Virtual Villagers - ‘Striving for Survival' Simulator

A simulator game which gives you a chance to live a life of a little tribe on an exotic island.

Game story.  A few lucky survivors flee from a volcanic eruption. After days of drifting in the sea, they land on the shore of a mysterious island.

As they look around, they see what appeared to be an empty and isolated paradise!

Your little bunch of villagers feels lost and confused on an unknown island. Your task is to successfully manage their day-to-day routine so that they are able to thrive in their new home and to unlock the mysteries of Isola Island.

In other words, you have to grow a small village in your computer.

Your little villagers need to become farmers, builders, researchers, and parents. Moreover, they will have to make decisions in the unpredictable situations that they run into on Isola island. But first of all you have to make sure that your villagers' basic needs are met.

Their most urgent need is food, which you'll find in limited supply on a berry bush.

Learn also with your villagers to build huts, to heal the sick, to increase population, and many other things allowing your little tribe to carry on.

Don't worry if you are at your wit's end and don't know what to start with: numerous messages flashing on your screen from time to time will guide your actions. 

By the way, the villagers continue to grow and to do things you've taught them even when your computer is off! Come back and see every time what changes are waiting for you...

Yeah, it's the same as in Fish Tycoon. The game continues even if you switch your pc off.

And don't forget to switch your computer on from time to time, otherwise your villagers may die.

Give your villagers a food for thinking - teach them to do island research.

Researching will gain them tech points to be used for buying one of six technologies.

As the village grows and prospers, the villagers become curious about their mysterious island and the secrets it has.

So apart from guiding the villagers' day-to-day lives, you also help them to explore and the island and solve its puzzles. 16 puzzles are waiting for you.

The villagers' curiosity is often a clue to puzzles - "exploring" the island they may come across the well which needs cleaning (flashing message will signal you about it). Clean it and the first puzzle is solved! Another good strategy is to drag one of your adult villagers around the island after every tech purchase and look for new things that they can work on. And don't fuss! It takes time for your villagers to obtain the necessary skills and technology to find puzzles and to work through all of them.

While playing the game use five main screens  Main screen is the one where main action takes place. Map allows you ‘travel' along the island zooming in to different spots. Villagedetail screen reflects info on the island's inhabitants: their names, age, likes and dislikes. Technologies screen shows your villagers' research points (you can spend these points to improve the life on the island). Finally, as your purpose is to achieve 16 milestones, puzzles and milestones screen shows you the completed milestones.

Virtual Villagers Tips:

- to move around the map, click anywhere with your mouse on the map and without lifting the mouse, move the ground in the direction you want to go;

- to select a villager simply click on him/her (you'll see a white ellipse around his/her feet)

- to gather food, drag villager to the berry bush. If the villager is successful he will carry a bowl of berries to the granary. It can take a couple of tries before your little people are successful at this skill;

- drag a villager to the scaffolding to teach him construction skills. In the beginning you'll work on the basic level of construction, and when you upgrade your building technology, your villagers will find other ways to use their constructing skills;

- to heal the sick villager, drag another villager on top of the sick one;

- if you need a break, you can pause the clock (go into Options - Game Speed - Pause)

Advantages. The game features good graphics and design. It sparkles with vivid colors and has a bunch of picturesque landscapes. The tasks of the game are really challenging. It will teach you responsibility.

Disadvantages. Too many tasks require too much time...