indiegame.fan
Keep Them Busy header art

Keep Them Busy

A colony sim where you build, manage, and expand across an open galaxy. Keep NPCs occupied, or they’ll develop autonomous behaviours—leading to crime, chaos, or rebellion. Balance industrial growth with environmental preservation, enforce laws, and defend your colony from extra-terrestrial threats!

Steam Page
Release
Coming Soon
Steam Reviews
No reviews yet

Does this feel indie?

Vote based on whether this game feels indie to you. You can change your vote at any time. Results earn an IGF score after 10 accepted votes.
No votes yet
Vote on More Games
Game contextLatest: IGF Team
ContextThe evidence factors used to assess whether this game belongs on IndieGame.Fan.Status
Notes
Latest Contributor: IGF TeamEdit notes
Search Google: Who developed Keep Them Busy?Developer scaleThe operating scale of the game's developer.
Search Google: Who published Keep Them Busy?Publisher scaleThe operating scale of the game's publisher.
Search Google: Is Keep Them Busy self-published or published by Hooded Penguin?Publisher statusHow the game's publishing relationship is classified.
Search Google: How is Keep Them Busy and Hooded Penguin funded?FundingThe known source of funding behind the game.
Search Google: Who controls the creative direction and IP for Keep Them Busy and Hooded Penguin?Creative controlWho appears to retain creative control of the game.
Search Google: What is the release status of Keep Them Busy?Release statusWhether and how the game has been released.

Media

6 items

About the Game

Keep Them Busy is a 2D colony simulation game that combines open galaxy exploration, adaptive NPC behaviours, and environmental management. Players must build and expand their colony while keeping NPCs occupied—because when left idle, they develop autonomous behaviours that can lead to crime, chaos, or even cult activity. Balancing industrial progress with planetary sustainability, enforcing laws, and defending against extra-terrestrial threats are all crucial to survival. Will you create a thriving, disciplined society or let your colony descend into anarchy?

Key Features

• Autonomous NPC Behaviour: NPCs act independently when left idle, developing their own decisions, forming social groups, and engaging in activities that may harm the colony, like crime or illegal trading.

• Open Galaxy Exploration: Explore a procedurally generated galaxy full of diverse planets. Each planet comes with its own set of resources, environmental conditions, and challenges. Players can choose to expand their colonies to other planets or move to a new world when necessary.

• Dynamic Environmental Impact: The balance between industrial growth and environmental sustainability plays a critical role in the game. Over-industrialization leads to climate changes, pollution, and threats to NPC survival.

• Codex Ledger: Players can shape their colony’s laws and policies, making decisions that influence how the NPCs live and work. Decisions affect both the progression of the colony and the behaviour of the NPCs.

• Strategic Colony Management: Construct buildings, manage resources, and strategically place structures to optimize production while ensuring the environmental balance of your planet.

• Procedural Planets and Solar Systems: Each planet is procedurally generated, ensuring a unique experience with every playthrough. From weather conditions to available resources, no two planets are alike.

• Alien Planet Conquest and Defence: Conquer habitable alien planets and defend your home from extra-terrestrial invasions and other outer space dangers, adding an exciting layer of strategic warfare to the game