🏡 Banished: A Deep Dive into the City-Building Survival Experience
In Banished, a unique city-building strategy game, you take control of a group of exiled travelers seeking a fresh start in an unfamiliar land. With nothing but the clothes on their backs and a cart filled with basic supplies, your task is to guide them toward survival and prosperity.
👥 People Are Your Most Valuable Resource
Unlike traditional strategy games, Banished places your townspeople at the heart of the experience. They are not just workers—they are individuals who live full lives: they are born, grow old, work, have children, and eventually pass away. Their health, happiness, and nourishment are critical to your town’s growth. Building houses isn't enough—there must be enough citizens to fill them and form new families.
🏗️ No Tech Trees, Only Resource Management
Banished eliminates the need for skill trees. Every structure is available from the start, as long as you have the required resources. There’s no currency system—instead, you rely on bartering when trade vessels arrive. These merchants are essential for acquiring livestock and new crops, but they may also bring diseases from distant lands.
🧱 Diverse Jobs & Dynamic Strategy
Your townspeople can perform over twenty different occupations, including:
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Farming
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Hunting
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Blacksmithing
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Mining
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Teaching
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Healing
Each map is procedurally generated, meaning no single strategy guarantees success. Some resources may be abundant in one game and scarce in another, pushing you to adapt your approach.
🌳 Every Decision Has a Cost
As you expand, you must decide how to manage your natural environment. Will you replant forests, dig into mountains for iron, or quarry stone? These choices require careful planning, as they also limit the land available for future growth.
⚖️ Survival Is All About Balance
The fate of your town depends on your ability to balance risk and resource management. A poorly timed decision can lead to starvation, illness, or population collapse. But with careful planning and smart adaptation, your small group of outcasts can build a thriving, self-sustaining community.