Free Lives Games·Released Mar 28, 2023·Single player
Terra Nil is an intricate environmental strategy game about transforming a barren wasteland into a thriving, balanced ecosystem. Bring life back to a lifeless world by purifying soil, cleaning oceans, planting trees, and reintroducing wildlife, then leave without a trace.
Despite its technical flaws and short gameplay, we found ourselves unable to put down Terra Nil on Switch. The simple act of rebuilding a broken and polluted world is so satisfying and well-crafted. From the moment you put down your first wind turbine to watching your airship remove any evidence of your hard work, the game gives you a sense of hope for our own climate crisis without needing to explicitly say a word. This is pure relaxation in video game form and is worth picking up, particularly once that promised first patch is rolled out.
While the peaceful nature and serene tone are sometimes interrupted by uneven mechanics, Terra Nil is a worthwhile experience for those looking for a new twist on the sim genre.
A city-builder with no roads, taxes or industrial zones
Terra Nil is a pretty puzzle-citybuilder that feels more repetitive than it is relaxing, and that fails to find the meditative identity that it seems to seek.
More solitaire than strategy, Terra Nil is still a soothing, satisfying and educational environmentalist puzzler.
Our review of the reverse city builder Terra Nil.
