Above Snakes

Above Snakes is a survival city-building game set in a Western-themed, post-apocalyptic world where players must explore and expand their territory by discovering new tiles to create a procedurally generated landscape. With a unique tile-based world-building mechanic, the game combines resource gathering, crafting, and construction elements while navigating threats in a desolate frontier. Players enjoy narrative freedom and strategic choices to develop their settlement amidst the ruins of a shattered civilization.

Above Snakes: A Weird West Odyssey of Survival, Crafting, and Fractured Worlds

Introduction

In a gaming landscape saturated with survival-crafting titles, Above Snakes dares to ask: What if the open world wasn’t open at all? Developed by Square Glade Games and published by Crytivo in 2023, this “Weird West” RPG hybrid blends tile-based world-building with survival mechanics, offering a contemplative twist on frontier life—punctuated by supernatural meteorites and zombie hordes. While praised for its inventive systems and serene atmosphere, the game’s legacy remains contentious, torn between its ambitious vision and uneven execution. This review dissects its triumphs and shortcomings, revealing why Above Snakes is equal parts pioneering and perplexing.

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Development History & Context

Studio Vision & Crowdfunding Roots
Square Glade Games, a small indie studio led by Tobias Schnackenberg and Marc Volger, pitched Above Snakes as a “relaxing survival RPG” during its 2022 Kickstarter campaign. The team sought to merge the zen of Stardew Valley with the systemic depth of Don’t Starve, set against a mythologized American frontier. Built in Unity, the game leaned into stylized 2.5D isometric visuals to offset technical constraints, prioritizing modular world-building over sprawling proc-gen.

A Crowded Genre
Released in May 2023, Above Snakes entered a market dominated by survival titans like Valheim and Subnautica. Its niche appeal—emphasizing deliberate pacing over combat—contrasted sharply with industry trends. Critics noted its timing coincided with a resurgence of “cozy” games, yet its supernatural horror undertones defied easy categorization. The studio’s decision to delay console ports (released later in 2025) reflected iterative polish, though some argued it missed the peak of the survival genre’s hype cycle.

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Narrative & Thematic Deep Dive

Plot: Aiyana’s Fractured Quest
Players assume the role of Aiyana, a young Native American woman raised in the Kacheda village, searching for her vanished mother, Mary, in the aftermath of a meteor shower that reanimated the dead. The narrative unfolds through fragmented quests: aiding settlers in Corpse Creek, appeasing tribal elders, and uncovering the source of the “Lost Souls” plague.

Strengths & Shortcomings
– Characterization: Aiyana’s quiet resilience anchors the story, though her cultural identity feels underdeveloped. Dialogue with settlers and tribes lacks nuance, reducing interactions to transactional exchanges.
– Unresolved Threads: As noted in Steam discussions, key figures like Doc Moss and lumberjack Shane vanish post-quests, while the “angry spirit” antagonizing the land is never confronted. Developer Marc Volger hinted these loose ends might fuel DLC, but their absence at launch weakened the climax.
– Thematic Dissonance: The game’s serene tone clashes with its zombie-apocalypse backdrop. Aiyana’s nonchalance toward her mother’s fate (“No urgency,” laments TechRaptor) strains credulity, undermining emotional stakes.

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Gameplay Mechanics & Systems

Tile-Based World-Building
The game’s defining innovation is its cartography bench, where players unlock and place biome tiles (forests, deserts, etc.) to expand the map. Each tile offers unique resources, encouraging strategic placement:
– Pros: Empowers player agency; mitigates exploration fatigue.
– Cons: Jagged seams between tiles break immersion, and late-game resource grind dulls the novelty.

Survival & Crafting
– Core Loop: Chop trees, mine ore, hunt wildlife, and manage hunger/thirst. Progression gates tools (e.g., iron axes) behind tiered workbenches.
– Combat: A weak point. The lack of target-lock (per TechRaptor) renders archery frustrating, while melee devolves into clumsy hit-and-run tactics.
– Farming & Base-Building: Modular cabins and crop plots satisfy creative urges, but UI limitations (e.g., no furniture rotation) irk perfectionists.

Pacing & Accessibility
“Above Snakes revels in slowness,” noted IndieGameReviewer, catering to players seeking meditative play. However, sluggish animations and repetitive fetch quests test patience. The inclusion of accessibility features—customizable controls, photosensitive mode—softens these edges.

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World-Building, Art & Sound

Visual Design
The isometric perspective channels Diablo’s clarity but with a pastel-washed frontier aesthetic. Biomes teem with visual flair: pine forests dapple light through swaying branches, while prairie tiles bloom with vibrant wildflowers. Yet, the modular system’s grid lines constantly remind players of the world’s artificiality—a double-edged sword.

Soundscape
Tyler Zane’s score blends melancholic folk guitar with ambient nature sounds, evoking lone campfires under starry skies. However, sparse voice acting (limited to Troy Ionescu’s narration) leaves NPC interactions feeling hollow.

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Reception & Legacy

Launch Reception
– Critics: Averaged 64-70% (MobyGames, Metacritic). Praise centered on the tile system and ambiance; criticism targeted narrative holes and clunky combat.
– Players: Steam reviews laud its “chill vibes” but lament unfinished storylines. The “Mostly Positive” rating reflects niche appeal.

Post-Launch Evolution
Post-launch patches addressed bugs and added minor QoL features, but planned DLC (teased in developer responses) remains unrealized. The game’s influence echoes in indie titles experimenting with modular worlds (Tiny Glade), though its commercial impact was modest.

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Conclusion

Above Snakes is a paradoxical gem: daring in concept, flawed in execution. Its tile-building mechanic reshapes survival-genre exploration, and its wistful Western aesthetic lingers in memory. Yet, underbaked narrative threads and fiddly combat prevent it from achieving greatness. For players craving a contemplative, creative frontier sim, it’s a worthy detour—but those seeking a polished epic may find it lost in the desert.

Final Verdict: A 7/10 experience—innovative, uneven, and unforgettable in its quiet ambition.