Honestly, it’s really exciting for me to be releasing a game on consoles for the first time.
Niche – a genetic survival game It started as a university project that I continued to work on as a hobby after graduation. With niche, it has always been my goal to try and see if biological principles can be turned into a fun game. And since I had decided to study game design but was always a bit sad that I hadn’t decided to study biology, I decided to mix my two interests and tried to make a game about population genetics. After I started posting about the project, I quickly realized that there are many players out there who share my interest in biology, animals, and evolution. Cat, horse and dog breeders joined the game’s community and made sure they scold me if I misunderstood the game’s genetic system.
At the same time, a development team was reorganized niche and we decided to try our luck and start a kickstarter. With the help of our community and reporting on various scientific websites, we have managed to exceed our funding target and work together on the game of our dreams. After the first release on PC, we improved and expanded the game for several months. And now niche is finally coming to consoles. What an interesting trip it was!
Niche – a genetic survival game is a single player simulation / strategy game. You become the leader of a pack of mammal-like animals and try to survive against all odds. This is not an easy task as the game world is full of dangers such as predators, diseases and changing climates. niche has a breeding system based on real genetics, 5 different biomes to explore and procedurally generated worlds and animals with over 100 different genes to form your own species.
Sandbox mode allows players to create their own challenges with a variety of custom settings. In story mode, players experience the story of Adam, a small Nicheling cub that is caught by a bird of prey and only just escaped consumption. After his escape, Adam finds himself on a strange island, far from home. Venture from island to island, escape carnivores, find new companions and adapt to increasingly dangerous biomes. Find your way back to your old tribe as you build your own genetically unique family.
One of the main inspirations for Niche is the Warriors series, a series of novels about wild cats that survive in the forest. I’m also a huge fan of Not to starve, spore, and The Creatures Seriesall of which helped me imagine what niche could be when I started.
Hope this post helped you get a basic understanding of it niche is and what made me and my team decide to play this game. If you like cute animals, genetics, and survival games, this is the game for you. niche is now available on Xbox One!
PS: If you know science teachers, the PC game for schools is available free of charge.
Niche – a genetic survival game
Stray Fawn Studio
$ 19.99
Niche – a genetic survival game is a fresh mix of turn-based strategy and simulation combined with villain-like elements. Create your own species of cats / fox / bear / dog-like animals based on real genetics. Keep your animals alive in spite of all odds, such as B. Hungry predators, climate change and spreading diseases. Main features: – Lively, dynamic world to test your survival skills – Breeding system based on real genetics – Over 100 genes to shape your species – Procedural worlds and animals – Game mechanics inspired by population genetics – 5 biomes with different predators, prey and plants Exploring Educational Aspects: Playing Niche introduces the player to the scientific mechanics of genetics (with dominant-recessive, codominant inheritance, etc.). The game also includes the five pillars of population genetics (genetic drift, genetic flow, mutation, natural selection, sexual selection). All knowledge is interwoven with the game mechanics. This creates the effect of learning through play.
