Driftland (XSX) Review

From the creative minds of Star Drifters, Driftland: The Magic Revival immediately stands out due to its unique setting. Rather than building across a normal run-of-the-mill map, you’re instead managing a floating islands as they drift through a shattered world of magic, using spells to literally move parts of the environment around as you expand your very own kingdom. It certainly offers a fresh approach to the typical RTS formula.

Surprisingly, my first impressions left me unsure what to think. The opening, and the game has an innate ability to explain systems in a way that’s way more confusing than necessary. However, once things started to settle in a little, I found myself getting increasingly invested in this strange stew of city-building and magical mayhem.

The Magical Management of Floating Islands

The main gimmick seen here is the ability to move whole islands around the map using magic. Resources are scattered across different floating islands, so expanding your territory means dragging sections of the world closer together. It’s a genuinely cool idea, and one that lends the game its own identity.

There’s something immediately satisfying about slowly transforming the map into your own interconnected kingdom while trying to keep the economy stable while doing so.

The problem is that Driftland doesn’t always make management feel as smooth as it could. There are a lot of menus, systems, and overlapping mechanics to deal with, and early on it can be more than overwhelming. It took me most of my time simply trying to understand where resources were disappearing into the ether and why certain buildings would just stop functioning. Once it all falls into place, however, the game becomes much easier to understand and enjoy.

Not Your Typical RTS

One thing that makes Driftland stand out from the crowd is the indirect control system. Instead of commanding each and every unit manually, you’re more or less giving orders and praying your troops decide to follow them properly. And, to be completely honest? This is going to be the aspect your either love or hate.

There were parts where I appreciated the more hands-off approach as it made the world feel alive. Units go off exploring, defending, or fighting without needing constant micromanagement, which gives the game an abundance of chaotic energy.

However, there were also plenty of times where I found myself frustrated with these same units, as they simply weren’t doing what I told them to do. During larger battles, it can feel like you’re wrestling against the AI rather than controlling an army.

The World of Driftland

Visually, Driftland actually looks pretty damn good, especially for a strategy game of this size. The floating islands, magical effects, and the colorful fantasy artwork give the game a distinct look that stands out like a thumb in the backdrop of your usual dark medieval RTS style.

There’s also a wonderful sense of scale once your kingdom finally starts expanding properly. Early on, the map feels small and limited, but after a few hours, it starts turning into this sprawling magical fantasy land of floating islands. The way you progress through Driftland turned out to be one of my favorite aspects of the game.

Summary

Driftland: The Magic Revival is a strange but interesting strategy title that deserves a proverbial pat on the back for venturing into murky waters and trying something different. The floating island mechanic is truly creative, and once everything finally falls into place, there’s a sense of building your own magical empire piece by piece.

On the flip side of the coin, however, the awkward unit control and slower pacing stop it from achieving greatness. There were times where I really had some fun, and others where it seemed the game had started to fight against me.