Oppidum

Between farming, fishing, crafting, and fighting, Oppidum keeps players busy for hours with a friendly adventure, though too many gathering tasks can turn progression into routine.

For a survival game, it's surprisingly player-friendly, even allowing you to customize your gameplay to your liking, from super relaxed to hardcore. You set the limits. Plus, it has a beautiful and well-developed story, at least as far as we've played. It's your turn, player, to save Insule!

Oppidum has taken me on a roller-coaster of an adventure; from the initial “Wow, this looks great!”, through the “I’ve got no storage” frustration, and the “I’m dead again” disappointment, right down to the “That’s a ridiculous amount, I quit!” But I didn’t quit, despite the ups and downs, Oppidum intrigues me. I want to know how the story pans out. Will I be able to save the Bennies? So by re-focusing on the main story, and getting into a routine using the teleport scrolls to keep my backpack free of clutter, I am really enjoying my time in Oppidum.

Oppidum isn't a title I disliked. But it's true that I wasn't particularly enthusiastic about its premise. The simplistic narrative didn't motivate me to continue exploring the world, and the extremely linear progression coupled with the world's hostility quickly demotivated me.

While very grind-driven and it has some quirks, this survival adventure could still appeal to people looking for a more subdued survival experience

Colorful story-driven survival experience on Nintendo Switch

Plenty of potential, but technical issues and design choices get in the way

As a survival crafting game, Oppidum doesn’t do all that much to separate itself from the pack. However, I couldn’t help but be charmed by this vibrant, magical world. There’s a rewarding progression system that made me want to carry on playing just a little longer. Boss encounters are also a highlight, and having to plan my strategies to defeat each one was a lot of fun. If you’re a fan of the genre, chances are you’ll find a lot to love here. Therefore, I’m giving Oppidum a Thumb Culture Gold Award!