Many have tried but we believe that none has succeeded in making a twist or developing a video game with similar gameplay aspects to the ever-popular game of Minecraft. But not all is lost. From time to time, we do find a hidden gem in a pile of game lists from various launchers such as Steam, Epic, GOG, etc. One of the video games that really caught our attention is titled, Eco.
But what does Eco mean? Does it refer to Economics? Economy perhaps? Ecological? or Ecosystem? Surprisingly, it incorporates all 4 of these terms into the game including gameplay that requires a community to work together and a government to govern the essence of life.
This particular game shares the similar building, mining, and block mechanics that most would be familiar with especially those who have played Minecraft.
Strange Loop Games, the developer of this title, has developed the game in a fascinating way that most studios would have had difficulty doing so and that’s by listening to its community. The game was first launched on February 7, 2018, and was first made available through Steam.
So what is Eco all about?
Eco is a fully simulated ecosystem bustling with thousands of growing plants and animals living their lives. The game is all about constructing buildings and towns, tending to your farm, hunting wildlife for survival, building infrastructure and transportation, crafting clothing, building power plants, and researching new technologies. Along with it is the community where you can play with other players all around the world. In a community, a player can specialize in a craft and trade their goods with other players. Develop your civilization and sculpt your planet.
The goal of the game is to save the world without destroying it in the process from an imminent meteor strike that threatens global destruction.
If you’re looking for a video game title that’s somewhat similar or shares the aspects of Minecraft but less RPG~ish or fantasy theme and more real-life scenarios and responsibility, then we highly recommend checking out Eco.
Eco is currently on sale until April 27, 2022. Check them out on Steam.
Our Hands-On Experience
Our first 11 minutes experience of the game is mind-boggling. It takes a while to get used to things but once you get over it, the game is quite enjoyable. What we noticed, however, is that the game is more enjoyed when played with friends or on an active server.
Fortunately, Strange Loop Games provide a few official servers that you can join that already have quite a number of active players. So to truly enjoy the game, be part of the community or play with your friends.
If you’re ever worried about the support of the devs for the game, the only thing we know so far is that the studio behind the title will continuously develop the game. So you can rest assured that it will keep getting new contents and updates for a long time.