Is this an actual City Builder with persistent Settlement or Scenario-based RTS?

[Beyond Disbelief]

I see that the game is labeled as a city builder and is marked as similar to Rimworld. However, watching the trailers and listening to their verbiage that "every settlement is different" and "move on to the next settlement" gives me very strong RTS single player campaign vibes.

I've had my RTS phase don't get me wrong, but I want to know what I am actually buying, and if I'm playing a city builder I expect Sim City/Skylines even Rimworld style with a persistent settlement I keep building on, not a scenario-based campaign where the previous settlement is effectively deleted and I "move on to the next".

Please let me know if this game is for me.

[HouseOfTheRat]

It's a roguelite city builder. Instead of fighting an enemy with your deck of cards, or platforming through a stage, you build a settlement. When it is complete, you move further on the world map and build the next one.

[mostly willing]

someone on discord described AtS as a roguelite with city building elements. it's a good way to describe what you are getting

there are no scenario-based campaigns. each settlement is self-contained, so I guess that would fall under "the previous settlement is effectively deleted and I "move on to the next"

[dhitch89]

Unlike most city builders, you don't spend a lot of time on one single city; rather, you build a chain of numerous smaller cities, moving on from each one whether you win or lose in the end, yet always aiming to get various resources that will help you in future runs.

Then after a period of time, the entire map of settlements is wiped clean and you start over, but your upgrades remain. You ideally want to aim toward map goals called Seals to extend this map-wipe time, but in the end, even that goal is an optional one.

[That Fish Guy]

It's a city builder that has consistent natural disasters and ramping taxes. It also randomly starts your city in areas with differing resources, species, and construction options.

You can continue to play after you've established your city, but it doesn't count to the progression of the game.

[TripSin]

The game has a demo. Might help you see for yourself.

[Zep Tepi]

They're not really cities, more like temporary resource gathering settlements. So no, they don't stick around long.

[Alexander]

It is not an RTS, in the sense that you don't microcontrol units. You assign jobs and give tasks to your villagers. It is also not a city builder where you build a perfect city. You do whatever it takes to complete the goal, and then you move on. Each settlement takes from 1.5 to 4 hours, depending on the difficulty and on how much time you spend in active pause mode planning and making arrangements.

Also take into account that it is a roguelite, which means that you don't have full control on what tools you use to win. Instead, you try to make do with the cards you are dealt. RNG element is a fundamental part of the game. You'll have to make decisions based on incomplete information and plan for uncertain future.

It is also a survival city builder,so there's constant pressure you have to keep up with. Think of the Frostpunk, but with a lot more happening each "day" (in case of AtS it is "year", but the real time duration is mostly the same) and with average settlement lifespan 5 to 9 years.

I'm not the most quick witted person, so I usually avoid RTS, since I can't both plan the base development and microcontrol units, but I really love AtS. In fact it ruined other city builders for me: now I expect something meaningful to happen every few minutes and hate to just sit and wait on double game speed.

[Beyond Disbelief]

Thanks all, you all have been very helpful in allowing me to make an informed decision.

[That Fish Guy]

Originally posted by Beyond Disbelief:

Thanks all, you all have been very helpful in allowing me to make an informed decision.

I believe most of this community, myself included, would give it a huge thumbs up. The devs also take community feedback into account, and they're pretty responsive.

Another point in 'against the storms' favor, you can really play it at your own pace, you can go breakneck speed to open each sigil, or only get 2-3 settlements per cycle done, the progression rewards will come slower but they'll still come, and you'll have a very low stress experience. The game is also very transparent in telling you how difficult it's going to (potentially) make things at each difficulty level, and what your reward will be upon completion (exact same currencies, just more of them for higher difficulties).

If you decide it's a game that could be interesting to you I hope you give it a shot. I was hooked within 1 map after completing the tutorial (I didn't even know what I was doing, but I had so much fun doing it).

[Samseng Yik]

If you are type of gamer who want huge massive city that last for 20 hours and satisfying of things grow big. Then this is not game for you.

This is bite size roguelite settlement builder with game time around 1 hour exclude pause.
Then you move on to next.

And why this so good ? Because it has a unique marriage of roguelite and city builder.
I spit on city builder genre, but I am hardcore fans of rogue ish game.
The result is a bite size roguelite city game that has a lot of build and replayability to win.

The key is "replayability and build" like how you play diablo and POE. You will have to adapt what is provided to you, which is always the key fun of rogue ish game

[kevinr]

if I'm playing a city builder I expect Sim City/Skylines even Rimworld style with a persistent settlement I keep building on, not a scenario-based campaign where the previous settlement is effectively deleted and I "move on to the next".

Why do you "expect" that? The best classic city-builders -- Caesar, Pharaoh, etc -- were scenario-based like this.