Vangers

Vangers is weird. I've tried many times to like it, and much like the jump system in the game, I mostly just end up bouncing off in some random direction feeling confused why that happened. It is a vehicular combat sim with a story, a rarity for any part of the genre. Unfortunately, the story is poorly translated, poetic, and confusing on purpose. Actually, this describes a lot of the game. You, are a Vanger: A sapient bug mutant that lives in a vehicle as a mercenary of a long forgotten world chain from a long forgotten and confused war. Your overall goal is frankly more than just vague, and I would go so far as to call it opaque. As for getting about in Vangers, your starting vehicle isn't amazing, and there is a non-zero chance you can end up in something worse. Be it a punishment or intentional choice. Sure, that new chariot might look big and beefy, but it handles like a clothes dryer. I have never managed to leave Fostral in the many attempts to play it after finding it on a demo disc back in the 90s, because your starting vehicle isn't quite up to task and the grind is REAL. You either do cargo runs, participate in commemorative events (which are required to leave anyway), or strange tasks from a stick. Though, currency also crawls about, most of the time that's pittances compared. All in all, I would say Vangers is good. Or at least it left an impact on my life I'll never forget.

Before you make a purchasing decision, note that the Steam version of the game is more up to date than the GOG version, steam has more bug fixes and higher resolution. and even cool beta branches that add new features. only buy the GOG version if you care about DRM and Bonuses such as the game's soundtrack in both MP3 and FLAC. The manual both english and in russian. and some neat posters which are also in russian. TLDR: Steam version is better and is more updated, making the GOG version outdated.

..... I'm just finding this a frustrating experience at the moment. The absolutely GODAWFUL controls of your "mecho", which bounces around totally at random at the slightest lump in the terrian (and believe me there are A LOT OF LUMPS), is just ruining it for me. Added to that I can't seem to get anywhere due to the constant harrassment from other mechoes, who seem to just ram my mecho, destroying easily, yet not appearing to be harmed by ramming themselves, and they never seem to run out ammo, unlike me who runs out after barely a dozen shots. Even if I have the CrotRig which allows me to hide underground, they STILL follow me around like flies on dogshit! Added to that there are NO cheats, thanks to a Napoleonistic anti-cheat developer, who says "no cheats, tuff tits, thats how the game should be", makes it worse. (Well hello Mr Derek Smart look-alike) Then the so-called "spiral station" starts refusing to charge my "spiral device" (use to access the games stargates), so I can no longer jump to other levels. Sorry, but it's time to throw in the towel, I've got over 150 other GOG games waiting to be played..... life's too short for Vangers I'm afraid. If not for the frustrating controls, and unfair shit from all the other "vangers", and lack of any help on the games forums with some of it's bugs (eg the store item description crash bug) this would be a charming, utterly original game with an original story behind it (such a rare thing these days) I'd have given this five stars like most others have! And if you're not Russian, it seems your not very welcome in the Vanger community.