Realize Elon Musk's Martian Dream (Without Any Slavery) In Colony Sim Terraformers

thegamer.com:

What is it about colonizing celestial bodies that gets me fully torqued? The rousing edict to “go forth and conquer” has never resonated with me; I’m about as anti-imperialist as they come. Nor have I ever even been that particularly compelled by the biological imperative (sorry if you’re reading this, future kids). Still, anytime I see images of Mars, all dusty and barren and full of potential, I can’t help imagining how great it would be to cover it in processing factories and water parks. Maybe if it was lush and green like Endor I’d be more reserved, but just look at it. Mars is already a parking lot - let’s cover it in fucking shopping malls.

Terraformers, a new early access city-builder from studio Asteroid Lab, allows you to do just that - though maybe not quite as cynically as I described. In fact, maintaining a certain level of colonist support and comfort of living is key to success, a concept Elon “Let’s colonize Mars with slave labor” Musk would likely scoff at. Terraformers fairly utopic in its imagining of the Mars colonization project. You choose a new leader every few years based on expertise in farming, construction, and other useful trades. You’re occasionally offered rewards for rejecting corporate support. One of the scenarios - which happens to be my favorite - tasks you with turning Mars into the healthy, sustainable planet that Earth could never be. There’s catharsis to be found in this second chance simulator, especially when you’re in full control of every choice the colony makes.

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If you like 4X games like Civilization but don’t have the patience to learn the ins and outs of hundreds of complicated systems, Terraformers might be