Polytopia
Introduction
Polytopia is a turn-based strategic adventure game developed by Midjiwan AB. The game is based on the concept of civilization building, where players can explore, expand, and develop their own civilization within a square grid world. The game is known for its unique pixel art style and its complex strategic gameplay, which involves managing resources, researching technologies, and engaging in combat with other civilizations.
Gameplay
In Polytopia, players start with a single city in a randomly generated world. The objective of the game is to develop the most powerful civilization by expanding cities, researching technologies, and defeating other civilizations. The game is turn-based, meaning players take turns making their moves.
Each turn, players can perform a variety of actions, such as moving units, building structures, and researching technologies. The number of actions a player can perform in a turn is determined by their civilization's stars, which are generated by cities and certain structures.
Players can expand their civilization by capturing cities, either by conquering them from other civilizations or by founding new ones on unclaimed land. Cities can be developed by building structures, which can provide various benefits, such as increasing the city's population, generating more stars, or providing defensive bonuses.
Combat in Polytopia is resolved through a simple system where units have a certain attack strength and health. When a unit attacks another, the defending unit's health is reduced by the attacking unit's strength. If a unit's health is reduced to zero, it is destroyed.
Civilizations
There are several different civilizations in Polytopia, each with their own unique abilities and units. These civilizations are divided into two categories: tribes and special tribes. The tribes are based on different real-world cultures, while the special tribes have unique gameplay mechanics and aesthetics.
The tribes include the Xin-xi, Imperius, Bardur, Oumaji, Kickoo, Hoodrick, Luxidoor, Vengir, Zebasi, Ai-Mo, Quetzali, Yădakk, Aquarion, ∑∫ỹriȱŋ, Polaris, and Cymanti. Each tribe starts with a different technology, which can give them an early advantage in certain areas.
The special tribes, Aquarion, ∑∫ỹriȱŋ, Polaris, and Cymanti, have unique units and technologies that significantly alter their gameplay. For example, the Aquarion tribe can build amphibious units, the ∑∫ỹriȱŋ tribe can manipulate the terrain, the Polaris tribe can freeze the land and water, and the Cymanti tribe can use biological warfare.
Development
Polytopia was developed by Midjiwan AB, a small independent game studio based in Stockholm, Sweden. The game was initially released in February 2016 for iOS and Android devices. Since its release, it has received several updates, adding new civilizations, game modes, and other features.
The game was developed with a focus on simplicity and accessibility, with the aim of creating a strategy game that could be played in short sessions on mobile devices. Despite this, the game has a high level of depth and complexity, with a wide range of strategies and tactics available to players.
Reception
Polytopia has been well received by players and critics alike. The game has been praised for its simple yet deep gameplay, its unique pixel art style, and its replayability. It has also been commended for its balance, with each civilization having its own strengths and weaknesses, making for a varied and strategic game experience.
As of 2021, the game has over 10 million downloads on the Google Play Store and has an average rating of 4.6 out of 5. On the App Store, the game has an average rating of 4.8 out of 5.