Solarpunk arrives with a refreshing premise at a time when survival games often lean heavily on danger, hostility, and relentless pressure. Developed by Cyberwave and published by rokaplay and Metaroot, it imagines a future where renewable technology and nature exist in harmony, placing players on a network of floating islands suspended high above the clouds. Rather than presenting a traditional narrative filled with quests and dramatic twists, Solarpunk focuses on personal expression and gradual progression. The absence of a meaningful story may disappoint players hoping for lore or memorable characters, but it also allows the game to fully commit to its cozy identity, encouraging players to create their own goals and stories through exploration and construction.
The opening hours establish a familiar survival-crafting loop built around gathering resources, constructing workstations, growing crops, and expanding a modest settlement into something far more ambitious. Hunger, thirst, and fatigue systems exist, but they rarely create genuine tension, making survival feel more like a gentle framework than a constant challenge. That approach works well for the relaxed atmosphere Cyberwave is aiming for, though players expecting the pressure and unpredictability found in more traditional survival games may find the experience lacking urgency. Progression follows a clear path from one resource tier to the next, ensuring that objectives are rarely confusing, but that same structure can occasionally make advancement feel a little too guided and predictable.
The game’s standout mechanic is undoubtedly its renewable energy and automation systems. Solar panels, wind turbines, batteries, sprinklers, drills, and transport drones gradually transform a manually operated farm into a self-sustaining ecosystem. The interplay between weather conditions and power generation adds a welcome layer of planning, encouraging players to balance different energy sources and think about efficiency. While the automation never reaches the complexity of dedicated factory-management games, it creates a satisfying sense of progression as repetitive tasks slowly disappear and carefully designed systems begin running independently. Reaching this stage can take some patience, but it is here that Solarpunk most successfully delivers on the promise suggested by its title.
Exploration provides some of the game’s most memorable moments, particularly once the first airship takes flight. Soaring between islands creates an undeniable feeling of freedom, and simply watching your settlement recede into the distance while drifting above the clouds captures the game’s optimistic spirit perfectly. Unfortunately, the islands themselves often struggle to maintain that excitement. Many serve primarily as resource hubs tied directly to progression, and while they are pleasant to look at, they rarely contain meaningful discoveries, hidden surprises, or environmental variety. The result is a world that initially inspires curiosity but gradually reveals itself to be more limited than its beautiful presentation suggests.
Building remains one of Solarpunk’s strongest features. A generous selection of structural pieces and decorations allows for impressive creativity, whether constructing a modest farmhouse, an automated agricultural complex, or an elaborate floating estate. The ability to recover resources when dismantling structures encourages experimentation, and the building tools generally make it easy to realise ambitious ideas. At the same time, some quality-of-life shortcomings become increasingly noticeable over longer play sessions. Inventory management can be cumbersome, nearby storage containers are not always as useful as they should be, and certain interface actions require more steps than expected. Tutorials also leave some of the more advanced systems underexplained, occasionally forcing players to learn through trial and error rather than clear instruction.
On PlayStation 5, Solarpunk benefits from an attractive art style that compensates for its modest production values. The colorful floating landscapes, swaying vegetation, dynamic weather effects, and warm lighting create an inviting world that consistently reinforces the game’s hopeful tone. The soundtrack complements this atmosphere well, delivering relaxed music that rarely intrudes on the experience, while environmental effects such as rainfall, wind, and distant thunder add welcome immersion. Technical performance is generally solid, but the game is not entirely free of issues. Minor bugs, animation quirks, occasional pathfinding oddities, and other rough edges occasionally remind you that this is a project created by a very small team rather than a major studio.
Solarpunk succeeds most when viewed as a peaceful sandbox rather than a survival epic. It does not offer deep storytelling, endless exploration, or the systemic complexity of the genre’s biggest names, but it was never really trying to. Instead, Cyberwave has crafted a relaxing experience centred on creativity, sustainability, and the satisfaction of watching a small island evolve into a thriving community above the clouds. The repetition, limited exploration, and occasional usability frustrations prevent it from fully realising its considerable potential, yet its distinctive setting, rewarding automation systems, and wonderfully tranquil atmosphere make it easy to appreciate. For players seeking a low-stress crafting adventure where the journey matters more than the destination, Solarpunk provides a charming place to spend many peaceful hours.
Score: 7.5/10