On the plus side, the interlocking mechanics with the different production buildings, citizen needs, available blueprints etcetera offer a lot of variety. This is what keeps me coming back to it. On the minus side, there isn't actually a lot to tickle my craving for eye-candy. Everything from buildings to cititzens looks like a more polished version of Warcraft 3, and just because a wheel on the roof of a building is turning doesn't sell the illusion that there are actually bricks or bread being baked inside. So, great mechanics but I get tired of it before completing a session.
I own this on (another platform) and I think it has great potential. I'm just put off by the chaotic combat that emphasises dodge-roll-jump over positioning and use of good cover. Maybe it's just me and I just like turn-based games better.
Something that other reviewers have not mentioned: This game has the meatiest, most satisfying melee sound effects I have ever heard. THWACK bludgeon vs brigand face SSSSSNICK dagger finds a weak spot SLASSHHHH sword swings and misses OOHRGGLLGAAARGHH opponent bleeds out and dies Seriously, the audio experience brings this to glorious life. Play it with the sound turned up. I don't need to praise the game otherwise, those who appreciate turn-based tactics have already bought this at least twice. It is that good.
A great game about the Age of Whaling - Nantucket has some serious Melvile and Moby Dick ingredients. I'm not far enough into the campaign to determine if there is also some In the Heart of the Sea in there as well. At least, no sperm whale has rammed my ship yet. The sea shanties by the Roaring Trowmen are superb. I just wish they weren't interrupted so often by upcoming events in-game. Port visits, whale sightings, water barrels getting stale, sodomy among the crew... come on developers, just let the Trowmen sing while I deal with them. Just a few minor things: - A bit more variety with crew portraits, whale/enemy cards and harbour views would be appreciated. Why do all sailors, all harbours and all whales look exactly the same? - The actual combat system is nice and simple. I just wish there was a bit of a more, you know, rowboaty whaling feel about it. Put your harpooneer in the bows, get him a crew of steady rowers, and then let them pull hard to chase the whale before a strike can even be considered. The way the game presents it at the moment is more of a hitpoint slugfest between whale and boat, where the whales always hit with their attacks, 100%. P.S.: I have absolutely no problem with this game being about whaling. I think we shouldn't project our modern views about killing animals onto historical canvases. Yes, today we know that whaling is a Bad Thing, but 200 years ago, keeping the oil lamps of the world burning demanded the death of many many whales and people just thought differently. Arguing that this game is bad because of this is about as stupid as trying to censor Melville's book.
This really takes me back to Fallout 1/2 and, to a lesser extent, Arcanum. Scavenging the trash bins of Core City for crafting materials evokes definite nostalgia. All in all, Underrail is a fantastic game that could be even better with increased production value - but it is already impressive as is. A few more sound effects, weapon classes (shotguns, especially) and a few more crafting options (for basic materials) would certainly not hurt. Also, an ingame map would be appreciated. Navigating the underground on foot, being forced to sketch a map on actual paper has its merits, though. The Oddity System, where the player levels up by finding curios and knickknacks in the underground and XP is not awarded by picking locks and killing rathounds is a very good idea and should be the new baseline for all RPG type games everywhere. It does lack the iconic atmosphere and general defined tone of Fallout, and some aspects may feel a bit thin, but it is solidly built (with a clever, functional interface) and absolutely massive in size.
Thanks for bringing this to GOG, although this isn't my favourite sub sim - Aces of the Deep and Silent Hunter 1 claim that title. Aces for its sheer atmosphere, and Silent Hunter 1 for its low-tech-but-smooth gameplay. I wish Ubisoft would get a move on and do a proper new Silent Hunter that isn't a) a boring online snorkfest or b) a buggy mess with borked controls that only has good graphics going for it because they look good on a retail box. A new Silent Hunter with an emphasis on sound, a lot of crew audio feedback and boat fx, clever destroyers that give you a run for your money but actually have to look for you before they drop their ashcans on you AND a nice career mode full of historical references via night club chatter/newspapers/radio messages would be awesome.
