Now imagine a space pirate kicking in the door and shooting them in the guts. Think of all the time you might sink into your favorite Sims character, building up their career, designing a great house, furnishing and decorating it, clothing and styling them. I’ve seldom felt such grief when a game character dies. The fact that death is permanent elevates RimWorld. They develop new skills and forget old skills they don’t use enough they pick up scars, both physical and mental they craft unique art and watch TV they get worse at negotiating when stoned they fall out and make up again they get married and divorced they have affairs they do your bidding some of the time they have psychotic breaks when things get too bleak they get inspired when they’re happy and they die … a lot. I get attached to my colonists, or pawns, as players often call them. But the heart of the game is your colony and the people that live there. You can trade and make allies, complete missions, give gifts to win favor, and call in help when you need it most. There’s also a wider world of guard posts and settlements, where stashes await amid competing tribes.

It’s perversely comical to see pegleg Joe hobble back into town with the next raid. You can give your enemies wooden legs, then send them home for a relations boost.

Captured raiders are an opportunity for much-needed surgery practice. Some morally questionable strategies are simply too rewarding to pass up.

Perry township zoning