component and a corresponding aesthetic with the strategic concept of a building game. If you are looking for a more challenging experience, you might want to try the following game: MeinMMO editor Benedict Grothaus recommends a really tough city builder that can get quite difficult.
