Revival: Recolonization Review (PC)

There’s just one more big robot army in the lands of the tribes I control directly or as vassals. The Prophet, backed by catapults, one soldier with a modern rifle and lead slugs, and a few melee fighters with warhammers, is ready to deal with them. A good sign for the human tribes but also a way to gain some extra resources, once my workers get to the ruins and tear them down.

Unfortunately, I have to turn back to protect a city after the All Mind drops a massive robot from the sky and targets one of my districts. It takes the combined efforts of my main army, a relief force, and the garrison to deal with it. Fortunately, I don’t have to use acid or radiation to weaken the machine, which would get me in trouble diplomatically.

I’m in the process of upgrading science districts to level two but I push those to the back of Meida’s build queue to replace losses and make sure I can deal with another threat. I also queue up another worker because I want to put down a mine. But that cannot happen until my Prophet uses a capsule to cool down the hex, making sure that I can actually extract those nitrates and then build some extra gun-totting units.

Revival: Recolonization is developed by HeroCraft PC, with publishing from HeroCraft PC and Gamersky Games. I played using Steam on the PC and the game is not available on any other platforms. The title features an interesting take on diplomacy and centers around the way powerful Prophets can shape the world around them.

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The setting mixes post-apocalypse vibes and science-fiction elements. A powerful Artificial Intelligence has emerged and decided to make Earth better by simply eliminating most of the human race. Far into the future, small tribes of survivors lack tech and live simple existences. Players will choose a unique Prophet to play as, gaining the allegiance of separate groups and trying to battle against the robotic All Mind.

It’s an interesting setup and I appreciate the variety of playable Prophets and their different approaches. The game’s writing could use more lore elements, especially when it comes to the tech tree and the way the All Mind pits the human factions against one another under the guise of assessing rationality. The idea of manipulating re-emerging civilizations to suit its criteria for what’s good for the planet is cool and should have been explored more.

Mechanically, Revival: Recolonization doesn’t break with the classic structure of a turn-based strategy game. Move the Prophet around, preferably with a strong army, to deal with robot forces and to visit settlements belonging to various tribes. Found a city and then expand it, through a variety of districts unlocked through research. Get a worker to clear forests and place extractors on strategic resources.

In this version of the future, a lot is linked to temperature adaptation. Each tribe wants a certain climate and will not exploit hexes of a different nature. To deal with this, players will use the game’s biggest innovation: the capsule system. They will unlock edicts and then deploy capsules using the Prophet or shamans.

Initially, they are used to heat or cool hexes. Seems like a limited terraforming mechanic. As Revival progresses, players can rain acid on enemies or strike them with lightning. They will also unleash earthquakes and volcanoes, mind-control enemy forces, and more. It’s a neat system but if players abuse it they can have trouble with their diplomatic pursuits.

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There’s no option to train a settler. To get a new city, another tribe needs to be wooed, using oaths and gifts. I pledged not to use acid rain, though that only applied to human-on-human battles, crippled a robot army with it, and then suffered the consequences. Breaking promises leads to problems and rivals are quick to swoop in if they can.

Recolonization’s approach to research favors pushing for clearly defined targets while ignoring tech that does not offer direct benefits. Empire plans offer players extra ways to boost their empire. Diplomacy is nuanced and human factions tend to be very happy when a robot force is destroyed. Beware, the machines are strong and even a Prophet-led army can have trouble handling them.

Resources are scarce, and units have equipment modules that can be upgraded independently, so players have to choose wisely when it comes to force composition. Tactical combat can become a little repetitive, so simulate when victory seems probable.

Revival: Recolonization players have been reporting bugs, including major ones like disappearing armies, although they haven’t affected my playtime. The game’s innovative ideas, like the flexible unit upgrades and the capsule system for Prophets, make it stand out in a crowded game space. But it takes a solid time investment to understand how all its systems can be harnessed to move toward victory.

Revival: Recolonization is a good-looking strategy experience that could have made its world weirder to better suit the narrative premise. The anomalies and relics of the past make the map feel alive, but the towns and improvements feel a little dull. Tactical combat makes good use of the terrain, and the interface is solidly organized, clearly showing players how their capsules will affect the world and showing combat odds.

The sound design unfortunately doesn’t add much. The soundtrack has both soaring and more melancholy moments but needs more songs to keep players company during long sessions. Replace it with your favorite podcast about Artificial Intelligence or the climate apocalypse.

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The Good

The Bad

Conclusion