Oxygen Not Included: A Quirky Space Colony Simulation Where Life Finds a Way (Maybe)

Oxygen Not Included: A Quirky Space Colony Simulation Where Life Finds a Way (Maybe)

Welcome to a universe where survival hinges on managing your colony’s poop production – and no, I’m not kidding. Oxygen Not Included, developed by Klei Entertainment (the mastermind behind the deliciously challenging Don’t Starve), throws you headfirst into an asteroid with nothing but a handful of Duplicants, industrious little people driven by basic needs and bizarre quirks.

Think of it as SimCity meets space exploration, seasoned with a healthy dose of morbid humor. Your mission: carve out a sustainable existence for your ragtag crew amidst the unforgiving vacuum of space. But beware, this isn’t a walk in the park (or rather, a stroll through an asteroid base). Oxygen Not Included demands meticulous planning, strategic resource management, and a willingness to embrace the occasional explosion… or catastrophic methane buildup.

The Gaseous Struggle for Existence

Oxygen Not Included plunges you into the role of the ultimate space colony architect and manager. You begin with a barren asteroid containing meager resources: water ice, some dirt, and a couple of conveniently placed meteoroids bursting with minerals. Your initial Duplicants arrive wide-eyed and optimistic, eager to start digging and building their new home. But this optimism quickly fades as they face the harsh realities of survival in space:

  • Oxygen: It’s not just for breathing; it’s crucial for powering your machinery and keeping those adorable Duplicants alive. You’ll need to master complex oxygen-generating systems, from algae farms bubbling with photosynthetic life to elaborate electrolyzers that split water into precious breathable air.

  • Temperature: Space is a fickle mistress when it comes to temperature. One minute you’re sweating in the furnace of your geothermal generator, the next you’re freezing solid thanks to a sudden drop in external temperatures. Carefully manage insulation, ventilation, and heat sinks to keep your colony at a comfortable – or at least survivable – temperature.

  • Food and Waste: You can’t expect Duplicants to subsist on pure oxygen alone! Set up kitchens for whipping up delicious (and sometimes questionable) meals, and brace yourself for the inevitable mountain of waste that comes with feeding a spacefaring civilization. Waste management is an art in Oxygen Not Included – learn to compost, incinerate, and even use it as fertilizer in your hydroponic gardens.

  • Disease and Stress: Life in a confined asteroid isn’t all sunshine and moonbeams (although there are no moonbeams, unless you install artificial lighting). Your Duplicants are susceptible to various diseases and mental breakdowns – especially if they find themselves trapped in a flooded corridor or forced to eat moldy algae for breakfast.

The Duplicant Difference: Quirks and Skills

One of Oxygen Not Included’s most charming features is its unique cast of Duplicants, each boasting individual skills and quirks that can make or break your colony.

Need someone to tackle those dangerous slime eruptions? Look no further than the “Strong” Duplicant.

Got a plumbing emergency? Your “Handy” Duplicant will have it fixed in no time.

But beware, some quirks might present unforeseen challenges:

  • Germophobic: This Duplicant refuses to touch contaminated areas (a good thing for hygiene!) but can be a nightmare if a virus breaks out.
  • Glutton: Always hungry and prone to overeating – perfect for managing large food reserves but a liability when resources are scarce.
  • Clumsy: Drops things constantly – great entertainment, not so great for delicate machinery.

Beyond the Basics: Research, Exploration, and Expansion

Once you’ve mastered the art of keeping your Duplicants alive (a continuous struggle), it’s time to think bigger. Oxygen Not Included encourages exploration beyond your initial asteroid. Send out probes to scout new celestial bodies, ripe with unique resources and challenges. Expand your colony into massive underground complexes, teeming with factories, research labs, and even recreational areas for your hardworking Duplicants.

Research plays a vital role in unlocking advanced technologies: from more efficient oxygen generators to self-sustaining food production systems. The tech tree is expansive, offering numerous paths to customize your colony’s development.

A Universe of Possibilities (and Explosions)

Oxygen Not Included is not for the faint of heart. It demands patience, meticulous planning, and a willingness to learn from (often explosive) mistakes. But the reward? The satisfaction of watching your colony thrive in the face of adversity – a testament to human ingenuity, even if that ingenuity manifests as building an intricate network of toilets and poop-powered generators.

With its quirky charm, endless replayability, and challenging gameplay loop, Oxygen Not Included is a simulation game unlike any other. Prepare for laughter, frustration, triumph, and possibly a few existential crises – all in the pursuit of oxygen, survival, and maybe even a little bit of space colonization glory.