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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

Rate It!
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

GameGrin: 8.5 / 10 by Alana Dunitz

ISLANDERS: New Shores is a chill building experience, full of strategy, that requires a lot of planning to maximise your score, but it remains a calm and relaxing experience.

Full Review

Siliconera: 8 / 10 by Jenni Lada

Islanders: New Shores is, in every way, an improvement from the original Islanders game due to new buildings and gameplay elements.

Full Review

Nindie Spotlight: 7.8 / 10 by Justin Nation

The generally chill, budget building sim has returned to the Switch, this time with new biomes and elements that expand the scope of its appeal

Full Review
97%

STEAM Score

All Reviews: Overwhelmingly Positive (873)

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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