There's no intense puzzle solving here. Except... there is. Each card game is like a puzzle - I'm sure there are good and bad approaches, and figuring out what's good (vs what's luck) is probably the enchantment of solitaire games in general. There's one game in the pack I don't really like, but the others are all great - and the new one, Fortune's foundation, is a perfect balance to me - apparently simple, but occasional "aha" moments can get you past what seem like unsolvable impasses, which is extremely satisfying.

I've been enjoying this - I tried the demo before and I've enjoyed slowly tinkering my way through the first few campaign maps. The game is - obviously - very like Timberborn. But I think I prefer Revive and Prosper so far. I feel much more "in control" of the land and water, and also more laid back. While the water is more predictable - no seasons so far - this is just fine. Playing with water is still fun and occasionally floody.

The focus on automation is good. There really does usually seem to be a way to be doing better (aside from fast forwarding) and the gentle nudge if you click fastforward is neat if a bit.. weird. On Builder difficulty mode admittedly the fastforward would be nice for when you (finally) build a sleeping spot and all your sleep deprived characters suddenly sleep for the first time in like 20 in game days for what seems like 5 real world minutes, but this is really the only case I've run into.

The campaign is really well executed. I mean stunningly good level design, using lots of neat "tricks" like partially build contraptions, optional curiosities, and gently gated areas to allow you to explore and learn. And on the map selection, delightful "side quests" to test specific gameplay mechanics. Sandbox and openworld get a lot of airtime these days, but a campaign like this really shows where those fall down: gently nudging you to exploit and combine systems to make interesting solutions and master the machines.

So I'd recommend this if you're into automation factory building, exploring and solving open ended resource problems, and creative building. No reservations at this point - despite the early access label the game is very playable and has a good amount of content for the price. The usual EA suspects (AI pathing, performance, bugs) are pleasantly absent, and the core idea is very solid and clearly works.