One Lonely Outpost tasks players with developing a colony on a barren alien planet.
Indie Spotlight: One Lonely Outpost is a Sci-Fi Stardew Valley
Planet Earth getting you down? Need a place to escape and unwind? Well this month's Indie Spotlight recipient doubles down on escapism as a therapeutic colony sim that takes place millions of miles from earth. Take that, real life.
One Lonely Outpost is a Kickstarted sci-fi colony sim that has drawn many comparisons to Stardew Valley. And from its picturesque pixel aesthetic to its familiar farming mechanics, it's not hard to see why. Though there are ample unique features that set it apart, which is no doubt why it smashed its Kickstarter goal.
One Lonely Outpost Key Features
One Lonely Outpost sees the player begin as the sole coloniser of a barren alien planet with naught but an RV and a handful of potato seeds to work with. Which is pretty reckless behavior, to say the least. But with these resources and the power of sci-fi tech, they must create a farm so enticing that their 'one lonely outpost' becomes a flourishing new colony replete with colourful characters from across the cosmos.
One of One Lonely Outpost's most unique features is the ability to choose between a natural or synthetic style of farming. Going natural means more lucrative produce, but the kind that requires extra hard work to keep it thriving in an alien environment. While embracing the synthetic, you will see your farm inhabited by gene-spliced crops and robo-cows. We know which branch we'd prefer.
The overarching goal is to attract a cavalcade of colonists and build a flourishing town. Players can interact with these unique NPCs to build relationships and immerse themselves in the community spirit, and also invite IRL friends to take part in up to 3-player collaborative co-op gameplay.
Co-op will allow friends to visit one another's outposts, take part in minigames and even develop relationships with the NPCs of other players' towns. And for those that prefer a game that packs a (literal) punch, there's a chance to go toe-to-toe with some native alien robots in order to unearth some hidden secrets about the planet.
When Can We Play?
According to the Steam page, One Lonely Outpost is slated for a Q3 2022 release. And judging by the polished look of trailers and screenshots, it's probably fair to expect that Freedom Games will deliver.
In the meantime however, interested parties can keep on top of development by joining the official Discord.