Planetfall: Maia launches on Steam Early Access

Maia Early Access

Colony management sim Maia is up and running on Steam as I type this. It’s normally £17.99, but is 25 percent off at the moment. This is something I’d normally celebrate, but I’m too busy shouting at my aimless colonists. Without a proper GUI or menus, it’s very much bare bones at the moment, and for the life of my I haven’t got a clue how to get my little space adventurers to do more than build a table and a light. But it’s a sturdy table and a working light – it’s little the victories. 

As my wee minions wander around without purpose, the environment outside lives up to its hostile reputation. Earthquakes rock the colony, solar storms blind with extreme bloom and the rain… so much rain. This is not somewhere I’d recommend as a relaxing holiday spot, especially with the toxic air. 

Despite the bugs, missing features and the general lack of guidance, Maia is still oozing potential. It also contains haikus, which is splendid if you like a bit of poetry with your sci-fi base building and genetically mutated super chickens.

The current build is limited to the sandbox mode, with basic base building and slightly wonky colonists who like to get stuck in things. A steady cadence of updates is planned, with new builds dropping once a week.