TerraGenesis - Space Settlers 4+

Not happy with the update

I’ve played this game for years off an on and I’ve always loved it. I still do. A while back I had to get rid of it to free up some space and just recently came back to it. I have to say, I’m very disappointed that they’ve added a “forced tutorial”, ie, one that can’t be exited early or avoided altogether. I do appreciate them adding a bit of guidance for new players, but there needs to be an option to skip the tutorial. I have played the game before and don’t need a guide dragging me around and forcing me to do things. It doesn’t help that you can’t cancel actions except by exiting the game and fully closing out of it. With no way to be precise—especially when choosing where to put your cities—it’s really obnoxious to have to close and reopen the game to reselect where you want your first city. That’s to say nothing of not being able to pick where to put your first mine.

The game is great, but it still needs a few tweaks, such as being able to skip the tutorial, and maybe arrows that you can tap to be more precise in location selection (these already exist in the mining interface). Some planets have very little “safe” area to build on—so they aren’t destroyed as the water level rises—so precision is pretty important.
Otherwise, it really is an excellent game that I have had and will continue to have loads of fun playing.

Developer Response ,

Thank you so much for your review and for your feedback! We’ll definitely pass this onto the dev team so they can take a look and see what they can do! Thanks again!

Blown away

I don’t even know where to begin with this app.
It’s 100% as cool as it sounds. I saw it on Facebook and I never download them but it showed how well it was rated in the App Store so I knew it had to be something legit. Gave it a try and now I’m addicted to it. There isn’t really too much I would change to the game other than being able to see ground level and have more control over what happens to the population. As far as what the game is, terraforming a planet, they did an amazing job. I’m sure you can control more but on the basic difficulty level (I highly recommend to start with) you can control the temperature, oxygen, pressure, plant life, money, population size. Everything is highly sensitive. Finding a balance takes time. This is a game that won’t take up too much time at once. You might only play this game a couple times out the day but it’s necessary to check in on your planet every once in a while. Random events and scenarios happen to the population and the planet which I really love.
From a meteoroid on track to hit you, to the population finding a great athlete to honor amongst them. It gives the game a story. You have to make a decision when those things happen immersing you into the game even more. And of course Every action has a reaction. The main task of this game is finding that balance. I’m so glad I found this game. The space nerd in me is ecstatic! I highly recommend!!!

Gorgeous and captivating!

I rarely write reviews, but this game was so well-designed and enthralling that I felt that I had to do so. The graphics are stunningly beautiful and this game has consumed my attention since I downloaded it. It gives you the option to watch advertisements to gain currency, culture, and “Genesis Points,” which allow you to build faster, but offers the option in a very inobtrusive way, unlike so many games with obnoxious ads. I watch them occasionally to speed things along and support the developers. I also purchased Genesis Points because I love this game so much I felt obliged to pay something. At this rate, I’ll likely purchase the options to terraform other planets and moons as well. This is a game that is truly enjoyable without spending a cent or watching a single ad, though, and that can be won simply with some patience— which you’ll need anyway! I love the educational aspect and basis in science, and with just the most basic math and science abilities, you’ll enjoy this game as well. I’m looking forward to the next planets and moons already.

I also loved the book recommendations in the information section! The developers clearly prioritized the quality of the game and educational aspect over making a quick profit. I hope others purchase the optional moons, planets, and GP so the team can keep working on this game and more like it. This is the best I’ve played on iOS to date.