Foundation

Foundation is a medieval city-building and management simulation game released in 2019. Players take on the role of a leader tasked with establishing and growing a settlement from the ground up, managing resources, infrastructure, and the needs of their inhabitants. The game features a real-time strategy approach with a free camera perspective, allowing for detailed planning and creative design of your medieval town. With a focus on organic growth and player creativity, Foundation offers a relaxing yet engaging experience, suitable for both newcomers and seasoned city builders.

Foundation: Review

Introduction

In an era saturated with sprawling metropolises and rigidly gridded cities, Foundation emerges as a singular, meditative vision of medieval urbanism. Developed by Polymorph Games, this city-building simulation transcends mere resource management, offering a profound exploration of organic growth, architectural expression, and the quiet rhythms of a burgeoning medieval settlement. Its journey from a 2018 Kickstarter campaign to a full release in January 2025 is a testament to its unique, ambitious vision. Foundation is not merely a game; it is a digital canvas upon which players paint sprawling, unscripted stories of human ingenuity and settlement. This review argues that while Foundation may falter in traditional challenge and long-term engagement, its unparalleled commitment to organic urbanism, modular creativity, and serene atmosphere carves out an essential niche within the city-building genre, offering a deeply rewarding and uniquely personal experience for those willing to embrace its deliberate pace.

Development History & Context

Foundation is the brainchild of Polymorph Games, an independent studio based in Quebec City, Canada. Conceived in 2018, the project was born from a desire to reimagine the city-building genre through the lens of medieval organic urbanism. The developers launched a successful Kickstarter campaign that year, securing the necessary funding to bring their ambitious vision to life. Initially, the team envisioned a relatively brief one-year Early Access period, but the scope and complexity of their proprietary “Hurricane” engine, built from the ground up to handle the intricate simulations of thousands of villagers and sprawling constructions, necessitated a much longer development cycle. This six-year journey from Early Access launch on February 1, 2019, to its 1.0 release on January 31, 2025, became a defining characteristic of the game’s narrative.

The Hurricane engine was a cornerstone of this extended development. Designed specifically for Foundation, it enabled the game’s core pillar: grid-less, organic building. Unlike predecessors that relied on rigid squares or hexes, the Hurricane engine allowed for free-form placement of structures, mimicking the haphazard, topographically-influenced growth of genuine medieval towns. This technological constraint (or rather, the desire to overcome the limitations of existing engines) fundamentally shaped the game’s identity. The long Early Access period, while initially frustrating for some, allowed Polymorph Games to refine core mechanics, respond to community feedback through regular patches, and expand content significantly, adding the complex monument building tools and deeper resource chains that define the final product. This context is crucial: Foundation is a product of patient development, a response to the perceived rigidity of established city-builders like Banished, and an attempt to capture the chaotic beauty of historical urban planning within a digital sandbox.

Narrative & Thematic Deep Dive

While Foundation lacks a traditional, overarching narrative or detailed lore found in games like Crusader Kings II, it weaves a powerful emergent narrative through its mechanics and systems. The story is one of creation and survival, told not through scripted dialogue, but through the silent growth of a settlement from a single lord’s plot into a sprawling medieval town. This emergent narrative is driven by the interplay between the player’s ambitions, the villagers’ needs and skills, and the relentless demands of resource extraction and production.

The central theme is organic urbanism. The game relentlessly simulates the unplanned, organic growth characteristic of medieval cities. Villagers lay down paths by walking frequently, building homes based on proximity to resources and zoning, and creating a settlement that feels alive and somewhat unpredictable. This contrasts sharply with the player’s own role as a deliberate architect, particularly when designing monumental structures like Abbeys, Churches, Lord Manors, and Castles using the unique node-based monument creation tool. This duality – the controlled chaos of the settlement versus the player’s meticulous planning – forms the core thematic tension.

Resource management is the lifeblood of this narrative. The game features in-depth chains starting with raw materials like wood, stone, and ore, progressing through processing (sawmills, stonecutters, smelters) to finished goods (planks, polished stone, ingots) and ultimately to food production (farming, fishing, hunting) and luxury items. The intricate web of resource availability, extraction points, processing facilities, and distribution to consumers creates a complex economic narrative that the player must constantly manage and optimize. Villagers themselves become characters within this story. They have evolving needs (food, housing, luxury goods) and skills that determine their economic class (Peasant, Serf, Citizen). The player actively manages their promotion every 30 days, influencing their productivity, happiness, and the taxes they generate. The “Book” system acts as a guide and quest log, offering narrative encounters and help requests from villagers, which, upon completion, unlock new building parts, rewarding the player and subtly shaping the settlement’s identity. The overarching theme is thus the creation of order from chaos, a foundational human endeavor reflected in the game’s medieval setting.

Gameplay Mechanics & Systems

Foundation‘s gameplay is a complex tapestry woven from distinct systems that, while occasionally clunky, offer a deeply satisfying and unique city-building experience.

• Core Loop & Organic Growth: The fundamental loop revolves around territory acquisition, resource zoning, building placement, and villager assignment. Players start on a purchased territory and expand by buying new lands. The defining feature is the grid-less building system, allowing structures to be placed freely on the terrain, adapting to hills, valleys, and existing features. Villagers autonomously navigate this landscape, and frequently traversed areas evolve into roads. This organic sprawl is visually compelling but can lead to pathfinding issues as settlements grow larger, a recurring criticism noted in reviews.
• Zone Painting: To manage this autonomy, players use a powerful paint system. They designate zones for specific activities: resource extraction (forestry, quarrying), residential building, agriculture, reforestation, or restricted access. Once painted, villagers prioritize activities within their designated zones, creating semi-organized districts. However, this system requires careful planning, especially considering the negative influence radius of certain industries (like quarries or polluting workshops) on nearby residential zones.
• Resource Chains & Economy: The economic simulation is deep, reminiscent of the Anno series. Players establish intricate production chains: Wood -> Planks (Sawmill), Stone -> Polished Stone (Stonecutter), Ore -> Ingots (Smelter), Wheat -> Flour -> Bread (Windmill, Bakery). Managing the flow of these resources to meet villager needs and fuel production is constant. Trading with neighboring villages introduces an external economic factor. The class system adds depth. Villagers don’t automatically upgrade; the player manually promotes a set number each month to a higher class (e.g., Peasant -> Serf -> Citizen). Higher classes produce more taxes and can perform advanced jobs but require better food and luxury goods, adding a layer of balancing act.
• Monument Creation & Modular Buildings: Perhaps the most innovative feature is the monument creation tool. Using a node-based system, players can design and construct massive, unique structures from scratch, adjusting angles, heights, and adding functional modules (chapels, scriptoria, workshops, bell towers). This contrasts with the organic growth of the settlement, offering intense creative control. Regular buildings also utilize a modular system; a basic Lumberjack Camp can be expanded with modules for a sculptor or other artisans, increasing functionality and visual complexity.
• Progression & The Book: Advancement is tiered, unlocked through the “Book.” Players complete quests (often initiated by villager requests) and fulfill requirements (building specific structures, achieving resource thresholds) to progress through “Labor,” “Kingdom,” and “Clergy” tiers, unlocking new buildings, resources (like fishing), and production chains. This provides structure amidst the open-ended building.

Flaws & Criticisms: The primary criticisms stem from the user interface (UI) and pacing. The monument building tool, while powerful, is notoriously difficult to learn and prone to accidental deletion of complex structures (a point echoed in multiple reviews). The reliance on multiple mini-windows for management can feel clunky. The pacing, described as “chill” and “relaxing” by many, can devolve into “moderate Langeweile” (moderate boredom) or frustration. Progression can feel slow and zäh (sluggish), and some players noted the inability to skip wait times without constant job oversight became tedious in later stages, as noted by GameStar. Balancing issues have also been reported over the years, with economies sometimes becoming overly simplistic (e.g., endless gold) or frustratingly restrictive.

World-Building, Art & Sound

Foundation‘s medieval world is less a meticulously researched historical recreation and more a stylized, romanticized vision idealized through the lens of organic urban planning.

• Visual Design & Atmosphere: The art style is clean, vibrant, and painterly. While not hyper-realistic, it emphasizes the charm and aesthetic appeal of a burgeoning medieval settlement. The organic growth is the star here. Seeing a village spontaneously sprout along a hillside, with paths forming between houses and resource points, is consistently captivating. The modular architecture allows for immense visual variety. Players can create visually stunning and unique monuments, from simple churches to sprawling cathedrals, and decorate the world with trees, bushes, signs, and cobblestones. This combination of emergent, messy growth and deliberate, grand construction creates a unique and beautiful aesthetic. Critics like IGN Deutschland praised it for creating a “malerische Mittelalterlandschaft” (picturesque medieval landscape), while LadiesGamers found the visuals “stunning.” The game’s use of a free camera allows players to admire their creations from various angles, further enhancing the sense of place.
• Sound Design: The soundscape is masterfully crafted to reinforce the game’s peaceful, meditative tone. Ambient sounds – the distant chime of a bell, the rustle of leaves, the gentle clatter of tools – create a serene atmosphere. The soundtrack, composed by veterans of the Crusader Kings and Europa Universalis series (Paradox Interactive), is often described as “blissful” and “lulling.” It provides an enveloping, atmospheric backdrop that enhances the feeling of immersion in a living, breathing medieval world. Polygon aptly noted the game provides “a peaceful, relaxing world where challenge exists, but isn’t paramount.” The sound design works in harmony with the visuals to establish Foundation‘s core identity: a digital escape, a “safe place” to build and contemplate.

Reception & Legacy

Foundation‘s reception has been a journey mirroring its long development cycle, evolving from cautious optimism during Early Access to largely positive, if mixed, reviews at full release.

• Launch & Early Access Reception (2019-2024): Initial reactions during Early Access were polarized. Some, like Polygon and Big Boss Battle, recognized its unique organic charm and relaxing potential, often comparing it favorably to Banished for its free-form building. However, critics like GameStar frequently pointed out the game’s unfinished state, lack of depth, technical issues (pathfinding, UI quirks), and thin content after a few hours. IGN Deutschland’s 2019 Early Access review noted the “annoying user interface quirks” but acknowledged the relaxing world. The long development itself became a point of discussion – a sign of ambition for some, a sign of troubled development or lack of focus for others. Sales were solid, hitting 200,000 copies by 2019, indicating a dedicated niche audience.
• Full Release Reception (2025): Upon its 1.0 launch, Foundation received “generally favorable” reviews, evidenced by a Metascore of 84 based on 5 critic reviews. Reviews consistently praised the final product’s strengths:
  • Organic Beauty: IGN Deutschland (80%) lauded it as a “cozy and beginner-friendly” city builder where the “organic and aesthetically pleasing building style draws us back in.”
  • Relaxing Vibe: LadiesGamers (80%) declared it “cute” with a “great tutorial, amazing atmosphere,” and recommended it even to newcomers, giving it a “I Like it a Lot” verdict. Polygon’s earlier characterization as a “safe place” remained resonant.
  • Creative Freedom: The monument building tool and modular system were frequently highlighted as unique and satisfying features.
  • Atmosphere & Sound: The visuals and soundtrack were almost universally praised for creating an immersive and pleasant medieval world.
  • Progression: The tiered progression via the Book was seen as a solid structure.
• Criticisms Persisted: While improved, critiques from the Early Access period weren’t entirely erased. GameStar (78%) noted “compromises in terms of graphics and mechanics” and ongoing pathfinding issues in larger settlements. The pacing, while deliberate, could still feel sluggish or lacking in long-term challenge for some players. The UI, particularly for monument building, remained a point of friction mentioned in user reviews and some critic opinions (though less emphasized at full release than in Early Access). User scores on Metacritic (6.6) and platforms like Steam reflect this mixed sentiment, with many praising the core experience but acknowledging flaws or wishing for deeper challenges or further polish.
• Legacy & Influence: Foundation has secured its place as a significant, if niche, title in the city-building genre. Its greatest legacy lies in its demonstration of organic urbanism as a viable and compelling core mechanic. It proved that a city-builder could thrive without rigid grids, focusing instead on emergent growth and player expression through free-form building and monument design. This has influenced subsequent titles, particularly indie city-builders seeking to differentiate themselves. Its long, community-driven development, while controversial, also highlights the potential of Early Access for niche, ambitious projects. Foundation carved out a unique identity: the medieval city-builder as digital sandbox and creative outlet, prioritizing aesthetic beauty, player expression, and a relaxing atmosphere over intense challenge or complex simulation depth. Its dedicated modding community, supported via the in-game browser and mod.io, ensures its longevity and continued evolution, further cementing its legacy as a customizable and player-driven experience.

Conclusion

Foundation stands as a testament to the power of a singular, focused vision in game development. After a six-year journey through Early Access, Polymorph Games delivered a product that is simultaneously ambitious, beautiful, flawed, and deeply unique. It is not the city-builder for everyone. Players seeking relentless challenge, deep military simulation, or intricate political narratives will likely find it lacking. However, for those drawn to the meditative art of building, the satisfaction of creating a visually stunning and organically growing medieval settlement, and the freedom to express themselves through complex architectural design, Foundation offers an unparalleled experience.

Its core strengths – the grid-less organic growth system, the revolutionary monument creation tool, the serene atmosphere bolstered by excellent art and sound, and the forgiving, creative-focused gameplay loop – are enough to elevate it beyond its persistent flaws. The UI, particularly for complex building, remains cumbersome, and the pacing, while a core part of its relaxing charm, can occasionally feel sluggish or lacking in long-term depth for veterans of the genre. Yet, these issues exist within a framework that prioritizes aesthetic beauty and player expression over micromanagement or frantic action.

In the pantheon of city-building games, Foundation occupies a distinct niche. It is the digital equivalent of a masterfully crafted miniature diorama brought to life, a sandbox for medieval architects and dreamers. It redefined what a city builder could be, proving that the journey of creation itself, the quiet satisfaction of watching a village organically bloom into a town, and the pride of designing a unique cathedral, could be the primary reward. Its place in video game history is secure as a bold, patient, and ultimately rewarding exploration of organic urbanism – a foundational achievement in a genre built on foundations.