In my nearly forty years, I’ve learned that city builders and strategy games aren’t my cup of tea. I’m a perfectionist prone to decision paralysis, so I don’t have the cognitive or emotional bandwidth to deal with all the choicemaking those games require. There was one game, though, that was so laid-back and undemanding that it snuck past my defenses and left a lasting mark: Black & White. Specifically the first, which I spent countless hours toying with in my youth. So it was my happy surprise to learn of Shoni Island, an upcoming god sim that has Black & White’s fingerprints all over it. Witty writing and a snarky narrator? Yes, please. Miniature villagers with oversized heads channeling sky magic through jazzercise? Absolutely. Frankly, though, Golden Horde Studios, you had me at God Hand.
The God Hand, for those who never played Black & White, is a detached appendage that is your physical manifestation in the game’s world. Grab a villager and plop them down next to a resource and they’ll start collecting it. Your lumberjack taking too long to deliver lumber? Pick them up and give them a ride. Don’t like someone’s face? Toss them into a lake to swim with the fishes. The Hand both looks and feels almost exactly like the one in Black & White, so learning to use it was second nature to me, but I imagine anyone can get used to it with little difficulty. Thankfully, Shoni Island’s implementation of the God Hand is devoid of the spotty gesture controls that plagued its original incarnation, a decision I’m certain oldheads like myself will greatly appreciate. Watch the trailer; you’ll see what I mean.
Oldheads will also notice one big, furry omission—there isn’t an unruly animal giant to ruin all your plans. Black & White wouldn’t have been much of a game without its virtual pet, but it’s already clear the little people who inhabit your virtual village will be the stars of the show in Shoni Island. Their animations are full of personality, and I found myself just sitting and people watching on occasion, a bit like a child peering into a terrarium. Looking at the game’s Steam page, it looks like there’s a lot to look forward to. The devs plan for the game to have “a living, breathing ecosystem”, where the NPCs will live out their lives, with or without your divine intervention. There will also be “moody gods” to curry favor from, each of whom can grant you blessings or curse you, which I’m sure will please people who seek a bit of a challenge.
The devs say Shoni Island is designed with well-being at its core and is made to be a relaxed experience. That certainly lines up with what I’ve played of it. The quaint medieval aesthetic and chill vibes are cozy as heck, so I loaded it up on my Steam Deck to see how it plays in my pajamas and a coz. After a bit of tinkering to get the controls just right, I can confirm it’s a great fit for in-bed gaming. In fact, handheld quickly became my preferred way to play it. While I’m can’t say how representative this little slice is of the final product, if Shoni Island maintains its mellow tone, then those of you who enjoy a cozy city builder will want to keep an eye on it.
There’s a demo up on Steam now. Go play it. It’s raw and a little rough around the edges, but there’s enough there to get a taste of the developers’ ambitions ahead of the full release, which will be later this year. Read more about Shoni Island on its Steam page.
