Game Review: Survivalcraft, a Minecraft clone on Windows Phone!

Today, I am reviewing Survivalcraft, a Minecraft clone on the Windows Phone platform (the first one and darn good!).

Since I’m reviewing a game for the Windows Phone, I thought it fitting to write the review from my Windows Phone (Samsung Focus). I’ve been holding back by review until the first update for the game was released as it brought (among other things) the ability to take in-game screenshots. Woohoo! I have a screenshot app on my phone (Sideloaded, thanks to the ChevronWP7 unlocker) but it doesn’t currently support screenshots in games or videos. So I wanted to wait until I had good visuals before completing the game review.

Note: I have never played the original Minecraft, this review will not be a comparison.

A ship maroons you on the shores of an infinite block world.

As the game starts, you see a ship sailing away – leaving you stranded on the beach. You’re on your own now!

How rude! Hmph! ... Hey.. hey wait! Come back!

….

What is the only reasonable response to such treatment in an infinite block world?

First, since I have the screenshot, we wait a little longer – staring forlornly after the ship. But you know you can’t stand there forever, the sun will set eventually on your little (large) strip of sand and you’re not going to want to be exposed when night falls (even though there’s no creatures yet).

You need shelter.

How do you find shelter in an infinite block world?

Start digging! You’ve got a long way to go before you have a respectable dwelling but there’s no reason to stop there. Go exploring, spelunking, base-jumping (sorry, no parachutes), build an underground lake or fall into an underground lake from very far above after removing the block directly beneath your feet!

Woops!

WELCOME TO SURVIVALCRAFT!

Developed for the Windows Phone platform by kaalus, Survivalcraft seems much more fulfilling than your average mobile game. You can build yourself a monstrous, sprawling castle that wraps around whole mountains or a giant, glass, floating tower. Or, you can go the route I’m working on right now which is; urban development. You can catch a glimpse of my in-progress highway system (the straight roadway) in the photo above. I have two roads that blaze straight lines in from the beach that you start on that are connected far inland. Everywhere inside those roadways is now undergoing urban development, which means it’s all going to be leveled like when you use the leveling tool in Sim City. Flat. Then, a city!

That’s gonna take a while but everything will go much quicker and more smoothly since the Alpha 1.1 version was released. There are a whole slough of new features, which you can read about HERE (on the developer’s blog). So if you had looked at it before and it wasn’t quite up to your standards, I really think it’s worth another look, because..

..damn this game is addicting.

Crafting, building, destroying, falling, climbing.. maybe a little sleeping. I’m having a lot of fun with this game and there aren’t even any creatures to threaten your safety… yet! They’re certainly on the way. I was pretty skeptical about the movement-controls and how well this would all work but I’m really having a blast (I hope my girlfriend isn’t getting jealous). The developer is listening to the community to help determine the direction of this game and he’s doing a great job of implementing the features that the users really want.

Great job bringing this lovely blockiness to Windows Phone kaalus! Thanks to the original Minecraft developers for giving kaalus a (seemingly, as I haven’t played it) great beast to start with!

It’s time to go ruin some block world habitats and scenery for my urban development. You should visit the Survivalcraft links below. I definitely recommend buying this game at the lower price before it gets too hot – and it is definitely heating up.

• Developer kaalus’ blog site: http://kaalus.wordpress.com
• Get Survivalcraft for Windows Phone: http://tinyurl.com/SurvivalcraftWP7
• Survivalcraft Community Forum: http://survivalcraft.lefora.com (what? “InstantIdiocy” is a Moderator an Administrator there?!)
• Facebook page for Survivalcraft for Windows Phone: http://facebook.com/Survivalcraft.WP7
• Web-based IRC chat for Survivalcraft: http://tinyurl.com/SurvivalcraftChat
• Survivalcraft Wiki Page: http://survivalcraftwp7.wikispaces.com – [unofficial]
• Le wiki français: http://survivalcraft.wikispaces.com – French-language Wiki - [unofficial]

-Posted from WordPress for Windows Phone.