Row 06 · Reverse city builder · Free Lives, 2023
Terra Nil
A builder game in reverse: turn a dead wasteland back into living ecosystems, then remove every trace of yourself and leave.
Edition reviewed: Terra Nil (2023).
Official artwork © Free LivesWhat you do
Place machines to clean soil, bring back water and grow forests and wetlands, then recycle your buildings and fly away.
Who it suits
Strategy fans who want something peaceful and hopeful. Good in single-map sessions.
01First evening
Your first map is grey and dead. A few pumps and greening machines later, rivers run and grass spreads, and it feels wonderful.
02A few weeks in
Later maps add new climates and puzzles about how to bring back particular animals. It stays calm but makes you think.
03When to stop
Each map ends when you leave it clean, a natural and satisfying stopping point.
Why it works
- A hopeful, original idea
- Satisfying, puzzle-like maps
- Clean ending to every session
Watch out for
- Resource juggling can feel fiddly
- Campaign is fairly short
The score
Overall 4.5 out of 5 · Perfectly ripe · how we score
Our verdict
A city builder that leaves the world better. One map per evening.
Written by the Pixel Orchard desk. Updated 22 October 2026. Facts were checked against the publisher and store pages at that date; prices and platforms can change.