The Planet Crafter
" Relaxing adventure with satisfying terraforming and base building, but tedious resource grinding "
The Planet Crafter Review
The Planet Crafter is an immersive survival crafting game centered on terraforming a barren planet into a lush, breathable world. Players begin with limited resources and must manage oxygen, water, and hunger while exploring, building, and gradually transforming the environment. The gameplay loop is praised for being relaxing yet rewarding, with visible planet changes like grass growth, rain, and animal life enhancing the experience. The game supports solo and multiplayer modes, with a strong community and active developer support releasing meaningful free updates and DLCs such as the "Moons" expansion.
While many players laud its unique concept, satisfying progression, and beautiful visuals, some criticize the game for repetitive grinding, clunky base-building mechanics, and occasional bugs. The story and exploration elements receive mixed feedback, with some wanting deeper narrative engagement and others finding exploration tedious. Overall, the game is seen as a gem in the open-world crafting genre, especially for players seeking a chill, creative experience without combat.
Highlights
Gameplay mechanics are widely appreciated for their satisfying and relaxing terraforming progression and resource management.
Graphics are considered beautiful and atmospheric, with detailed plants, animals, and evolving landscapes.
The storyline and environmental storytelling add depth, though some players wish for more narrative engagement.
Active developer support and free content updates enhance replayability and player experience.
Multiplayer support and the ability to customize difficulty and gameplay style increase accessibility and longevity.
Criticisms
Common criticisms focus on the tedious and repetitive grinding required for resource collection and base upgrades.
Base-building mechanics suffer from poor snapping, alignment issues, and clunky controls, making construction frustrating.
Exploration can feel like a chore due to limited oxygen capacity, inventory management, and sometimes sparse rewards.
The story progression is slow and minimal, leaving some players wanting more meaningful narrative.
Quality-of-life features such as autosave and UI improvements are requested.
Some bugs and performance issues are reported, though not game-breaking for most.
Pros
- • Satisfying terraforming progression with visible environmental changes.
- • Relaxing gameplay loop without combat, ideal for stress relief.
- • Beautiful and atmospheric graphics with detailed flora and fauna.
- • Active developer support with frequent free updates and DLCs.
- • Customizable difficulty settings for varied player experiences.
- • Engaging base building and resource management mechanics.
- • Multiplayer mode enhances social and cooperative play.
Cons
- • Base-building mechanics suffer from poor snapping and alignment.
- • Repetitive grinding and resource collection can become tedious.
- • Exploration limited by oxygen and inventory constraints.
- • Story progression is minimal and sometimes slow.
- • Lack of autosave and other quality-of-life features.
- • Some bugs and performance dips reported by players.
- • Late-game momentum can slow, reducing engagement.
Rating Criteria
A space survival open world terraforming crafting game, designed for 1 to 10 players. Alter the ecosystem of an inhospitable planet to render it habitable for humanity. Survive, gather resources, and build your base. Then, generate oxygen, warmth, and pressure to create a brand new biosphere.