Colonists on the rim thought they had seen it all – raiders, mechanoids, solar flares, and unfortunate incidents involving unrestricted animals. Turns out, their world just got a whole lot bigger, and the challenges a lot more… cosmic.
Ludeon Studios has officially released RimWorld: Odyssey, the sixth major expansion for the critically acclaimed sci-fi colony simulator and story generator. True to its name, Odyssey is fundamentally about breaking boundaries and venturing into the unknown.
Building Your Ticket to the Stars (or Just the Next Continent)
The centerpiece of the Odyssey expansion is the ability for players to construct their own gravships. This isn`t just a fancy shuttle; it`s your mobile base and exploration vehicle, capable of traversing the planet`s surface like never before. Prepare to explore entirely new biomes: the eerie, glowing forests, the treacherous, scarred lands, the vast, unforgiving glacial plains, and the volatile lava fields. These new areas aren`t just pretty pictures (well, as `pretty` as RimWorld gets); they contain new landmarks like towering cliffs, deep fjords, and cryptic ancient structures, ripe for resource gathering and discovery. Assuming, of course, the local wildlife or environmental hazards don`t turn your expedition into a Darwinian case study.
Beyond the Atmosphere: The Final Frontier Awaits
But the gravship`s capabilities extend far beyond mere planetary travel. For the truly ambitious (or perhaps foolhardy) colony leaders, the gravship is the key to space. Yes, RimWorld colonists can now leave the safety (relative as it may be) of their planet`s surface and venture into orbit and beyond. Explore the derelict husks of wrecked orbital platforms, investigate drifting satellites, and mine resources from asteroid fields. Naturally, space is not without its hazards. Players should expect dangerous encounters with space scavengers looking for an easy target and the ever-present threat of hostile killer mechanoids.
Surviving the vacuum of space requires more than just a sturdy hull. Maintaining power for life support, ensuring oxygen pumps are functioning, and implementing airtight airlocks to prevent sudden, fatal decompression are now critical considerations. It adds a whole new layer of technical challenge to colony management – because apparently, managing eccentric colonists and psychotic squirrels wasn`t quite enough.
A Welcome Gift for All: The Free 1.6 Update
Accompanying the premium Odyssey expansion is a significant free update, version 1.6, available to everyone who owns the base game. This update brings a wealth of quality-of-life improvements that enhance the core RimWorld experience.
Noteworthy changes include a rework of the map generation system, promising more varied and potentially interesting starting locations. In a long-requested feature, winged animals now possess the ability to fly – watch your colonists` hats. The update also includes crucial performance improvements, most notably a significant reduction in game launch times. Anyone who`s waited patiently for RimWorld to load knows this is a welcome change. These base game enhancements ensure that even players not ready to venture into space will find a refined and improved world waiting for them.
A New Chapter for the Story Generator
The release of Odyssey and the 1.6 update marks a substantial evolution for RimWorld. The expansion provides deep, complex new systems for exploration and survival beyond the traditional colony boundary, fitting perfectly with the game`s identity as a powerful story generator. The free update demonstrates Ludeon Studios` ongoing commitment to polishing and improving the foundational game. Whether you`re charting unknown biomes, battling pirates in orbit, or just enjoying the sight of a seagull actually taking flight, there`s plenty of new content and polish for RimWorld enthusiasts.
Ellis Thorne