About Terra Nil

Terra Nil, developed by Free Lives and Clockwork Acorn, flips the usual idea of a building game. Each map begins as a polluted, lifeless landscape. Your goal is to restore it to a thriving ecosystem, then leave without leaving a trace.

Play happens in phases. First, you place machines that clean toxic soil, pump water and produce energy. Then you grow grassland, build rivers and plant forests. Later, you create more specific habitats — wetlands, coral reefs, alpine areas — to attract animals back. Each biome brings its own challenges, and resources are limited, so you have to plan carefully.

The final phase is what makes the game memorable: you must recycle every structure you built, often with airships, until only restored nature remains. It is a thoughtful, calm strategy game that feels good to play, with beautiful visual transformations as grey land slowly turns green and full of life.