HexLands
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About HexLands
HexLands is a turn-based city builder with roguelike elements from Portgate Studios. Released December 31, 2026, it mixes strategy and deck-building on procedurally generated medieval islands. You manage resources, build settlements, and adapt to shifting environmental threats like storms or resource scarcity. Customization is key, your deck determines how you tackle each challenge. The game runs on PC, Linux, and Mac, with a single-player focus. Think of it as Risk meets Slay the Spire, but with tile placement and survival elements. Best for players who enjoy slow-burn empire-building and adapting to chaos.
Gameplay
Each turn cycles through planning and executing actions. You draw cards to place settlements, gather materials, or trigger effects like diverting floods or reinforcing walls. The deck evolves as you unlock new cards and perks, but poor choices can backfire. Environmental hazards force you to pivot, like building a dam before a flood destroys your crops. Resource management is tight: overharvest wood and risk famine later. Victory comes by expanding to a set number of islands, though failure resets your progress. The interface is clean but dense, requiring attention to both short-term moves and long-term strategy. Sessions average 2, 4 hours, with high replayability due to procedural maps.
What Players Think
HexLands has a 78% completion rate on PlayPile, with an average playtime of 14 hours. Community moods split evenly between "frustrated" and "curious," reflecting its punishing difficulty. Critics praise its clever mechanics but note a steep learning curve, 40% of players quit before completing the tutorial. Achievement completion is 62%, with the "Flooded Empire" unlock (surviving a catastrophic storm) being the hardest. User reviews highlight the satisfaction of overcoming challenges: "Once you learn the combos, it’s addictive," one player wrote. Others gripe about unclear tooltips and repetitive late-game loops. The game’s price of $29.99 aligns with its niche appeal.
PlayPile's Take
HexLands is worth a playthrough for strategy fans who relish high-risk, high-reward systems. The deck-building and procedural hazards offer depth, but the lack of hand-holding and repetitive failure loops may alienate casual players. With 37 achievements and $30 price tag, it’s a medium-sized commitment for a genre that thrives on patience. If you’ve enjoyed games like Banished or Dicey Dungeons, give it a shot, but be ready to lose a few empires before finding your footing.
Game Modes
Single player
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