About Banished
We tested Banished v1.0.7 on a Windows 10 machine with a modest 2 GHz dual-core CPU and 4 GB RAM, and the game ran smoothly at 1080p. This city-building survival sim puts you in charge of a band of exiles trying to carve out a new home in a harsh, untamed wilderness. Unlike many city builders that focus purely on expansion, Banished forces you to manage the daily lives of your townspeople—they age, reproduce, and eventually pass away, which adds a layer of realism that we found both challenging and rewarding.
The core loop revolves around resource management. You collect materials to construct buildings that support occupations like farming, hunting, and blacksmithing. You can also shape the environment by replanting forests or mining for essential materials. Every decision feels impactful, and keeping your citizens healthy and happy is crucial for long-term survival. After downloading and running the game for several hours, our team found that the difficulty curve is steep but fair, and the sense of accomplishment when your settlement thrives is immense.
Technical Specifications
| Version | 1.0.7 |
|---|---|
| File Size | 122.38 MB |
| OS | Windows |
| Category | City-building / Survival Simulation |
| License | Free |
| Developer | GOG Unlocked |
Download Banished (v1.0.7) - 122.38 MB
Key Features
- Dynamic citizen lifecycle: Townspeople age, reproduce, and die, creating a living community that requires constant attention.
- Deep resource management: Gather stone, wood, iron, and food to construct and maintain buildings.
- Occupation system: Assign villagers to jobs like farming, hunting, blacksmithing, and more.
- Environmental interaction: Replant forests, mine for minerals, and manage land use wisely.
- Challenging survival elements: Face harsh weather, disease, and food shortages that test your planning skills.
- Mod support: The game supports community mods, extending replayability (though we didn't test mods in this review).
Pros & Cons
Pros
- Engaging and addictive gameplay loop that keeps you coming back for "one more season."
- High replay value thanks to random maps and varying starting conditions.
- Clean, intuitive UI that makes complex systems accessible.
- Small download size (122.38 MB) and low system requirements.
- DRM-free, so you can install and play without online checks.
Cons
- Steep learning curve; new players may struggle in the first few hours.
- Graphics are functional but not spectacular.
- No built-in tutorial; you'll need to consult external guides.
- Some may find the pace slow initially.
Gameplay Deep Dive
In my experience, Banished shines in its attention to detail. Each citizen has a name, a home, and a job. You can click on any individual to see their age, health, happiness, and occupation. This granularity means you can't just treat your population as a faceless workforce—you need to ensure they have access to food, firewood, and medical care. We noticed that if you neglect one aspect, like firewood during winter, your people will start freezing and dying, which can spiral into a crisis.
The building system is grid-based, and placement matters. For example, placing a house far from a storage barn increases the time workers spend walking, reducing efficiency. Our team found that planning efficient road networks and clustering related buildings (like farms near a market) is key to a successful settlement. The game doesn't hold your hand, but the feedback loop is clear: if something is wrong, you'll see it in your citizens' behavior.
One quirk we noticed: the game autosaves only at certain intervals, so we recommend manual saves before making major changes. Also, the initial load time is quick—under 10 seconds on our test machine—but larger settlements can slow down as the population grows.
Installation Guide
Installing Banished v1.0.7 is straightforward. Here's how we did it:
- Click the download button above and you'll be redirected to UploadHaven.
- Wait 5 seconds and click the blue 'download now' button. We recommend using a download manager for faster speeds (FDM is a good free option).
- Once the download finishes, right-click the .zip file and select 'Extract to Banished v1.0.7.zip' (you'll need 7-Zip or the built-in Windows extractor).
- Double-click inside the Banished v1.0.7 folder and run the setup application. Accept the EULA and install the game.
- Launch the game via the desktop shortcut.
During our test, the installation took about two minutes on a standard hard drive. No additional downloads or accounts were required.
System Requirements
- OS: Windows Vista / 7 / 8 / 10
- Processor: 2 GHz Intel Dual Core
- Memory: 512 MB RAM
- Graphics: DirectX 9.0c compatible video card with 512 MB VRAM (Shader Model 2.0 support required)
- Storage: 150 MB available space
These are the official requirements, and they're quite modest. We tested on a machine with 4 GB RAM and had no issues.
Trust Signals & Version Freshness
This is version 1.0.7, the latest stable release we could verify. The file size is 122.38 MB, which matches the installer we downloaded. The developer listed is GOG Unlocked, a known source for DRM-free games. We always recommend scanning any downloaded files with your own antivirus, as we cannot guarantee the safety of third-party downloads. That said, our team ran the installer through Windows Defender and found no threats, but you should do your own due diligence.
If you enjoy city-building games, you might also like Who Takes The Crown?, another strategy title we've covered.
Screenshots
Final Thoughts
Banished v1.0.7 is a gem for fans of survival city-builders. It's not a game you can breeze through; it demands patience and strategic thinking. We found the lack of a tutorial frustrating at first, but once we got the hang of it, the experience was deeply satisfying. The small file size and low requirements make it accessible to almost any Windows PC. If you're looking for a challenging, DRM-free simulation, give it a try. And if you like this genre, check out BlazBlue: Continuum Shift Extend for a different kind of challenge.
Download Banished (v1.0.7) - 122.38 MB
Reminder: This download is completely free. If you love the game, please support the developers by purchasing it here.
Frequently Asked Questions & Setup Guide
Q: My antivirus flagged one of the files as a threat. Is this game safe?
A: Yes, all files on our site are 100% verified clean. Antivirus software may occasionally flag steam_api.dll or crack files as false positives due to modified game binaries. Temporarily whitelist the game directory before extracting.
Q: I get a missing DLL error (e.g., VCRUNTIME140.dll, MSVCP140.dll, or D3DCOMPILER). How do I fix it?
A: Missing DLL errors indicate missing Windows system libraries. Ensure you have installed the latest Visual C++ All-In-One Redistributables and the latest DirectX runtime.
Q: Where are my game save files located?
A: Saves are usually stored in your %APPDATA%, %LOCALAPPDATA%, or Documents/Saved Games folder. Always run the game as Administrator so it has permission to save your progress properly.
Q: Can I play online or multiplayer with friends?
A: If this title includes co-op or online support, follow the specific multiplayer instructions included inside the game folder (usually requires having the Steam client running in the background).
