Oxygen Not Included is a single-player space-colony simulation about guiding colonists through life beneath an asteroid’s surface. Oxygen, warmth and food are persistent survival concerns, while excavation and resource allocation shape how the colony develops. The aim is not merely to keep the crew alive, but to build conditions in which its population can thrive.
Its distinctive challenge comes from interlocking simulations. Players manage temperature and power alongside gas and liquid distribution, using pipes and power sources to keep vital systems functioning. The Oxygen Overlay visualizes air movement and carbon dioxide buildup, making breathable space something to monitor and engineer. Stress adds a human dimension: colonists respond to pressure in different ways, so accommodations, leisure and food matter alongside infrastructure. Recycling waste into fuel or processing unbreathable gas into air further rewards careful use of scarce resources.
Worlds are procedurally generated, giving the subterranean survival premise varied environments to work with. The single-player format centers the experience on one player’s decisions: each colony’s survival depends on balancing limited resources, environmental hazards and the needs of its colonists.
