We enter the game from which Fallout was born, in a remastered version that does not hide its air of old school
In time immemorial, role-playing games for PCs were an interactive version of the classic board games. The player moved through a map with multiple dungeons and hostile creatures. They also had certain locations inhabited by NPCs with which to interact through the use of commands. The graphic interface of these titles was divided into several spaces to house the character sheet, the gameplay itself and a text box for the narration of the locations and meetings.
This model was firmly followed in the 70s and 80s with games like Wasteland (1988), a post-apocalyptic adventure developed by Interplay and published by EA, which plunged us into a world punished by the radiation that unleashed nuclear war. The title integrated into its mechanics the classic patterns of the board role of that period, and even at certain times the player was asked to read a paragraph of a book that came inside the game box.
'Strutting' the desert
The Rangers represent the last remnant of US justice. In the south of the country they operate offering protection to civilians and neutralizing possible threats. Its headquarters is located in an old prison, where the player will start his journey creating his rangers, or selecting four pre-designed characters with balanced attributes and abilities. Highly recommended for beginners.
Once outside, the leader of the group takes the form of a human token and is placed within a desert map where different locations are glimpsed. Navigation through this large board is done using the keyboard and simulates the movement of the card by the player. If we continue talking based on the role of the board, the text box on the screen would represent the GM's indications. Wherever we step, new data of the land and the inhabitants of the wilderness will be generated.
Within the locations, we will discover settlements of all kinds where a good number of specific missions will be developed, many of them with decisions that will have consequences within a persistent world. At present, these elements are not surprising and are widely used by the studios, but when Wasteland was launched they were certainly considered innovative. Returning to the issue of locations, both outside and within these points of interest we will find random meetings with bandits and wild beasts that can turn our aspirations. Life in the wilderness is cruel and ruthless, dear rangers.
Face to face against classic mechanics
Wasteland Remastered has not been altered beyond the renewed audiovisual section, which also introduces narrative sequences. The mechanics are the classic ones, and this can confuse the player who has not had contact with the original. The simplest actions that today would be resolved at the click of a button, here they require a deep learning and effort. For example, there are NPCs that do not trigger dialogues when placed in front of them, but if we use the “encounter” action (which is normally used to enter into combat manually) we can enter into a small dialogue. However, these results are not always obtained and sometimes they will drag us into unwanted clashes.
Another example of 'old school' mechanics is observed when the user is asked to type keywords, or with the use of attributes on an individual. The complexity continues when it comes to delivering objects, where we must first select it through cumbersome menus (you are going to get fed up using menus for everything) and then press with the direction key where to deposit it. Although it is not always so easy, and on one occasion we had to place it on a surface for the NPC to react and thus complete an order. Guessing what action to use and how to carry it out on a mission is part of the intricate puzzle of the title, and this can lead to more than one cadet. Tip: if in doubt, consult the help of the game.
Shift and hopelessness system
The Wasteland Remasterd combat system is in turn. We choose to attack and pray to the barren gods to have any effect. The first encounters can be frustrating, since we will fail attacks consecutively and, for more inri, our weapon will get stuck, which translates into loss of turns and bullet impacts. Exactly the same if we have to recharge. Life points recover over time, but we can accelerate rested regeneration with the option of “camping”. Without limits, unless some enemy comes to bother our rest.
The game has high doses of random encounters, even being inside establishments we will be harassed by thugs wanting to fight. And this in the end wears anyone's patience. Our alternatives? Fight or run away If we decide to fight, it can be a useless expense of ammunition, since these subjects rarely drop objects. If on the contrary we run away, we will awkwardly guide the group out of the bully's sight radius, and the truth is that it is an arduous and inefficient task if we are receiving bullets while we move away … One tip: constantly save the game. It's not nice to lose companions in ambushes
Wasteland Remastered code provided by GOG.
CONCLUSION
Wasteland Remastered relaunches the 1988 classic with a new graphic and sound section more in line with today. The exploration of the wilderness and its background plunge us into the universe that Interplay so wisely created and, later, rounded off with Fallout. The mechanics of the original remain unchanged, and it is at this point that the degree of tolerance of the player will be measured by having to face missions with a feeling of deep helplessness. The turn-based combat presents complications during the first hours of the game by having an inexperienced group, but once tanned we will only have to worry about factors such as ammunition or reloading our weapons in combat. However, random encounters are continuous in locations where we would like to have time to explore without complications. Wasteland Remastered is not an intuitive or easily digestible game nowadays, but there is something nice inside that chaos. Perhaps it is the romanticism that evokes the archaic period of the genre, where they were building the foundations of the role for PC that endure today in many titles. Although it may also be due to the feeling of satisfaction after solving some of the most unlikely missions that the game presents. Be that as it may, Wasteland Remasterd is pure archeology of the RPG, a title that inspired an entire generation and that returns at the best moment, just when its third installment is about to leave the oven of the hand of Inxile.
THE BEST
- A solid background
- Immersive locations and missions
- Multiple decisions within a persistent world
- Pure history of the video game
WORST
- The original mechanical complexes can cause disorientation in the player
- Random encounters within locations slow exploration
- Minor bugs
Good
It meets the expectations of what a good game is, it has quality and does not present serious failures, although it lacks elements that could have taken it to higher levels.
