If you're a fan of relaxing city builders, then the adorable zen-like Pan'orama from Awaken Realms might be up your street.
Launching on the US eShop today (December 14th, with an EU release to follow in January), Pan'orama is a puzzle simulation in which you place hexagonal tiles to build a stunning, abstract landscape. Completing quests and building specific biomes will net you points and unlock further themed tiles, allowing you to branch out and create completely new areas.
Looking at the launch trailer for Switch, we're loving the aesthetics and accompanying music. It's got oodles of personality and its visuals almost remind us of the 'Go' franchise from Square Enix.
Here's some more info from Awaken Realms:
- Discover a wide variety of structures with unique abilities! In Pan'orama, you will discover a wide range of structures, each with their own unique abilities that will enhance your landscape creation process. Whether you want to create a serene forest surrounding a forester's lodge, an endless ocean full of geysers or a bustling city filled with unique buildings, the possibilities are limitless.
- Relax with soothing puzzles or make it a fun challenge! While Pan'orama is designed to be a relaxing and soothing experience, it also offers plenty of challenges for players who want to test their skills and take their creativity to the next level. You can compete against other players by beating their high scores and create even more impressive landscapes. So whether you want to unwind with a relaxing puzzle game or push yourself to achieve new heights, Pan'orama has something for everyone.
- Pet cute animals while taking a break from creating your own paradise! And if you need a break from creating stunning landscapes, why not take a moment to pet the cats and other cute animals that roam around your creations? The inhabitants of this colorful world would surely love some pets and attention!
Pan'orama is available on the US eShop now for $19.99.
Will you be adding this one to your Switch collection? Let us know if Pan'orama tickles your fancy with a comment in the usual place.
Comments 6
I was worried this was going to be a straight clone of... dorf... checks notes Dorfromantik but this dose seem to be trying some stuff (I like that some tiles produce more tiles)
Reminds me of Townscaper
@jamesthemagi Exactly what I was thinking!
I've been playing this a bit since it dropped yesterday. It's definitely similar in some ways to Dorfromantik, but it does quite a bit to feel different.
Compared to Dorfromantik, this game feels less like working towards just one end goal, and more like fulfilling a series of mini-quests in order to eventually finish a larger quest. You're constantly earning special buildings that require specific tiles and which, once completed, give some sort of bonus to the area around them (either increasing the value of a certain type of tile, or auto-placing a bunch of that tile type nearby). You eventually want to build at least one of every type of building, so there is an end goal to work towards, whereas in Dorfromantik you're simply trying to get the highest score possible.
Most people who play both games claim this one is easier. Personally, I find Dorfromantik a bit easier / more relaxing. This one actually makes me think more, which isn't necessarily a bad thing, but does feel different from Dorfromantik where I tend to create zones for each type of tile and simply place similar tiles together. I still do the zone thing in this game, but the special buildings add an extra layer of strategy on top.
This game feels like it falls in between Dorfromantik and another game called Islanders, with aspects of both and a complexity level that's right in the middle. Basically, if you like Dorfromantik you'll probably like this. If you like Islanders you'll probably like this. If Dorfromantik felt too simple and/or Islanders felt too complex, you'll probably love this. Fans of relaxing puzzlers should probably give it a shot.
Note: I did experience a crash last night. Performance isn't perfect once the maps get large, but it's not horrible either. I need to play more to see if more crashes occur, but it does seem my progress was saved when I returned. Ymmv.
It looks like a crossover between Dorfromantik and Islanders. But definitely more inspired by the former.
@GreyFenyx It's funny because I used to play Dorfromantik without paying attention to the challenges, and not really trying to form as many perfect tile placements as possible. Then I changed the way I played and it's quite challenging and stressful when you're running out of tiles. It's great how you can play this game both ways and how it can appeal to a lot of people that way.
@echoplex I actually love the challenges in Dorfromantik, and generally focus on getting a high score in the game (as much as the Switch version allows, anyway). It's just that for me, it doesn't feel as tricky or complex as something like, say, Islanders (which I've heard is relaxing for many people, but stresses me out).
I always find it interesting how the same game can feel so different to different people - even if they play using similar tactics/strategies. That's one reason why I gave the comparison between Islanders and Dorfromantik in my original comment, so people who've played those games can get an idea of what a third game whose complexity falls pretty evenly between the two might feel like for them. Some may find it stressful, others relaxing. Some find it easier than Dorfromantik, while I find it a tad more complex. Gotta love the variety in how people interpret games, lol.
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