Before We Leave Reviews
Before We Leave is a non-violent 4X strategy game that is perfect for newcomers, but its lack of challenge and overly simplified mechanics will leave genre veterans bored.
Before We Leave is as close as I’ve ever come to sticking with a city builder and, for that, it deserves enormous credit. The non-violent nature of the gameplay is also to be commended. However, it’s all still just a little too dizzying for me and, if you also struggle with the level of micro-management this type of game fosters, then this likely won’t be quite streamlined enough to change your mind.
Before We Leave promises to be "gentle" and "relaxing" city-building game, and it is until you reach its game-breaking bugs. I guess you can't expect the post-apocalypse to be all fun all the time.
Before We Leave is game that doesn't really let me recognize a goal in it. There isn't really something useful to do after the tutorial. It's a pity that it couldn't catch me more.
Review in German | Read full review
Before We Leave is a comforting and accessible city building simulator that will entice and equally challenge you. The momentum occasionally stutters and micro-managing your ever-expanding cities can be a pain at times, but your Peeps will never cease to entice you back in. Helping this fledging society of tiny cute figures colonise islands and planets from neanderthal to fully-developed modern society is a fundamentally lovely experience. Saving them from space whales is certainly tough, but it’s also a wholesome, worthwhile endeavour.
Before We Leave is never suitable for professional gamers who want excitement, but it is a good experience for those who are new to City Building games and want a little peace.
Review in Persian | Read full review
I had a wonderfully pleasant time playing Before We Leave. While consoles may never be ideal for simulation titles, if I’m going to check one out with a controller, this is exactly the version I’m looking for. A few performance issues and a lack of variety may make this a game to be enjoyed briefly, but the cozy vibe it gives off feels just right. Grab a nice cup of tea, wrap yourself up in a warm blanket, and enjoy.
Usually you won't play a strategy game to distract your mind or have a quiet enjoyment, but Before We Leave does exactly that. If you want to plant and plant potatoes and tea at your own pace, and travel around the planet, I think you should have a look.
Review in Turkish | Read full review
Cute little city-builder with big ambitions and even bigger cosmic cetaceans.
Overall Before We Leave is somewhat of a middle-of-the-road city builder with some lovely concepts and a relaxing vibe. It doesn’t nail everything it tries, but overall it’s an enjoyable experience. The non-combat approach could’ve been executed better at times, with more challenges thrown at the player. Meanwhile, the small hexagon islands can be enjoyable for people who like some puzzles in their city builders, while for others they could feel a little limiting. Before We Leave is a cute, polished city builder perfect for when you’re in the mood for something relaxing and less challenging, with the looks to back it up.
It is a combination of having limited real estate to display a lot of information, and then picking all the wrong information to show in that space. When you're not wrestling with it, the actual moment-to-moment gameplay is very satisfying. It looks sharp and sounds fantastic. There are some hurdles to make it over, but it is hard to deny the underlying charm of Before We Leave.
Hexagon non-violent city building strategy offers much more as it seems. Find your new home in stars and reveal big space mystery.
Review in Slovak | Read full review
Before We Leave is a great, relaxed simulation, but feels like it may be missing a few things
Gamers will easily be able to sink hours into Before We Leave, from conquering new islands to finally getting off the planet. It’s just hard to get past, that while launched, the current game state feels more like the end half of a Beta.
Eschewing combat takes away some of the ethical dilemmas that are part of 4x and city builder games. You can even play Before We Leave without any threats at all, making it a very chill experience that’s focused entirely on puttering around and building. Without combat or threats, however, Before We Leave is forced to really lean into its aesthetic and mechanics. The result is a little vanilla and a bit repetitive over the long term. It’s a bit like decaf coffee. It’ll do, but you’re gonna miss the kick.
Before We Leave has a surprising amount of depth and layers to it, that you’ll continually uncover as you play. This is a non-violent game, but it’s anything but safe. Some may balk at the minimal consequence to properly treating or taking care of your peeps, but the space whale and other ancient creatures will do their part to disrupt your rebuilt civilization in more meaningful ways. Before We Leave has left an indelible impression upon me, from the visuals to the unique gameplay, this is a planet builder that won’t be eclipsed anytime soon.
While lacking depth compared to larger, more mainstream strategy titles, Before We Leave is a fun entry in the genre. In its current state, it is still a good respite between grueling campaigns for the strategy addict.
I’m actually surprised by how disarmingly cute, charming and engaging Before We Leave really is. I’ve always been able to fire up strategy games and wind up losing a few hours before I’ve realized what’s happening, but Before We Leave is especially good at it. It’s the perfect lazy evening game for when you kind of want to build up a colony and watch it grow but don’t fancy all the moral schtick of Frostpunk or the complexity of something like Cities Skylines. Balancing Monkey Games have done a terrific job.
Before We Leave is a relaxing and colorful city builder that is fun for a few hours but starts to grow a bit repetitive in the long term. The focus on just building your civilization without dealing with threats is something I quite enjoyed but the game needed a bit more variety in the late game as I felt like I had seen all it had to show me by that time. Fans of the genre who seek more depth in their city builders may want to look elsewhere but if you want one that is just a bit more chill then Before We Leave may be for you.
Before We Leave is a relaxing take on the post-apocalypse and city building, with enough benefits to overcome its hiccups.