25.6 hours played
Written 13 days ago
TerraTech, developed by Payload Studios, is an open-world, sandbox adventure game that combines vehicle construction, resource harvesting, combat, and exploration into a cohesive and addictive gameplay loop. Since its release in 2018 after a lengthy early access period, TerraTech has carved out a unique niche in the gaming world, appealing to fans of engineering-based creativity and open-ended gameplay. It’s a game that doesn’t demand precision or realism but instead celebrates imagination and experimentation, all within a whimsical, science-fiction universe where players control customizable, modular vehicles known as “Techs.”
At its core, TerraTech revolves around building and expanding your Tech using a wide variety of interchangeable blocks, weapons, wheels, and functional modules collected from enemy drops or purchased with in-game currency. The modular building system is the game’s heart and arguably its strongest feature. Everything — from the chassis to propulsion systems, weapons, and utility modules — can be freely attached, repositioned, and removed. This freedom allows players to construct anything from nimble scout buggies and mining rigs to towering mobile fortresses and heavily-armed flying gunships. The simplicity of the drag-and-drop building interface encourages experimentation, making even complex builds accessible to younger or casual players, while still offering depth for those who enjoy iterative design and fine-tuning.
The gameplay loop centers on exploring a procedurally generated world filled with biomes, resources, enemy factions, and mission opportunities. Players start with a small, basic Tech and gradually progress by mining resources, completing tasks, fighting rival machines, and unlocking better parts through faction reputation systems. There are several corporations in the game — such as GSO, GeoCorp, Venture, Hawkeye, and Better Future — each with its own design philosophy, aesthetics, and specialized parts. This faction diversity keeps progression interesting and offers different building strategies; for instance, GeoCorp favors massive industrial equipment and heavy-duty parts, while Venture focuses on speed and mobility. As players rise in faction ranks, they gain access to increasingly advanced tech and more challenging missions.
Combat in TerraTech is chaotic, fun, and often unpredictable due to the physics-based nature of the vehicles. Battles can be thrilling spectacles of explosions, flying debris, and tactical disassembly, as enemies lose parts dynamically during damage. The destruction system is satisfying — you don’t just “defeat” an enemy; you strip them apart piece by piece, and those parts can be salvaged for your own use. However, the AI is relatively simplistic, often relying on brute force rather than tactics, and the game’s physics, while enjoyable, can sometimes result in awkward or frustrating interactions — like wheels that get stuck or unstable builds that collapse under their own weight. These quirks are part of the game’s charm but can also be a source of minor frustration, especially for those who prefer a more polished or strategic experience.
Resource gathering and base-building also play key roles in TerraTech. Players can set up mobile bases or establish semi-permanent outposts using conveyors, refineries, silos, and crafting stations. Automating resource processing and fabricating custom parts adds another layer of depth to the game, appealing to fans of logistics and efficiency-focused gameplay. However, the crafting system is not always intuitive, and the interface can feel clunky, particularly for new players trying to understand the complex recipe trees. Nonetheless, once mastered, base-building and crafting become satisfying long-term goals and provide a strong motivation to explore further and collect rare materials.
Graphically, TerraTech has a bright and colorful aesthetic that fits its lighthearted tone. The world is stylized rather than realistic, with oversized parts, chunky designs, and exaggerated vehicle proportions that emphasize fun over fidelity. The biomes — deserts, forests, plains, mountains — are distinct but not particularly detailed or dynamic, and the visual repetition can become noticeable during long exploration sessions. That said, the game’s performance is generally solid, even with large Techs and dense battles, though extremely complex builds can cause some slowdown or stability issues. Sound design, while serviceable, isn’t especially memorable; most audio cues are functional, and the soundtrack provides a pleasant but repetitive electronic ambiance that plays gently in the background.
One area where TerraTech particularly shines is its support for player creativity and community engagement. There’s a vibrant modding community and an in-game snapshot system that lets players easily share their creations. The developers have also implemented a creative mode, which removes all restrictions and gives players access to every part — a playground for inventors and engineers to test concepts, create enormous mechs or airships, and push the limits of the game engine. Co-op and multiplayer modes are available as well, allowing friends to team up for missions or engage in build-offs and battles. While the multiplayer experience is not as deep as the single-player sandbox, it’s a welcome addition that extends the game’s lifespan.
Despite its many strengths, TerraTech is not without its flaws. The game lacks a strong narrative or endgame content, which can lead to a sense of aimlessness once you’ve unlocked most parts and completed the majority of missions. Additionally, while the modular building system is powerful, some features — like AI behavior scripting or advanced automation — remain underdeveloped compared to other sandbox titles such as Besiege or Scrap Mechanic. There are also occasional bugs and quirks that can detract from the overall polish, especially during large battles or complex resource logistics.
In summary, TerraTech is a unique and enjoyable sandbox experience that blends creative vehicle construction with open-world exploration and light survival mechanics. Its greatest strengths lie in the freedom it offers players to design, build, and experiment with their creations. While it may lack a deep story or polished endgame systems, the sheer joy of watching your custom-built war machine take to the skies — or fall apart in a fiery blaze — is hard to match. It’s a game that rewards creativity, curiosity, and persistence, and it continues to evolve with support from both its developers and community. For players who love engineering games, explosive combat, and imaginative world-building, TerraTech is a rough gem that’s well worth unearthing.
Rating: 9/10
