Abbey Games' debut game Reus was released in 2013 to much critical acclaim and huge financial success. However, it wasn't always smooth sailing from that point on, as this post-mortem for their second game, Renowned Explorers, details. By Abbey Games' own admission, Reus wasn't supported as well as it should have been after launch, and preparing for the follow-up title threw the small Dutch studio into some internal turmoil.

Luckily, these dark times are over now, Renowned Explorers proved to be a wonderful game, and Abbey Games could finally return to Reus and give it a proper send-off. Actually, it's more of a second life, since the game's adorable giants are slowly shambling towards a console release.

In case you are unfamiliar with the game, Reus is an interesting take on the god game genre, giving you direct control over four benevolent giants who can shape the earth to their liking, creating a rich, lively ecosystem in the process. Humans will eventually settle in the lands you create for them, and you can fulfill their needs to watch them prosper and flourish. However, if you pamper them too much, they might become greedy and start some trouble with neighboring tribes.
The game's main mechanic favors planning and positioning of resources above all else. Just about every placeable object reacts symbiotically with certain other objects, and using this interplay to your advantage is key to winning the game. Put in genre terms, it's more of a puzzle manag...