Running an underwater marine colony isn’t easy. Where do you start? Where does the air come from? How do you prevent it from becoming a dystopian disaster and then a backdrop for an underwater horror game? Devolver’s new underwater survival city builder Aquatico answers those important questions for you, and our introduction here will make sure you’re not drowning in mismanagement and seawater when you get going.
To start
In Aquatico, the sea is your canvas (and basically what’s left of the world after an asteroid collision). The biomes range from clear vistas in blue waters to darker and more mysterious terrain as you go deeper. Send out expeditions to discover what lives in the oceans around you, but beware that not everything you find may be happy to see you.
You have three different types of units to manage: drones that search the depths of the sea for resources and build the infrastructure in your underwater colony, humans that roam the oceans in robot-walker suits, and ordinary citizens that live in pressurized dome dwellings. living.
Resources, resources
In Aquatico, food is divided into three levels based on how luxurious and unusual it is. For example, a sea cucumber (dirty, we know) is Tier 1, while cake is Tier 3 because, well, it’s cake.
Medicines, of course, are a must in this world, as are the abundant materials you get from the sea or hand-build in factories, such as plastic, iron, and sponge. Resources like these are vital for upgrading items through the game’s deep research tree, and will help your underwater community thrive.
Infrastructure
Infrastructure is how you generate resources such as electricity, crude oil, fuel and oxygen, just to name a few. When deciding where to place buildings, such as factories, you should keep an eye on the efficiency rating. For example, you might want to place a sponge factory next to an area full of sponge instead of putting it in the middle of nowhere.
Also keep in mind that while you may have many buildings, they may not work economically. As your city grows, make sure you upgrade all the buildings you can, but do so not build too fast or your production lines could be strained, which could lead to problems later on. Not only that, but in the final stages of the game, you can attract hostile attention from the likes of sharks, dinosaur-like underwater creatures, or even pirate groups.
Fortunately, there will be times when distant colonies decide to help you by sending people, drones or resources, but keep in mind that they will want things back in the end!
Dome houses
Domes are the key to your survival and success in Aquatico. To begin with, you are limited to very basic dwellings, but as time passes and your community grows, the size of the available domes increases, as does the variety of things and furniture you can build in the domes (one of the later domes). size is absolute enormous!).
As you progress, you’ll need to think about how your community will function in the world you’ve created. Are you creating a training center for the next generation? Hotels for other colonies to visit and stay? Dinners to create more jobs and boost the economy? We’re just scratching the surface of what you can do in your umbrella company, and we’ll let you discover the rest for yourself.
Enjoy your hard work
There’s nothing wrong with working hard to make sure your colony is thriving, but don’t forget to slow down and take time to appreciate your creation. Watching the world you helped build is one of Aquatico’s greatest pleasures, so our bonus tip for you today: take it easy, zoom in and enjoy the fruits of your labor.
Aquatico is out now on Steam, with more content post-launch. It’s launched at a 10% discount for one week, so if you’re interested, grab it while the deal lasts! The game will also be available in a bundle with the Medieval City Builder of 2021 Cartridge. Good luck rebuilding civilization, and don’t go all ‘Andrew Ryan’ on us…