Sky-city sim Airborne Kingdom now has a release date. Fans of city sims and colony builders can build their own “Columbia” on December 17.
Airborne Kingdom is a unique gameplay scenario for a city builder. The game allows players to set up flying cities a la Bioshock Infinite. Players who want to be their own Zachary Comstock can do so on December 17, exclusive to the Epic Games Store.
The game will cost $24.99 and is an Epic exclusive
Dev team the Wandering Band announced their city sim title is coming out soon. According to the press release, the game will come to both PC and Mac. Kingdom will cost $24.99 and will be a full game at launch.
“Airborne Kingdom is a flying city builder combining free-roam exploration, nodal storytelling, and sim-style management in a soothing, experiential style of gameplay,” said the press release. “It allows players to create their own unique and beautiful kingdoms in the sky.
Players will build and manage a kingdom in the clouds as they work to maintain lift and explore the furthest reaches of a mysterious landscape below. As their kingdom grows, and with it their skill at navigating this fantastical realm, players will unlock the lost technologies of the Ancients to restore harmony to the world and build bridges between peoples separated long ago.”
For what it seems, the aerial theme of the game is more than a simple aesthetic detail. It is a crucial area of the title’s gameplay loop, which gives a general idea of what players can expect.
Flying city trope more than a gimmick
The Aerial Kingdom takes the flying city trope to a whole new level. Every house, building, hangar, or even farm has its own weight. Unlike Minecraft’s Skyblock, builders need to account for weight, speed, and even the propellant amount.
If buildings tilt, they will fly slower and start degrading faster than ever. If there are too many buildings on one side, the entire city will tip over and start crumbling down.
The aesthetic of the game is beautiful, reminiscent of a high-quality Cities Skylines mod. The isometric toy diorama perspective is gorgeous, and players can enjoy the skies. The city moves too so that players can go around the world.
The entire city wobbles too when players add a new structure, and it’s easy to eye any balancing issues. Players can even visit ground cities and get new resources – even find themselves more citizens.
Airborne Kingdom is coming out December 17, in time for the holidays. The game will be an Epic exclusive, so for platform-agnostic gamers, this is a great pick.
Featured image courtesy of Wandering Band/Youtube Screenshot