THE INSIDER SAYS: “Sometimes you want to rebuild the world – or, at least, an island – in your own image. ISLANDERS: New Shores is part of the cozy city-builder wave of games promising no stress, no mess, wrapped in a minimalist meditative interface.”

For people who like city-building games, there’s usually a ton of micromanagement to deal with – everything from urban planning and laying out roads to utilities, bus routes…and the impending disasters around the corner. The ISLANDERS games, by comparison, are kind of tranquil. Meditative. They are the videogame equivalent of one of those adult coloring books where you do the task at hand and relax.

It’s an easy comparison to make considering that the soothing scenery looks so luscious. There’s even a deep 75-track score that’ll keep you calm while you play. Of course, that’s before taking into account the gameplay loop is almost like a laidback, 3D textured-tetris of buildings. Almost. If any of this sounds appealing to you, download the demo and get your free chance to relax a little while gaming today.

INSIDE LOOKS:

• If we’re going by the numbers, there’s 44 building types for you to lay out over 6 biomes across 50 levels.
• Photo Mode – Capture and share your stunning island creations with customisable filters and a turntable camera.
• Dynamic Scoring Systems – Master innovative scoring methods – such as line of sight, distance bonuses, and inter-island strategies – to enhance your gameplay.
• Boons – Unlock single-use power-ups that give you unique tactical advantages as you progress.
• Twitch Integration – Streamers can now engage their audiences directly with interactive features built into the game.

ISLANDERS: New Shores is currently available with a demo on Steam for PC as well as PlayStation 4 and 5, and Xbox Series X|S and Nintendo Switch.