This game actually went under my radar for the longest time. I discovered it because I went to by Homeseek only to learn that this was a previous game that the developers made since they were offering a bundle with both games in it. So I picked it up hoping for a halfway decent city-builder. What I instead received was something that significantly exceeded my expectations. When it comes to city-builders Banished set a standard for me. I needs a solid structure for building a city, it needs quality sound design such as the sound of trees getting cut down, buildings being built (something that a surprising number of city-builders lack).

This delivered way beyond that from geiger counter sounds when clearing radiation before building a structure, hammers hammering, saws sawing, trees making noise as the fell, fishing docks with the sound of fishing lines being reeled in. The sound design is on point and goes beyond what Banished had established for me in my requirements for a city-builder. While I was a little nervous about the prospect of having to deal with raiders, it's actually done in a way that is plenty manageable and is only a very small part of building your city. This game takes the decree concept of Frostpunk and applies it here as well, from birth control, to supply rationing, to banishing children and the elderly if you really want. But Frostpunk also was a city-builder I found lacking in the ambient city-building sounds so it didn't do the trick for me.

I am nearly 5 hours in and I'm still doing the tutorial and even though I haven't finished it I can confidently recommend this game. Seriously if you've been trying to find something that scratches the itch that Banished has scratched so well for years but is obviously not you making your millionth Banished village, Endzone is the game for you.

This game actually went under my radar for the longest time. I discovered it because I went to by Homeseek only to learn that this was a previous game that the developers made since they were offering a bundle with both games in it. So I picked it up hoping for a halfway decent city-builder. What I instead received was something that significantly exceeded my expectations. When it comes to city-builders Banished set a standard for me. I needs a solid structure for building a city, it needs quality sound design such as the sound of trees getting cut down, buildings being built (something that a surprising number of city-builders lack). This delivered way beyond that from geiger counter sounds when clearing radiation before building a structure, hammers hammering, saws sawing, trees making noise as the fell, fishing docks with the sound of fishing lines being reeled in. The sound design is on point and goes beyond what Banished had established for me in my requirements for a city-builder. While I was a little nervous about the prospect of having to deal with raiders, it's actually done in a way that is plenty manageable and is only a very small part of building your city. This game takes the decree concept of Frostpunk and applies it here as well, from birth control, to supply rationing, to banishing children and the elderly if you really want. But Frostpunk also was a city-builder I found lacking in the ambient city-building sounds so it didn't do the trick for me. I am nearly 5 hours in and I'm still doing the tutorial and even though I haven't finished it I can confidently recommend this game. Seriously if you've been trying to find something that scratches the itch that Banished has scratched so well for years but is obviously not you making your millionth Banished village, Endzone is the game for you.