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.

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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.

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This sample of some of the music in the game gives you a good idea of the atmosphere Aurorian are going for.