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Wasteland 2

Score: 90%
ESRB: Mature
Publisher: inXile Entertainment
Developer: inXile Entertainment
Media: Download/1
Players: 1
Genre: RPG

Graphics & Sound:

I remember the announcement behind the Fallout franchise’s acquisition by publisher Bethesda. And I remember how polarizing the reaction was from my friends. The super-hardcore PC gamers cried foul, fearing that much of the game’s sense of identity would be absorbed and transformed into a post-apocalyptic Elder Scrolls game. Ultimately, this fear was well-founded, as that’s exactly what happened. Granted, I absolutely love Fallout 3 and Fallout: New Vegas and eagerly await the inevitable Fallout 4 -- and my experience with the first two games in the series was, shall we say, limited. But there’s still a highly-regarded post-apocalyptic role-playing series that still has some semblance of independence – and that would be none other than Fallout’s progenitor, Wasteland. Green-lighted through the magic of Kickstarter and headed by visionaries like Brian Fargo and Chris Avellone, Wasteland 2 comes to us at just the right time. Here is a game that knows exactly how a return to roots should be: respectfully similar in key areas, but bold and unique in others.

Comparing Wasteland 2's visuals with those of Wasteland would be a bit redundant. After all, that game came out in 1988. So it's fair (if equally redundant) to say that this game looks a hell of a lot better. It is essentially what you would expect from a modern isometric game set in the post-apocalypse. And that's exactly what it should be. The titular wasteland is just that, and the art style sells it completely. Granted, between the plants, oases, survivors, and monsters littering the landscape, you definitely get a sense of that life force trying to break through. Not only that, but there's a definite sense of past in this world.

Character customization is remarkably deep, resulting in a system that lets you design your characters exactly as you want to. Models look fantastic, and the world is designed to encourage exploration; while not everything can be interacted with, the game does a great job of letting you know exactly what can be played with and how it can be played with. Also worthy of mention is the design of the user interface, which is admittedly dense but still navigable.

Wasteland 2 sounds fantastic. The game's soundtrack draws inspiration from other games known for rough and tumble survivors. StarCraft comes to mind, with all the gritty acoustic guitar slide riffs. But it doesn't betray the somber gravity of the themes explored by the main storyline; there's a lot of haunting ambiance that enhances the sense of place. There isn't a huge amount of voice acting in the game, and there's a very good reason for that; but what's here is great. Much of this can be attributed to the excellent writing (which I'll get to in a bit), but I'll give credit where credit's due: the actors who worked on this game did an excellent job of putting me through the emotional wringer. I felt elation, sorrow, guilt, and everything in between during my adventures.


Gameplay:

Remember Ace? Yeah, the character you recruited to fix your jeep in the original Wasteland? Yeah, he's dead. Murdered, in fact, though for what reason, you don't know. All you know is that he was investigating a mysterious broadcast and looking for the exact source of it. As the captain of a squad of Desert Rangers, it's your job to find out just what the hell happened, on top of participating in some standard Ranger duties. And of course, all throughout your adventure, priority one is to not get killed. Easier said than done, right?

Wasteland 2 is a post-apocalyptic role-playing game that hearkens back to the good old days. Though it takes place in what could be described as an open world, you'll spend your time traveling between nodes, hot points, and cities. While each of these individual areas is painstakingly crafted and populated with interesting NPCs and quests, the overworld is reduced to an Indiana Jones-style travel map, much like in Fallout.

Very few role-playing games offer such a personal experience as Wasteland 2. The only thing that remains constant is that you adventure between cities while pursuing objectives, battling hostiles, and generally writing your own story. The flexibility at play is really something special, and it's this flexibility that makes Wasteland 2 a game you'll probably want to replay multiple times after you reach the end.

But where Wasteland 2's narrative flexibility shines, the world in which the game takes place neither forgives nor forgets. This is not an RPG that allows you to be everything to everybody. In every difficult choice made, the repercussions are always felt in some way or another. Even the seemingly simple decision to help one encampment out with their problems might result in another being completely put under. It's a wonderful alternative to the messiahs and saviors of other blighted worlds. In Wasteland 2, you are just one cog in the machine, and there is only so much that you can do.


Difficulty:

The inherent challenge in games like Wasteland 2 is in understanding all the systems that lie beneath the hood. When there's so much at play, the learning curve is usually pretty steep. That being said, Wasteland 2's tutorials do a fine job of getting you accustomed to what might otherwise be an intimidating series of mechanics. Naturally, character customization extends far beyond aesthetics; it's your job to dictate where all of your skill points go. A word of warning: do not spread yourself too thin. You've got a party of four, and it is there that you should aim for diversity.

Another thing that I need to explain about Wasteland 2 is that the entire adventure has a sense of urgency about it. Time is definitely a factor in the wastes, and if you mismanage it, there will be consequences. If you're the kind of adventurer who enjoys wandering around, finding new things and grinding away in an attempt to become ridiculously powerful, you may be surprised to find yourself a messianic badass with absolutely nobody left to defend.

In the end, it comes down to this: keep aware of your resources (time, water, etc.), know your abilities, and tread with caution.


Game Mechanics:

Skills are king in Wasteland 2. It's a big world out there, and there are some big challenges to overcome, but you won't be able to uncover all of its secrets in a single playthrough. Even with three additional squad members. So it's wise to make each of your Rangers a specialist in some specific area. For example, a computer whiz, a master lockpicker, and hell, why not someone with a silver tongue? Even that has permutations: do you want to be a kissass or a smartass? There are benefits and hazards inherent to both, and it just goes to illustrate exactly how much player choice matters to this game.

Wasteland 2's approach to storytelling, much like the rest of the game, is a throwback to some of the most fondly-remembered role-playing games in history. I find myself reminded of not only Fallout and Fallout 2, but also Planescape: Torment, one of the best-written role-playing games ever made. Maybe that shouldn't be surprising, given the involvement of these particular developers. But the writing is absolutely superb; between the context clue-driven dialogue system and the wonderful inner monologue, playing Wasteland 2 can be much like curling up with a great book.

Combat is engaging and smart in Wasteland 2, opting for a tactical turn-and-tile-based system. I kept being reminded of XCOM: Enemy Unknown (perhaps my favorite turn-based strategy game of all time). You'll have to know when to bide your time, when to set up ambushes, and when to leverage each of your squad members' abilities in order to survive. And survival is immensely gratifying in and of itself -- even if the loot is no more than some bug guts and a bit of scrap metal.

If it's a dense, meaty adventure you crave, Wasteland 2 is a game you should own. Its design ambitions are impressive, and its literary ambitions go above and beyond what most games of this type strive for.


-FenixDown, GameVortex Communications
AKA Jon Carlos

Minimum System Requirements:



OS: Windows XP/Vista/7/8/8.1 (32 or 64 bit), Processor: Intel Core 2 Duo or AMD equivalent, Memory: 4 GB RAM, Graphics: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 260 or Radeon HD 4850 (512 MB VRAM), DirectX: Version 9.0c, Hard Drive: 30 GB available space Sound Card: DirectX compatible sound card
 

Test System:



ASUS G74S Series, Intel Core I7 - 2670QM, 2.2 GHz, Windows 7 Premium, NVIDIA GeForce GTX 560M, 12 GB RAM

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