Narrative incremental survival game · Trending
How to play Terraformental: where to play & similar games
How to play Terraformental — Terraformental is a narrative-driven incremental (semi-idle) game by Shadowsand (Shady Games). You wake up alone, with no memories, in a derelict terraforming facility on an unknown planet that is very much not terraformed yet. You have to find air, water and food to survive, and work out what happened to the colonists and why you were left behind. A free browser version is on itch.io, and the paid full version is on Steam.
Opens sh4dowsand.itch.io, run by Shadowsand. KoiArcade is not affiliated with the developer and does not host this game.
What is Terraformental?
The itch.io page lists it as in development (early access), playable in HTML5 and on Windows, macOS and Linux, with mouse and touchscreen input, and rated 4.7 out of 5 from over 700 ratings when we checked. The developer says it is inspired by Increlution, and that 5 of the planned 10 to 12 facilities are in the game so far. Steam lists the early-access release as 28 January 2026.
| Developer | Shadowsand / Shady Games (itch.io profile) |
|---|---|
| Genre | Narrative incremental, semi-idle survival / exploration |
| Status | In development (Early Access) |
| Platforms | Browser (HTML5, free version on itch.io); Windows, macOS, Linux downloads |
| Released on Steam | 28 January 2026 (Early Access) |
| Latest update | v0.7.0 "First Flight", 31 October 2026 (paid version); hotfix v0.7.0.59 on 1 November 2026 |
| Price | Browser version free; full game $5.99 on Steam and itch.io |
| Input | Mouse or touchscreen |
What you do in Terraformental
- Survive first: you manage air, water and food, and can't carry everything at once, so you choose what to take depending on where you are going.
- Time loop: after a certain point in the story you are caught in a loop that resets you to the moment you first woke up each time you die. The developer warns that the loop doesn't start right away, so plan to survive the first run.
- Faster every loop: each action you complete gets faster on the next loop, up to a limit. Repeating sets of actions merges them into Combined Actions that are faster still.
- Non-linear exploration: several terraforming facilities are spread across the planet, and once you know how to reach them you can visit them in any order.
- Story told through logs: the itch.io page tags it as text-based and a story game; you piece the colonists' story together from logs and notes.
How to play Terraformental
- Open the official itch.io page and press Run game to start the free browser version (or buy the full version on Steam).
- Choose New Game. Read the log as you go: it tells you what you have found and what each action did.
- Click actions to carry them out. Keep an eye on your air, water and food, and pick up supplies before you head anywhere far.
- When you die and the loop resets you, use what you learned: repeat the useful actions in a better order, since each one gets faster with practice.
- If you are stuck on one facility, travel to another. The game is built so you can explore facilities in any order.
Controls
| Mouse click / tap | Start an action or open a menu |
|---|---|
| Right click | Open an action's menu (e.g. to move hidden actions back to the main groups, as the developer explains in the comments) |
| Continue / Load Game | Resume your saved run from the title screen |
Terraformental won't open or has no sound?
- The game won't open or stays blank
- It's a Unity WebGL build, which needs WebGL turned on. Use an up-to-date Chrome, Edge or Firefox, allow itch.io and itch.zone, disable script blockers for the page and refresh.
- There's no sound
- Click inside the game once (browsers block sound until you interact), unmute the tab, and check the volume in Options.
- My save disappeared
- Browser saves live in your browser's site data, so clearing cookies or using private mode can wipe them. Play in a normal window.
- The free version doesn't have the new content
- That's expected: the free web version is v0.6.1, and the developer has said it is likely the last free update. v0.7 and later are in the paid version.
Terraformental FAQ
Is Terraformental free?
The browser version on itch.io is free. The full game, which gets the newest updates, costs $5.99 on Steam and itch.io. The developer said the free v0.6.1 update is likely the last free one.
Who made Terraformental?
Shadowsand, publishing as Shady Games.
Is Terraformental like Increlution?
The developer says it is inspired by Increlution, but the looping mechanic only starts once you reach a certain point, so you have to survive the first time through.
What's new in the latest Terraformental update?
v0.7.0 "First Flight" (31 October 2026) adds a new facility, a VTOL to fly, 8 new music tracks and more. See our update page or the official devlog.
Can I play Terraformental on KoiArcade?
No. We don't host or embed it. Use the official link on this page.
Opens sh4dowsand.itch.io, run by Shadowsand. KoiArcade is not affiliated with the developer and does not host this game.
Credits and sources
Terraformental is made by Shadowsand. All game names, art and trademarks belong to them. The screenshot is our own. We don't embed Terraformental. The itch.io build only allows itself to be framed by itch.io, so play it on the developer's itch.io page instead.
Sources: Official itch.io page · Steam store page · v0.7.0 First Flight devlog · Free version v0.6.1 devlog · Play page (free browser build). Facts last checked on 2026-11-02. Spotted an error? Email [email protected].
