Space Colony: Steam Edition (2015)

In *Space Colony: Steam Edition (2015)*, you're thrust into the vast expanse of the galaxy, tasked with the daunting mission of establishing a thriving colony with a dwindling supply of resources. Under the watchful eye of a powerful mega-corporation and a crew of motley individuals demanding their pay, your survival hinges on your ability to build a functional base, neutralize hostile alien threats, and, crucially, keep your colonists happy and alive. Each member of your crew possesses their own distinct personality and desires, making their well-being a constant challenge. Neglecting them spells doom for your nascent intergalactic empire, but nurturing them can foster a loyal workforce eager to defend your burgeoning domain. The whims of your unruly crew, all eager to escape their past lives on Earth, dictate the success of your military and commercial endeavors, placing your career in their hands. *Space Colony: Steam Edition* elevates the original sci-fi base-builder with a plethora of enhancements tailored for Steam. This definitive version introduces a brand-new "Obar" mini-campaign within its Galaxy mode, alongside Steam Workshop support for community-created content, Steam Achievements to track your progress, collectible Trading Cards, and Steam Cloud synchronization for your saved games. Fans of the original, the builder genre, and the *Stronghold* series – with which *Space Colony* shares a playful irreverence and gameplay DNA – will find much to love. Experience the game in stunning HD graphics, a significant upgrade from the original, allowing for a panoramic view of your entire colony on a single screen. Strategically construct over 100 different buildings, from essential resource extraction facilities and lucrative space chicken farms to vital laser defenses, luxurious saunas, and appealing restaurants, all designed to meet your colonists' needs and keep them motivated. Early detection of alien life forms and swift counter-attacks are crucial, as is managing your workers' workloads, ensuring they visit the colony psychologist, and deploying an arsenal of defenses like Hovermines, laser turrets, and the formidable Dogbot to protect your crew. You'll also have the opportunity to train specialists in fields like cybernetics, mining, and lasers, further enhancing your colony's capabilities and expanding your empire. *Space Colony* absolutely belongs on a list of "Best games by FireFly Studios" due to its innovative take on the base-building genre, its signature blend of strategic depth and irreverent humor, and the significant improvements made in the *Steam Edition*. While FireFly Studios is renowned for the *Stronghold* series, *Space Colony* showcases their ability to translate their core design philosophies into a distinct sci-fi setting. The emphasis on managing individual units, each with their own needs and personalities, is a hallmark of FireFly's design, creating a more engaging and dynamic gameplay experience than a purely economic or military simulation. Furthermore, the *Steam Edition* demonstrates FireFly's commitment to its back catalog, offering a modern and feature-rich rendition of a beloved classic, ensuring its accessibility and appeal to a new generation of players while satisfying existing fans. The inclusion of Steam Workshop support, in particular, is a testament to their dedication to fostering a community around their games, a characteristic that has defined the longevity of titles like *Stronghold*.