A Planet of Mine

Gather resources, develop new technologies, and survive the whims of a wild new planet (YOUR planet, to be precise) in the adorable A Planet of Mine. What began as a simple mobile game developed into an addictive procedurally-generated experience where micro-managing and careful exploration are rewarded with hours of fun.

The more veteran players – and those who dedicate a good chunk of their free time to playing A Planet of Mine – might be quick to notice that the game might not be as deep as it initially seems. Still, there's a lot to discover – and even more to enjoy – in this pocket-sized 4X game.

From Humble Beginnings

In A Planet of Mine, the player's task will be to create and sustain life on a planet for as long as they can, with the ultimate goal being space exploration and, inevitably, conquest. It's a concept we've seen countless times before in games like Spore and even other 4X titles like Sid Meier's Civilization V.

That said, this game does a few things vastly different from other games in its same genre. For starters, the game modes themselves are a bit weird for newcomers to grasp. There are multiple modes, but they all feel like variations of what "Free Play" in Civilization might be like.

To make matters even more confusing, there's no tutorial level to speak of. In a game with such deep mechanics – and a UI that might be more of a curse than a blessing – a walkthrough of the basics would have been greatly appreciated.

A Test of Skill

By "test of skill" I'm not talking about the game's difficulty, but rather its unwieldy controls. Remember when I mentioned that A Planet of Mine used to be a mobile game? Well, its touch-based controls are a true testament to that.

While I imagine that the unique way in which the planet and most of the UI elements are presented would be easy to control on a tablet, that's not the case when you're playing with a keyboard and mouse. It's not that the presentation is bad – it's just that it's only usable on mobile devices.

Add to that the previously mentioned lack of tutorials and you got a recipe for disaster on your hands, as players try to navigate a game that has seemingly lost its course.

Outstanding Presentation

Even though the UI might be borderline confusing, other visual elements of A Planet of Mine are simply gorgeous. The pixel art is on point, allowing the developers a lot of flexibility when designing new buildings and characters.

As you discover each of the 12 types of inhabitants in the game, you'll soon realize that the visuals are the real deal when it comes to what makes A Planet of Mine so unique. It might not be the best 4X game out there – not by a long shot – but it is still an oddity that's worth playing if you're a die-hard fan of the genre who's looking for something unique to play.

Pros

• Characters and buildings designs are great
• Unique presentation and gameplay mechanics
• A good variety of technologies and characters to unlock

Cons

• Confusing UI
• Unresponsive controls
• Lacks a tutorial