Goblin Camp is about weird little guys who get things done

Colony sims can be a little tricky to write about. Whether or not they grab me seems to come down to some unusual design details, or a vague sense of vibes. Goblin Camp has a bit of the first, but mostly I like it because it feels effortless. Not in a hollow or trivial sense, but in its lack of annoyances or hostility.

It's instantly familiar. Your mythical creatures build houses, catch fish, make tools and plant seeds. Animals and monsters occasionally pop in for a spirited debate on the merits of being eaten. You attract more residents, you don't bother to build a graveyard, you want to make nice clothes but it takes too many steps and feels like a waste of space. But I like it. I had to figure things out, but there were obvious possibilities, and room to be imperfect without everything collapsing. And there are hints of something more.