Mycelium Guardians: Putting the Fun in Fungi

 

Mycelium Guardians: Putting the Fun in Fungi

For this Indie Game Spotlight, I’d like to introduce you to Mycelium Guardians. I was given the opportunity to play this game in early development and I have to say, this has all the makings of a really fun, engaging strategy game with a truly unique premise. In this game, you are in control of “mycelium”, a branching, root-like network of strands of a fungal colony tasked with reclaiming, rehabilitating, and overtaking what appears from the early concept to be a planet devastated by some form of apocalypse. I am thrilled to watch this game develop as the potential is enormous. Even in the tutorial, the player catches a glimpse of things that would imply some deeper, sinister lore as to the cause of the planet’s devastation. As you explore the map you will run across abandoned tanks, buildings, and pipelines which your network will slowly deteriorate, gaining precious resources as you do.

There’s something satisfying about this game and the way that–even in early access–you can tell there was significant thought put into the research, how mycelium functions, and the purpose of this network on a grander scale. You’re not just going to be grinding and optimizing, you’re also exploring and discovering the planet as you go. The tutorial was instructive not only for the basic game mechanics, but to explain how Fungi–such as the ones that the player is piloting–are crucial in transforming and utilizing things such as smog, radiation, water, and minerals into useful tools for the expansion of the colony, but also for the cleansing of the planet and the bigger ecological picture.

Like I said, this game is only in early development stages, but the premise is engaging, the lore is intriguing, and the concept of a colony expansion game built around interconnecting fungal networks is unique and fascinating. Personally, I will be following this game closely as it continues to evolve. 

If you want to follow the developer as well, they can be found at @spirulena_games on X, or on their website at https://spirulena.xyz/. Whether you’re a mycophile (a lover of mushrooms or fungus) or you’ve been itching to try a fresh take on a resource management game, wishlist it on Steam at https://store.steampowered.com/app/2656990/Mycelium_Guardians/. I know I will be eagerly awaiting this game’s release date when it is announced.

Steve

(@Steve_TheCleric)