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Islanders: New Shores

Islanders: New Shores

PCPlayStationXboxNintendo
Released

Release Date: July 10, 2025

Strategy, Economic, Sandbox, Indie Games, City Builder, Singleplayer

A sequel of the minimalist city builder about raising cities on procedurally generated islands. Islanders: New Shores features a score mode and a sandbox mode. There are plenty of various improvements, like being able to construct new types of buildings or using one-time enhancements. The game has a low-poly graphics style.

7.9

OpenCritic

9.7

Steam

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Ratings
[1:13] - Launch Trailer Videos: 2
Screenshot Images: 5
Screenshot
Screenshot
Screenshot

Islanders: New Shores is a sequel of the minimalist city builder from 2019, titled Islanders. The game was developed by The Station studio, which has SteamWorld Build in its portfolio.

Gameplay

The gameplay in Islanders: New Shores is based on the ideas developed for its predecessor. The game takes place on islands presented from a bird's eye view, where we build our cities from scratch. The patches of land given to us are procedurally generated and are relatively small in size, and our task is to erect various buildings.

Compared to the original, the sequel mainly stands out due to its expanded content. This applies to both the range of buildings waiting to be constructed, and the properties of the islands where the gameplay takes place. In addition, so-called Graces were introduced here, which are one-time enhancements that further enrich the gameplay.

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Platforms:

PC Windows

PC Windows

Nintendo Switch

Nintendo Switch

PlayStation 5

PlayStation 5

Xbox Series X/S

Xbox Series X/S

Developer: The Station

Publisher: Coatsink Software

Similar Games:

Tiny Glade

Townscaper

Garden Galaxy

Game Series

Islanders: New Shores
Islanders: New Shores

2GAMES

Islanders Game Series

Islanders Game Series

Features

System Requirements

System Requirements for Islanders: New Shores Video Game:

PC Windows

PC / Windows

Minimum System Requirements:
Intel Core i7-4770K, 4 GB RAM, graphic card 2 GB GeForce GTX 950, 4 GB HDD, Windows 10 64-bit.

Recommended System Requirements:
Intel Core i5-8400, 8 GB RAM, graphic card 2 GB GeForce GTX 1050, 4 GB HDD, Windows 10 64-bit.

Ratings

Game Ratings for Islanders: New Shores Video Game.

7.9

OpenCritic Rating

Game is Recomended by 79% of Critics. There are 18 Critic Reviews.

OpenCritic

TechRaptor: 6.5 / 10 by Blair Bishop

It's cute in its minimalism, and remedial in its gameplay loop, yet despite promising to find that je ne sais quoi in the future, Islanders: New Shores doesn't have it now.

Full Review

GameSpew: 8 / 10 by Kim Snaith

Wonderfully zen and relaxing, Islanders: New Shores is the city building game for people who don't want to get bogged down with nitty-gritty. All you need to worry about here is placing buildings and getting the highest score possible — and if even that sounds too stressful, there's a sandbox mode that simply lets you design your own aesthetically-pleasing townscape.

Full Review

Expansive: 4 / 5 by Cait Lee

Islanders: New Shores takes everything that was good about the first game and smartly builds upon it so that it’s never too overwhelming or doesn’t become tedious or frustrating. The same zen, relaxing vibe that was present before is still very active here but slightly more gameified to add longevity and extended interest. All with the added promise of an extended roadmap. If you loved the first, you’ll adore this. And if you need something extra and chill to break up your patterns, this is a perfect palette cleanser.

Full Review
97%

STEAM Score

All Reviews: Overwhelmingly Positive (887)

STEAM
User Reviews Summary generated by AI

The main pros of the game

  • Improved Mechanics: The sequel enhances the core gameplay of the original with refined mechanics, introducing new features like the boon system and more strategic options.
  • Visual Upgrades: Players appreciate the beautiful graphics and improved art style, which adds vibrancy to the game without losing its minimalist charm.
  • Variety and Replayability: With new building types, island biomes, and the ability to choose starting islands, the game offers more variety and keeps gameplay fresh.
  • Relaxing Experience: Many users highlight the calming and meditative nature of the game, making it a perfect choice for stress relief.
  • Addictive Gameplay: The gameplay loop is engaging, encouraging players to keep coming back for more, often leading to extended play sessions.

The main cons of the game

  • Repetitive Gameplay: Some players feel that despite the new features, the gameplay can become repetitive over time, especially after multiple runs.
  • Learning Curve: A few users mentioned that the game does not adequately teach new mechanics, which can lead to confusion about optimal strategies.
  • Complexity Increase: While some enjoy the added complexity, others feel that it detracts from the casual, relaxing nature of the original game, making it feel more like a traditional game than an experience.

The features or elements that are missing from the game according to users

  • Camera Controls: Players have requested better camera controls for improved navigation and visibility of larger islands.
  • More Game Modes: There are calls for additional game modes to further extend gameplay options and replayability.
  • Expanded Building Variety: Some users desire an even broader selection of building types to enhance creative possibilities and depth in gameplay.
  • Optimization Issues: A few reviews noted performance issues on certain devices, suggesting that further optimization could enhance the experience for all players.

Summary

  • Overall, ISLANDERS: New Shores is seen as a successful sequel that builds upon the strengths of the original while introducing new elements that enhance the gameplay experience. However, there are still areas for potential improvement based on user feedback.

Summary generated on:

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