RimWorld

RimWorld is an indie top-down construction and management simulation video game by Montreal-based developer Ludeon Studios. Originally called Eclipse Colony, it was initially released as a Kickstarter crowdfunding project in early access for Microsoft Windows, macOS, and Linux in November 2013,[3] and was officially released on October 17, 2018. The game has received generally positive reviews from critics.

RimWorld
The RimWorld logo
Developer(s)Ludeon Studios
Publisher(s)Ludeon Studios
Designer(s)Tynan Sylvester[1]
Programmer(s)
  • Tynan Sylvester
  • Piotr Walczak
  • Ben Rog-Wilhem
Artist(s)
  • Rho Watson
  • Ricardo Tomé
Composer(s)Alistair Lindsay[2]
EngineUnity
Platform(s)Microsoft Windows, macOS, Linux
ReleaseOctober 17, 2018
Genre(s)Construction and management simulation
Mode(s)Single-player

Plot

The game has a small variety of scenarios to choose from, although the core gameplay is the same. The player characters (referred to as "pawns" in game documentation) are stranded on a planet located in the frontiers of known space (a "rim world"). The characters have a randomly generated set of traits which affect how they can contribute to the colony, the decisions they make, and how their existence affects the other characters.[4] As time goes on, more characters will join the colony. Characters can be rescued after crash-landing on the player map, they can wander in, or they can be captured after a raid.

The game can end when at least one character has escaped the planet on a spaceship, or when they are all dead.[5] With the Royalty DLC, the game can also end by hosting the High Stellarch, leader of one of the factions that inhabit the Rim, and leaving the colony with them.[6]

Gameplay

The objective of the game is to ensure the survival of a colony of people, fighting against various environmental and/or internal events. Much of the difficulty as well as the critical acclaim for the game come from its unpredictability, through randomly generated events, and its extensively designed and customizable world. As the game progresses events become progressively harder and the player can unlock more advanced technology through research. The game has a top-down, two-dimensional view.[7]

Random event generation

In-game events are randomly generated by an AI storyteller, which is central to gameplay; game difficulty, event difficulty and difficulty progression depend on its settings.[8] The game has three preconfigured AI storytellers, "Cassandra Classic", "Phoebe Chillax" and "Randy Random".[9] There are 6 different preset difficulties ranging from, along with a custom difficulty option. These influence the severity and frequency of events as well as the good, neutral, bad balance of events.[9][10]

The game also has two save-modes. Commitment mode acts as Rimworld's permadeath mode, which only saves when the player exits the game, and Reload anytime mode allows the player to save and load freely, giving the player a chance to undo an event.[11]

Characters

The characters' stability is represented by a mood meter, affected by basic or complex needs. Characters require food, rest and shelter but will also request a place to sit while eating, well made and undamaged clothes, or enough time for recreation like stargazing, cloud watching or playing chess.[12] If needs are left unmet, characters may undergo "mental breaks" such as going into a broken daze or even going berserk and attacking other characters.[13]

With the release of Alpha 13 on April 6, 2016, a new social aspect to the game was introduced. Characters were given the ability to have social relationships with each other, and an opinion system was introduced.[14] These relationships can benefit or detract from the needs and joys of a character, as poor social relationships may result in fights.[15]

In-game animals may also be controlled by the player, after being domesticated or tamed. Certain animals may be taught commands, which vary from simply obeying its master to defending them if attacked to occasionally deciding to carry and store items.[16]

Technological progress

Another large aspect of game-play is technological progression. Players may harness electricity, which unlocks a plethora of machines and increases the colony's efficiency, but they are forced to find ways to generate electricity, including wind turbines, solar panels, or geothermal power stations. More technological progress is achieved through the research mechanic, through which players may unlock new advancements like medicine, advanced weaponry, or mind-altering substances.[17]

Combat

Players may be forced into several combative events. For example, during a pirate attack, the player will have to defend the colony by either drafting the characters or by building defensive mechanisms around the colony.[18] Such defensive measures may include traps and automated turrets.[19]

Starvation

Characters in the game need constant nourishment. One of the challenges of a larger colony is finding a way to feed all the colonists. Players may combine hunting, farming, and animal husbandry to meet the colonist's needs. Animals can be lured and tamed with food, but there is a small chance the animal will attack the tamer instead. Upon being tamed, domestic animals can reproduce.[20]

Colonization

On December 20, 2016, Alpha version 16 "Wanderlust" was released. Many new features were added regarding the world map; these included: changing the world to be spherical, time-zones, factions now starting with many bases, the ability to travel the world, the ability to set up multiple colonies, world generation, and world generation parameters. It is possible for players to attack other bases and plunder resources from them, angering the attacked faction in the process.[21]

Modifications

Players are able to install modifications distributed via the Steam Workshop, the game's official forums, or other distribution sites.[4]

Reception

RimWorld has received generally positive reviews from critics.[22] Nomura Hikaru of IGN rated the game 9/10, describing it as "an all-in-one package for management simulation", and writing positively of the way it handled the player failing and its ability to tell a story.[24] Sam Greer of PC Gamer gave a generally positive review, declaring that it was "a rich colony sim" and finding that its mid and late games were entertaining, while criticising its early game as somewhat tedious.[25] Brendan Caldwell of Rock, Paper, Shotgun wrote positively of the game, praising it as a "wonderful fiasco", and writing positively of its ability to create drama.[30] RimWorld has been favourably compared to other management-survival games such as Dwarf Fortress.[31][32]

Accolades

In 2016 RimWorld was voted Indie DB's "indie of the year".[33] In 2018 Rimworld was voted Steam's Top User-Rated Game,[34] from all categories. The game was nominated in 2019 for the category of "Strategy/Simulation Game of the Year" at the 22nd D.I.C.E. Awards.[35][36] In 2020, RimWorld was ranked the best management game on the PC in Rock Paper Shotgun.[37]

Revenue

In February 2018, it was announced by Sylvester that RimWorld had sold over a million copies.[38] By August 2020, it was estimated that RimWorld had accumulated well over 100 million dollars in revenue, making it one of the most popular indie games on Steam.[39]

DLC

On February 24, 2020 the first DLC, Royalty, was released with the 1.1 update, adding a new empire faction and psylink technology for colonists to use.[40][41] It also introduces the concept of royal titles, mechanoid clusters, 13 more songs to the soundtrack, more possible quests and more body implants and types of weapons.[42][43]

References
  1. Miller, Chris (March 2, 2020). "Tynan Sylvester Announces The Many Possible Futures Of Colony Simulator RimWorld". Happy Gamer. Retrieved November 12, 2020.
  2. Talbot, Carrie (March 11, 2020). "RimWorld's surprise new DLC brings royal titles, quests, and psychic powers that make people vomit". PCGamesN. Retrieved November 12, 2020.
  3. Carvalhinho, Ricardo (December 15, 2017). "Rimworld Early Access Review". Keengamer. Retrieved November 12, 2020.
  4. Rothery, Jean (November 9, 2020). "The best Rimworld mods". PCGamesN. Retrieved November 12, 2020.
  5. Blackwell, Anna (July 9, 2020). "The Best Rimworld Mods". Strategy Gamer. Retrieved September 16, 2020.
  6. Maher, Cian (February 24, 2020). "RimWorld gets surprise Royalty". PC Gamer. Retrieved November 13, 2020.
  7. Hill, Simon (November 12, 2020). "I've Played RimWorld for 700 Hours. I May Never Escape". Wired. Retrieved November 14, 2020.
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  10. O'Connor, Alice (August 13, 2020). "RimWorld has added custom difficulty options, for those who really want a challenge". Rock, Paper, Shotgun. Retrieved November 29, 2020.
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