Game: Islanders New Shores
Genre: City Builder, Casual, Indie
System: Steam (Windows), (also available on PlayStation 5, Xbox, Nintendo Switch)
Developer|Publisher: The Station | Thunderful Publishing, Coatsink
Controller Support: Yes
Price: US $9.99 | UK £7.99 | EU € 9,99
Release Date: 10 July 2025
A review code was provided, thanks to Coatsink.
What Islanders New Shores Is About
Islanders New Shores is a cozy city builder game where every new island is a fresh canvas. Given multiple landscapes, find yourself creating your perfect island. Because honestly — who hasn’t dreamed of building their own tiny paradise? From buildings to fields and infrastructure — be the architect these sea-bound lands need.
The first game of this series was previously reviewed by Paula, Islanders: Console Edition.
I suggest giving it a read if you want more context about Islanders: New Shores and to appreciate the upgrades.
Gameplay or One Tile at A Time
When you launch Islanders: New Shores, you’re greeted with a short introductory phase.
The system walks you through how to navigate the map, the types of buildings you can place, and various in-game features. At each step, the game waits for you to complete the action, ensuring you’ve got the hang of it. This introduction is clear and easy to follow.
One thing I appreciated is that every time a new mechanic is introduced, it’s explained right away.
It feels like Islanders: New Shores is gently holding your hand, while still giving you the freedom to explore and experiment.
Each building comes with its own requirements and gives you rewards based on where and how you place it.
That’s where the real strategy kicks in. You need to plan ahead and think carefully about how your structures will fit into the available land.
The almost puzzle-like dimension of the game surprised me — in a good way! Maybe this is what chess players feel — minus the timer and the stress.
Wait — did I almost forget to mention that there’s a world ranking mode? And yes, there’s also a sandbox mode where you can create your own islands with every building unlocked. Thought that might catch your attention!
Art, Sound and Soul of Islanders New Shores
No surprise to returning Islanders players: the game is visually satisfying. Everything is vibrant and clearly designed. Each island has its own unique geography and ecosystem, which keeps the experience fresh and exciting.
I love the soundtrack. As someone who listens to lo-fi playlists during almost everything I do, I can tell you this one is perfectly curated. It’s consistent, varied enough to avoid repetition, and complements the gameplay without being distracting. Whoever worked on the sound design of Islanders: New Shores — kudos to you!
There’s one gameplay feature that I found particularly interesting: you can rewind your move… but only the last one! This adds just the right amount of casual challenge. I’ve never second-guessed myself more, and yet found it thoroughly enjoyable.
A great aspect of the game is that you don’t need to cover every inch of your island to progress.
Once you hit the required score, you can either finish the island (rumor has it, this unlocks achievements) or move on to the next. Each new island brings new buildings, new biomes… You can clearly feel a sense of progression, but it unfolds gently and naturally.
Conclusion
Honestly, I don’t have any complaints about Islanders: New Shores. It delivers on all fronts: gameplay, visuals, and sound design. It fully captured my attention, and the experience was more than pleasant.
It’s the kind of game you open “just for 10 minutes” and find yourself playing an hour later.
So I guess… they did it again!
Final verdict: I like it a lot
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