StrategyFit check
Is The Colonists worth it for you?
We tell you who should skip it, too.
Play it if you…
Good fit- Settlement-building fans who prefer peaceful campaign missions over military competition
- Players who want to plan transport, farming, and resource production across a growing colony
- Groups looking for cooperative campaign play or player-versus-player colony battles
Skip it if you…
Saves you a refund- Players who want direct, hands-on combat may find the focus on building and managing a colony a poor match.
- Players who prefer short, linear sessions may hit a wall with the open-ended sandbox and map-building modes.
- Those looking for a role-playing game or a character-led story may not find those systems here.
Our take on The Colonists
Players who want a tightly guided campaign may bounce when the game shifts to randomly generated maps or the sandbox, where settings and colony development are left more open. The military track also changes the pace: it pits the settlement against AI colonies rather than keeping play focused on peaceful construction.
What is The Colonists?
The Colonists is a settlement-building strategy game about robots establishing a home on a distant planet.
Build infrastructure across three Ages, connecting settlements with roads, boats, and trains. Gather resources, farm and produce food, research technologies, and send expeditions to discover new areas. The 14 campaign missions follow either a peaceful or military track: one focuses on settlement-building without competition, while the other pits colonies against AI in military scenarios. Play on procedurally generated maps, adjust settings in sandbox mode, or create and share maps with the editor and Steam Workshop. Multiplayer includes cooperative campaign play and player-versus-player battles. Monthly maps and speed-run challenges offer additional objectives for colony builders.
How The Colonists plays
- 01Three development Ages
- The colony’s infrastructure expands through road, boat, and train transport systems.
- 02Peaceful and military campaigns
- The 14 missions are divided between settlement-building and competition against AI colonies.
- 03Co-op and PvP
- Multiplayer supports cooperative campaign sessions as well as battles between players.
- 04Custom map creation
- The editor lets players set victory conditions for maps they create and share.
- 05Community maps and mods
- Steam Workshop supports player-made maps and modifications that add buildings, resources, and research.
- 06Monthly map challenges
- Frontiers provides a new map each month with a best-time competition.
- 07Speed-run trophies
- Special challenges test experienced colony builders against time-based goals.
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The Colonists: platforms & release
Is The Colonists worth it?
It is worth it if: settlement-building fans who prefer peaceful campaign missions over military competition. Skip it if: players who want direct, hands-on combat may find the focus on building and managing a colony a poor match.
Where can I download The Colonists?
Use the Download Now button on this page: it opens The Colonists's store page, where you can choose how to get it.
What platforms is The Colonists on?
Windows, macOS and Linux.
