With new games constantly being added to Xbox Game Pass, it can be difficult to keep up. Huge AAA games launch on Game Pass day one, but a lot of smaller indie titles may not catch players' attention right away. Game Pass is great for many reasons, but one of the best things about it is how it shines a spotlight on indie titles like the charming city-builder Before We Leave and puts them alongside AAA games. It's a great way for indie games to gain exposure and start building a fanbase, and it's profitable for both developers and Microsoft.
A lot of great indie titles have come to Game Pass in November 2021, and Before We Leave is one of the latest. Developed by Balancing Monkey Games, Before We Leave is a tile-based civilization simulator where players are responsible for rehabilitating a population that has spent the last couple of thousand years living underground. In doing so, the civilization must rediscover long-lost technology and defend itself against menacing Space Whales.
Before We Leave is a Unique and Whimsical City-Builder
Before We Leave is an idyllic city-builder where players must manage resources and expand while making sure the population (referred to as Peeps) has everything it needs to thrive. However, Before We Leave has some interesting twists that set the world apart. First, the player's world is not constrained to one island or even one planet. Players have dominion over a solar system in a small corner of the universe, and several planets work together to make one greater civilization. When building trade routes, players have to consider interplanetary needs in addition to traditional ones.
Before We Leave is also centered on discovery, or rather rediscovery. The Peeps have lived underground for so long that they've regressed back to the stone age and have a lot of ground to make up. As the game progresses, ancient technology is rediscovered and the Peeps become more advanced, growing in harmony with the planet they live on. Then there are the Space Whales. There isn't a lot players can do to defend themselves against the planet-devouring whales, and they do a lot to set the tone of Xbox Game Pass' Before We Leave. Still, at the end of the day, it's meant to be a cozy game.
There are some threats in Before We Leave, but it isn't like Banished or Frostpunk where leaving the game unattended for a few minutes results in catastrophe. Before We Leave does require some strategy and players will experience setbacks as a result of the Space Whales, but it is mainly a beautiful and peaceful game that shouldn't cause a load of stress. For example, if Peeps run out of food, they don't start dying off; they simply stop working until they have sustenance.
Before We Leave is Balancing Monkey Games' Debut Title
Balancing Monkey Games is a small developer based in Dunedin, New Zealand. Its stated mission is to create accessible and inclusive games that give back to local and global communities. As the company grows, Balancing Monkey Games hopes to give back by supporting environmentalism and diversity, both in and outside of the gaming industry. It's definitely an indie developer worth supporting, so anyone interested in city-builders (or Space Whales) should give Before We Leave a try.
The art style rivals many city-builders out there, and the interesting premise makes it stand out. Before We Leave doesn't reinvent the genre, but it certainly holds its own. No further projects have been confirmed for Balancing Monkey Games, but the team is still making updates to Before We Leave. Right now the game is only available on PC and Xbox consoles, but the team may consider porting to other consoles in the future.
Before We Leave is available now on PC, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.