This game pulls you in and doesn't let go. You'll be playing it for hours at a time without even realizing it. You can be as creative as you want in building your colony. The only restrictions are due to specific map layouts. Each map offers a unique setting, and on the harder difficulties, can be seriously challenging. You must balance the economy and still be wary of local events such as creep spores and pirates. There is a story which, while not super engaging, kept me curious throughout. The only requests I have that would make this game absolutely perfect would be to include procedurally generated maps, and co-op multi-player.
This game caught me by surprise when I saw it recommended in a video about good colony builders to try out. (I usually try to steer away from early access games.) There is a decent learning curve for this game, but once you understand the mechanics, it becomes incredibly addictive. The rouguelite element is very well done because you still get rewarded with perks/exp you can use in future runs, even if you lose. Also, the replayability is very high as each map starts with different glade layouts and resources which might require a different strategy each time. The developers are incredibly responsive to the players and are putting out updates frequently. I would buy this at full-price if it were out of EA right now.
As a backer I have been following this game from the beginning. I have seen the results of inXile listening to our feedback. They really have put significant effort into making the game that WE want while staying true to the original Wasteland's feel and gameplay. The setting, atmosphere, storytelling, and excellent voice acting make this a very engrossing saga that makes me crave more time in my schedule to play. Yes there's a lot to read but it's ALL very well written and worth reading. The combat is quite satisfying. Many are knocking the sparse availability of ammunition but I think that's a huge plus. It really makes you conserve resources and think about the best way to approach any conflict. You shouldn't approach combat as a run in, guns blazing, shootout. The reason I'm giving it 4/5 stars is because: 1. The camera controls are starting to become annoying. At first I thought they wouldn't bother me. But some scenarios with more confined spaces really make it an issue to have a poor angle and sluggish rotation. 2. Using skills becomes tedious when you have to switch to the right character with the skill, add the skill to your hotbar if it isn't there, then click the skill, and then click the target. Way more work than necessary in my opinion. Thank you for reading my review.
