One Lonely Outpost is an upcoming indie title from Aurorian Studios, now available to Wishlist on Steam. Following a successful Kickstarter campaign, One Lonely Outpost will release on pretty much all major platforms at some point, including PC, Nintendo Switch, Xbox, and PlayStation.
So what is it? Clearly inspired by Stardew Valley in mechanics and art style, OLO is not the first indie game to follow a similar design route. Where does the game differ? Well, it’s set on an Alien planet (basically, Mars), and that offers up a whole new approach to the mechanics and content.
I’ve followed the game for a couple of months now, but it has been in development for the past three years. The devs have a fond way of referring to the game’s message and purpose – it’s essentially waging a war against loneliness, and you can build a community on this barren planet with up to three friends at launch.
To set One Lonely Outpost apart from its competitors – some of which follow similar game mechanics and art style – the game takes a wild route through genetically-modified crops and robotic cows.
You can choose to opt for this futuristic approach to growing crops or you can follow the road of 100% natural harvests. Both have interesting twists and perks that will affect your playthrough.
Like I already mentioned, the game is focused on allowing the player to build a community, and it’s the reward of seeing your Outpost grow that will give the best sense of progression.
There are a variety of different characters, each with their own unique backstory and role on your Outpost. There are engineers and merchants, animal specialists, and even a retired corporate spy.
Like Stardew Valley, the game isn’t just about farming and building a new home. Dungeon-diving is a crucial aspect of this genre of game and One Lonely Outpost delivers. There are a few mysterious dungeons to explore on the otherwise abandoned planet.
Beyond the exploration and farming, OLO also has a couple of mini-games (including fishing, of course) and a charming art style. It’s colorful and a little wacky because this is space after all.
This sample of some of the music in the game gives you a good idea of the atmosphere Aurorian are going for.
