The Tomorrow Children: Phoenix Edition

Ready to become a productive member of a virtual society? The Tomorrow Children: Phoenix Edition adds a ton of meaningful content to an already outstanding game, turning it into one serious contender for the title of best life simulation game around. Or is it?

The truth is that the original game (released a few years back) was always a tough one to classify. The free-to-play model was a welcome addition then – and it still is – but the lack of content and minimal incentive for exploration made it feel like a glorified time waster. Now, the Phoenix Edition aims to redefine what the game is capable of, and from what I've seen, it succeeds in spades.

Small World – Giant Risks

As we mentioned before, The Tomorrow Children doesn't really fit into most of the more common video game genres. At first glance, it might look like just another indie survival title like No Man's Sky, but the game goes well beyond the mere act of gathering resources and growing your home base.

At the center of it all, The Tomorrow Children: Phoenix Edition tasks the player with taking care of the needs of a growing (tiny) city. What this means is that you'll have to regularly plan expeditions to look for resources and listen to the needs of the town if you wish to prosper.

One area where the game excels is that there's never a dull moment for the player. While titles like Don't Starve have a clearly outlined gameplay loop, The Tomorrow Children juggles between new tasks all the time, always keeping players on their toes as they try to balance all the different needs of their developing town.

Rise from the Ashes

The game's Phoenix Edition adds even more content to an already solid package. Exploring the Void – the game's main setting – was always a somewhat unsettling experience, chock full of new things to discover.

Now, new islands are joining The Void, adding to a total of over 40 new locations to explore. Don't forget the new monoliths, which are mysterious buildings that will further uncover the secrets of the void.

It's clear that the developers of The Tomorrow Children: Phoenix Edition wanted this revised package to have an even more meaningful narrative experience than its predecessor. Fortunately for Dylan Cuthbert, they succeeded.

Perhaps one area that could've used a bit more of a revamp is the game's visuals. While there's no denying that the toy-like designs seen in the game are more than just a bit charming, some technical aspects of the game engine are beginning to show their age. Considering Cuthbert's background working for Argonaut Software, perhaps a bit more polish would have been something we would have loved to see in this upgrade.

Overall The Tomorrow Children: Phoenix Edition is a huge step forward in terms of content. Whether you're looking for a meaningful story or just a way to pass time, this game won't let you down, especially if you're into other sandbox games like Rust or Dayz, and you're not too weirded out by the constant Marxist subcontext.

Pros

• Charming character designs
• Intricate and fascinating world to explore
• Solid gameplay loop will keep you coming back for more

Cons

• The visuals can look rather bland at times