Nova Lands

Genre: Management Simulation / Action-RPG

Players: 1

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Review:

Nova Lands, released in 2023 on PC, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and Nintendo Switch, is a game that combines Management Simulation and Action-RPG elements, with some hints of Survival Adventure as well. The game has you in the role of one of many astronauts crash-landing on an alien planet, gradually building a society by gathering resources. And when it comes to what sets this game apart and makes it a bit of a blending of genres is its focus on automation.

At first, you’ll be scrounging together the resources you need to survive, and in particular you’ll want to create an oxygenator so you don’t suffocate. After this, it doesn’t take long before survival isn’t really a concern. And soon enough, you’ll start creating automatons that can do your collecting and maintaining your production facilities for you.

Progression in this game is particularly compelling, and I felt it so strongly mirrored Survival Adventure games that I nearly classified this as one of those, before realizing that apart from the oxygen problem that’s soon solved, there’s not generally the same desperate need for basic resources as you tend to find in those games. Rather, this is more about managing your resources, creating and guiding your network of automated helpers, and exploring further outward to new islands and using new resources to discover greater technologies.

The presentation in Nova Lands uses colorful pixel art visuals that are both inviting and make it clear what different resources and facilities are. This is backed by a relaxed soundtrack that befits the mild tone of the game.

I do have a few complaints about this game. I feel like it’s very labor-intensive, requiring you to coordinate with numerous bots and production facilities and keep track of your various resource needs on a constant basis. I also strongly felt that this is a game that could really benefit from multiplayer co-op.

However, for the most part I found Nova Lands to be an excellent blend of Management Simulation and Action-RPG that does a great job putting automation at the forefront. While I do feel there are areas where it could be improved, overall I think fans of the genre will be delighted with this.

tl;dr – Nova Lands is a Management Simulation with Action-RPG elements that puts players in the role of an astronaut crash-landing on an alien planet, gathering resources to survive and increasingly grow your production abilities, with a strong focus on automation as you create bots to do your work for you. However, even with this being the case, you’ll still be doing plenty of running around to ensure everything is operating properly, and the game sadly lacks multiplayer it could greatly benefit from. However, overall this is a superb entry in the Management Simulation genre well worth seeking out.

Grade: B+

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This game has been nominated for one or more of eShopperReviews 2023 Game Awards:

Runner-Up: Best Simulation

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