Developer: Pixelsplit, Pixelsplit Simulations
Publisher: Pixelsplit, Pixelsplit Simulations
Platform: PC
Tested on: PC
Indoorlands – Preview
When we saw the announcement of Indoorlands only mere days ago, we were quite stoked to see such an expansive experience being presented. The game has currently been released in Early Acces on Steam, and it shows a lot of promise. We have to be honest, the preview is going to be rather short, as the current build is quite barebones, but it doesn’t take away from the good first impression the game gave us. We were more than happy to start our own indoor amusement park.
As the game also states when you first start playing, it is in Early Access. Even though the first map is called the ‘Tutorial’, the game doesn’t really tell you how things work or what you have to do. This map basically offers you an amusement part with one ride already active, making sure that there is already something to mess around with. The game’s current build is basically one big sandbox for you to try out things. While no explanation is given, you’ll soon notice that certain aspects are straightforward. You’ll need to earn money to build rides, shops, and utilities, but you’ll also need to research these first. This means you’ll have to start off slowly, making sure you have the bare necessities to open your park, and then hopefully see your funds increase again. As for now, the game is quite slow, and one of those ‘run in the background’ kind of experiences.
After you get the hang of juggling between rides, food stalls, and other basic necessities, you’ll notice that the current build is very limited. There currently is no decoration to dress up your actual pathways, some mechanics feel a bit limited, and overall, there’s not that much content. There’s only a very limited number of indoor rides, and the same can be said about the other buildings as well. We reckon (and hope) the full release will add a lot of new items to the equation, as for now, you’ll have to wait for long periods of time in order to actually unlock and/or do something. There is also not much management involved in the current build, as you basically can only increase or decrease the price of entry, and make sure that your park remains clean.
We also hope the graphical quality does get upped a bit by the time the game is finished. Don’t get us wrong, the game looks quite cute, but the different shops tend to end up being a bit boring and uninspired. This becomes apparent when looking at these buildings from the side, as you will not recognize what building you are looking at. Even colored rooftops could do a lot here. The very limited array of rides do look quite pretty, but also fairly basic.
Conclusion
Limited as the current build may be, we were quite entertained with Indoorlands. The game still has a long way to go, and we hope some graphical aspects get dressed up a bit more, but other than that, the rudimentary build is very fun. It shows that you’ll be able to customize many different things and make a fun and original park in the process. The game has something casual and relaxing, while also having several options for simulation fanatics. We are keeping this one on our radar to see how it evolves.
No Comments