Maybe it doesn’t have the flashiest graphics or the most complex and numerous in-game mechanics, but it brings a lot to the table regardless. Banished was a labour of love – and it shows.

I think that’s absolutely incredible, and well worth taking a moment to consider. A single person managed to create this incredibly intricate and challenging game, one that exists in a pretty unique niche within the overall city-building game realm. What astonishes me about Banished is that its developer – Shining Rock Software – is actually just one person. The fact that I’m still playing it almost eight years later should tell you how I feel about it! The early- and mid-2010s were a mess for me for all manner of reasons, and my memory isn’t great even under the best circumstances! Suffice to say that I discovered Banished shortly after its launch, and for a relatively low price of admission when compared to titles in a similar city-building space, I thought it was at least worth a shot.

Banished was released in 2014 for PC, and I honestly can’t remember where I first heard about it.

The banished pc game review