Recent reviews by murderbits

- Drifter's Kickstarter ended in 2012.
- Drifter has not received any update whatsoever since 2018.
- In January of 2022, the creator updated Kickstarter to say (among many things), that we'll start seeing updates soon and that we'll hear from them again, soon. They also said that it is clear the game will never be what they had hoped and cited various issues like the $81k the Kickstarter raised being insufficient, having ADHD, transitioning, etc.
- We have not, in fact, hear from them soon. Or ever, as of the middle of 2025.

Thirteen years later, there is no reason to believe the game will ever be done (or even updated). Even the creator has all but stated that they have given up. I would, at this point, expect that any update/release would just be to get it "over with" and off their mind by saying "it's now 1.0!, we did it!" when all that will likely have been done is ticking the version upward.

Things happen. We all wasted our money. I have no ill will, but absolutely do not purchase this game. If, by some miracle, a finished product ever arises, I will gladly revisit my review.

Well, comrades, it seems the glorious five-year plan for AdVenture Communist stretched into an eight-year plan of... absolutely nothing. From the creators of AdVenture Capitalist, this was meant to be the collectivist counterpoint, where we seized the means of potato production for the glory of the state!

Instead, it turns out the most accurate part of the communist simulation was the eventual abandonment by the central planners. Left perpetually in Early Access since roughly the invention of the wheel (okay, 2017 according to the Glorious People's History on the store page, but feels longer), the game stands as a monument to broken promises. Much like a Lada factory running out of bolts, development just... stopped.

It's almost poetic, isn't it? The capitalist version gets updates, yachts, and moon bases. The communist version gets bread lines (if bread was updates), stagnation, and is ultimately left unfinished, screwing over the loyal workers (players) who invested their time.

Avoid this relic unless you really enjoy digital monuments to failed utopian projects.

Simple and relaxed clicker where you grow your own little oddball garden along with a fleet of cute helpers. Numbers go up. While I never completed the game (I often tap-out due to boredom in such games -- or due to having a "what am I doing with my life?!" moment of clarity), time spent with it was enjoyable.

Relatively simple,chill, satisfying idle/clicker where you grow your own little oddball garden along with a fleet ofcute little helpers. Watch numbers go up, and feel productive without the stress. While I never completed the game (I often tap-out due to boredom in such games -- or due to having a "what am I doing with my life?!" moment of clarity), time spent with itwas enjoyable.

ARK is a muddy, inconsistent eyesore. Character models are janky, animations are weird, and it all blends into a particularly unpleasant visual sludge.

But the real crime here is the relentless anti-consumerism. Selling paid DLC while still in Early Access? Re-releasing the game as "Ascended" and charging again while shutting down original servers? It's a masterclass in squeezing players. Fun gameplay loops can't excuse that level of disrespect for your customers. Avoid.

Think ARK was rough? Atlas is that, but the devs jumped ship leaving this wreck behind in permanent Early Access. It's ABANDONED. There have been no updates since May 2023.

Official servers were shut down ages ago, confirming the abandonment. Yet, somehow, this is still being sold on Steam, preying on anyone unaware it's a dead project.

If you ignore the warnings, expect an ARK clone drowning in awful performance, game-breaking bugs, and a mind-numbing grind. It launched with potential but quickly devolved into a buggy, unsupported mess.

This isn't Early Access; it's a defunct cash-grab.

Completely abandoned many years ago and finally de-listed from the store. While the developer lost interest and went on to publish many other games on Steam, this stand as one of those great warnings about the risks and pitfalls of Early Access. What I remain baffled by is, why does Steam allow them to create and sell more projects when they still have abandoned projects that were sold and never completed from more than twelve years earlier?!

Right then, listen up! I backed this way back on Kickstarter and was glued to my screen the moment it dropped on release day. Been waiting for this trip to Wellington Wells for ages, and lemme tell you, despite a few bumps in the road, it was one hell of a ride.

Okay, the dodgy bits first. Yeah, the procedural generation could be pants sometimes, especially in the Garden District. You'd get some really samey layouts or weird dead ends that made getting around a bit annoying. It wasn't always smooth, and maybe the whole eating/drinking/sleeping thing felt a little forced at times, not quite essential? Minor stuff mostly.

BUT! Man, where this game gets you is the whole vibe. The world they built here... just wow. This messed-up, creepy, funny-but-not-funny version of 60s Britain is something else, totally unique. And the look of it! Instantly recognizable style, fits the mood perfectly. Following Arthur, Sally, and Ollie through their stories was brilliant, seeing how everything connected really pulls you in. And the voices! Seriously, the acting is incredible, from the main folks right down to the random spooky Bobbies you bump into – brings everyone to life. The music nails that creepy/cheerful thing too. It all just clicks together to make this place feel real... in a really messed-up way.

I got so sucked in, I literally played this for 36 hours straight when it came out. Maybe needed some actual Joy by the end, haha, but I loved every weird, scary, funny second exploring Wellington Wells.

So, it's got a few rough edges, mostly on the tech/random map side. But if you dig games with amazing atmosphere, cool art, stories that stick with you, and acting that knocks your socks off, you HAVE to check out Wellington Wells. Don't be a Downer, give it a go. Just... maybe watch that Joy intake, yeah?

Highly Recommended!

While my clocked Steam-time for this game is 27 hours, the actual time played was less than one hour. Over many days, I tried to connect and play a game, succeeding only twice. The rest of those hours were spent trying to connect to a server and play. By the time I tried again, the game was all but dead.

Short, cozy, chill little title with smooth controls that has an overwhelmingly positive reception. If it's what you're looking for and you are in the right mood for it, this may be right up your alley. I, however, grew tired of the endless fetch-questing (which is the entirety of the game) and therefore did not complete it. I also do not see myself returning to it. One of those cases where you wish there was a third rating option.

This game may be a lot of fun to a child who is just old enough to read, though, and I don't see anything that would be concerning to a parent.