I like it but I never got around to adopting the mindset of “your colonists are disposable, just roll with it if (when) something terrible happens to them.” I think my issue is I treat these types of games (X-COM is another example) as RPGs and get too attached to the characters.
You don't have to play with that mindset, though "attachment leads to suffering" is a valuable mantra for this game. I play fairly risk-averse and I'm willing to save-scum to avoid the death or even grievous injury of a favorite pawn (pets not cattle, if you will). There's really no wrong way to play.
That style works particularly well with the nobility expansion.
That's my issue as well. I spend enormous time playing something like single colonist on the north pole. It never ends well. Sometimes some stupid bear one-shots me through all defenses, sometimes raiders are getting stronger and stronger until they just overcome me and my pack of huskies. It was a time spent well, but I don't play anymore because I like something like WoW when you can't really lose forever. That's not the case with rimworld (unless you're restoring old saves which I don't like) and it's even designed to kill from what I understand. For example I'll spend lot of time building my perfect castle. Not necessarily with defenses but with art and stuff like that. That pushes cost of my colony higher and causes stronger raiders. Playing on peaceful is not interesting either.
I play this way too. I have my core colonists who were my starting crew and folks who enter relationships with them. If I lose one of my core pawns, I tend abandon the colony and restart the game unless it's something suitably epic. This tends to work out fine for me because the beginning to middle phase of the game is by far my favorite. My playthroughs tend to be themed and not based on traditional "beat the game" mechanics. One play through I may be focused on trying to get my archotech cult all uploaded into computer minds and having everything in my base automated with bots. Another I may go tribal of medieval play through where I use mods to remove the sci-fi elements of the game and just have an old fashioned war between factions. The possibilities are endless with this game and the mod ecosystem.
you might like Crusader Kings 3. More focused in its role playing (ruler and family instead of colony). Lots of highs and lows when your ruler accomplishes something great or falls to ruin but you should be attached to your ruler and family to do well so maybe more in line with how you feel like you want to approach these sorts of role playing games.
That's what makes Rimworld great! It's honestly not challenging at all if you are willing to be the right amount of sociopathic. But actually being nice to the little guys makes it more interesting- obviously harder too, but that's where the magic comes from.
