Winter, it seems, is almost always impending, and it’s a marvel that the entire world of Aven Prime isn’t constantly hidden under miles of ice and snow. And in case you forget to do any of this, the game reminds you by turning these building projects into objectives. You need to construct buildings that generate power and water, farms to feed colonists and habitats to house your citizens. Whether you’re building a colony in one of the game’s increasingly challenging missions, or in the sandbox mode, you begin by going through the motions. Mothership Entertainment’s colony management sim looks a lot like the sci-fi entries in the Anno series, but with its elections, edicts and simplified economy, it’s got more in common with a Tropico where the humour and Caribbean charm has been replaced by a multitude of crises that make Banished seem almost relaxing. Playing Aven Colony is like trying to make a house of cards next to an open window. If that’s not enough of a pain in the arse, protesters have taken to the streets, complete with massive holographic slogans.

I’ve got aliens to worry about, toxic fumes are floating in from the east, lightning has set fire to my farms and shards are falling from the heavens, smashing into my vulnerable habitats. My stint as the governor of an off-world colony has gone a bit pear-shaped.

Colony survival game keeps