Thrive (2021)

Developer: Revolutionary Games Studio
Platforms: Windows, Linux
Genres: Casual, Indie, Simulation, Early Access
Rating: 4.6 of 5, 1,693 player ratings
Typical playtime: about 7.6 hours
Where to get it: Steam

The 3D catalog: game boxes on wooden shelves, with the cat sitting at the counter next to its greeting.

The catalog in 3D

The same catalog has a room you can walk around in. The cat behind the counter is the AI Catbot, and they pick real games from it when you tell them what you feel like playing. Nothing is for sale, here or in there. Go in from here and this game is already out on the counter, with more like it waiting on the shelf next to it.

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How it feels

A thoughtful simulation of guiding a simple microbe through survival, adaptation, and gradual evolution on an alien world.

educationalsimulationproceduralevolvingsurvivaladaptivemanagementrelaxed pacing

What players say

Players call Thrive a scientific take on Spore's cell stage, still in early access. The evolution and strategy are praised for depth, but some find the difficulty jump harsh and the editor unrewarding. Fans are excited about future updates, though only the microbe stage is available.

Screenshots

More games like this

This page is from Underplayed Gems, a catalog of older and overlooked games. Not quite it? You can browse by platform and genre, or take this one into the 3D catalog and ask the Catbot for something closer.