Create virtual lifeforms whose development is shaped by a deep simulation of evolution. Guide them as they fight, mate, and adapt to the environment you have built. All the creatures in the trailer evolved on their own in the game!
All Reviews:
Very Positive (386) - 81% of the 386 user reviews for this game are positive.
Release Date:
Mar 16, 2021
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Early Access Game

Get instant access and start playing; get involved with this game as it develops.

Note: This Early Access game is not complete and may or may not change further. If you are not excited to play this game in its current state, then you should wait to see if the game progresses further in development. Learn more

What the developers have to say:

Why Early Access?

“Ecosystem is an ambitious and experimental project. Simulating a realistic, natural water world on the border between science and entertainment has never been attempted with this level of depth. As a result, with prolonged play, there is likely to be a host of unintended consequences of the largely unconstrained evolutionary algorithms and so we will need your help to track down potential gameplay issues, unrealistic catastrophic events, and of course the odd bug...”

Approximately how long will this game be in Early Access?

“Early Access is expected to last 12 to 18 months.”

How is the full version planned to differ from the Early Access version?

“There are planned extensions to the evolution algorithms to allow for more diverse behaviours, longer food chains, and new solutions to underwater locomotion.”

What is the current state of the Early Access version?

“The main evolution framework is functional, fish can evolve in player-defined biomes, plants and nutrients can be introduced and manipulated, and worlds and creatures can be saved so you can look after them for as long as you like.”

Will the game be priced differently during and after Early Access?

“No price change is planned.”

How are you planning on involving the Community in your development process?

“Everyone picks up and plays ecosystem a little differently. At the moment, the two available game modes are as flexible as possible to allow for a range of play styles. We want to see which features are community favourites and focus continuing development in these areas. If you let us know what you like, we'll do our best to enhance it.”
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About This Game

Ecosystem is a game about life. At its heart are evolving virtual lifeforms, who grow from synthetic DNA and live in a physically-simulated ocean. This DNA encodes everything about a creature: their skeletal structure, their mental processors and even their combat prowess.

Simulation

The nervous system of a virtual lifeform is a pipeline computer where, every moment, data from sense organs passes through a network of neurons and finally contracts a muscle in a specific body part. Creatures swim just like real sea-life, applying torque at their joints to push against the water in a way coordinated to propel themselves forward.

Evolution

To create life, you need only release a batch of these lifeforms into the water with random brains and bodies. Most will flail around aimlessly, but those that manage to move even slightly will get to have more offspring than the others. Ten generations later, their descendants will be talented swimmers.

It’s really satisfying to see the creatures evolve in a real sense, guided by your hand in the simulated fluid of your own world.

Combat

Whether it’s using electrical attacks to stun enemies or developing poisonous spikes to evade the jaws of predators, Ecosystem’s simulation features an in-depth combat layer.

Each creature has a range of combat statistics that will determine their role in the food chain. As a species evolves and gains a foothold, it will need to adapt to survive attacks from predators or face extinction.

Playing God

If you want to take a more hands-on approach in your creatures’ evolution, a suite of tools are provided, unlocked as you progress through the game, to force certain traits in your species. From high level settings such as requiring a species to have tentacles, be a certain size, or have a set amount of body parts, to minute details such as determining the amount of drag or torque a creature may face when swimming, the simulation is yours to control.

Sculpt Your Own Ecosystem

Ecosystem features procedural worlds with a variety of options such as ocean depth and soil type, but you can go one step further and sculpt the terrain yourself, raising mountains or carving out dark caves for your predators to lurk in.

Data At Your Fingertips

For players who want to monitor their ecosystems closely, there is a lot of data at your fingertips. We’ve got you covered for all the statistics and analysis of your world that you could possibly want - from ecosystem overviews showing population charts for both animals and plants to phylogenetic trees for individual species, allowing you to track your species evolution.

Share Online

Ecosystem features Steam Workshop support, allowing you to share your species, maps and aquariums. Download other players' species from within the game and introduce them to your ecosystem and see if they have what it takes to survive.

System Requirements

    Minimum:
    • Requires a 64-bit processor and operating system
    • OS *: Windows 7 64-bit or higher
    • Processor: Intel Core i3-4340 / AMD FX-6300
    • Memory: 4 GB RAM
    • Graphics: nVidia GeForce GTX 660 2GB / AMD Radeon HD 7850 2GB
    • Storage: 2 GB available space
    Recommended:
    • Requires a 64-bit processor and operating system
* Starting January 1st, 2024, the Steam Client will only support Windows 10 and later versions.

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