Demo code used with many thanks to ÜberStrategist.
Due for an Early Access release on the 13th of December, 2023, Pioneers of Pagonia is a simulation strategy game. You’ll have the chance to try out the demo for yourself during the Steam Next Fest from the 9th of October until the 16th of October.
Pioneers of Pagonia is an intriguing new city builder from The Settlers series designer Volker Wertich and his team at Envision Entertainment.
Intriguing New City Builder
In Pioneers of Pagonia, you’ll settle on islands and send out your scouts to explore new lands. They will find hidden resources and uncover secrets.
As well as building settlements and exploring the surroundings, you’ll build watch towers and expand your territory. You’ll need to lift the fog of war from the map by sending out scouts. Additionally, expansion requires border stones to be made, which your pioneers can then use to claim more land for your settlement and expand your borders.
Exploring the procedurally generated map will uncover other factions who can join you if you help solve their problems. Supplying them with the needed resources or sending a treasure hunter out to find one of their lost artefacts. Furthermore, there are hostile factions in the world. However, it’s not just bandits who will raid your settlements but supernatural entities as well, like ghosts and werewolves lurking in the woods.
Three Maps in the Demo
In the demo, I had access to three maps; Rich Forest has lots of space and resources nearby. Then, Wet Grassland has limited resources, such as a shortage of softwood. Finally, we have Dry Rocks. As the name would suggest, it has steep terrain, and it is harder to expand your settlement. For my first playthrough, I chose the Rich Forest map; actually, it is my favourite out of the three maps after trying them all.
Moored at the coast is a large ship carrying all the people and some starting resources. The demo has objectives to complete, such as building Forester’s huts, Cottages and Farms and more.
Every building in Pioneers of Pagonia is unlocked right from the start; there isn’t any research or tech trees. So, all you need is enough resources to build. Placing buildings in Pioneers of Pagonia couldn’t be easier; the buildings snap their entrance to paths. Laying paths is a dream; it’s so well implemented in the demo, and your citizens will use the paths to carry resources and move about.
Chilled Gameplay
It’s a chilled-out experience playing Pioneers of Pagonia, helped along by the relaxing soundtrack. The maps are alive, with animals roaming around and the trees swaying in the breeze. I love the fantasy look of the game.
While I love watching the citizens move about and get on with their work, they walk very slowly, and the demo lacks speed controls. So, hopefully, the full game will have speed controls implemented.
Early Access Road Map
As you can see from the image above, the developers have a lot planned for Pioneers of Pagonia to progress through Early Access.
When the game is released later in the year, there will be forty different buildings to construct. Additionally, there will be more than seventy different types of goods. You’ll have to manage the production chains and establish your growing economy.
After spending some time with the demo, Pioneers of Pagonia is definitely a strategy game to keep an eye on. It is shaping up to be a fantastic addition to the genre. You can try the demo for yourself during the upcoming Steam Next Fest. In the meantime here’s the link to the Pioneers of Pagonia Steam page, where you can help the developers by Wishlisting the game.