A roguelike decaf with hints of conversational adventure and Mad Max-style desert combat on wheels
Mad Max has been a cult film that, in addition to portraying a bizarre and crude post-apocalyptic society, has inspired various works in video games, in addition to having its own adaptation to that medium and having a new relay with Fury Road. His retro-futuristic aesthetic and the desertification of the world are a recognizable brand that has inspired universes like that of Fallout, where the Wasteland is the new starting point for many societies that did not have the (sometimes dubious) privilege of living in a refuge. Building on the Mad Max legacy, Convoy Games launched Convoy last 2015, released for PC Windows and Mac. Since last April we can enjoy it on Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4 and Xbox One.
Desert war in retro style
Our ship has been beached on an unknown and deserted planet, and we must explore this new hostile territory in pursuit of parts to repair our ship and return home. Aboard our caravan and escorted by combat vehicles, we launch into a barren and wild area, dominated by various dangerous factions that will make our stay a violent nightmare.
At first glance, the interface of Convoy is absolutely retro, with a pixel art in bird's-eye view that accommodates a good control of a combat in which we must take into account different factors. Along the arid road, we will launch into a fast-paced combat on wheels, while defending our caravan with our escorts. Strategic vision, reflexes and mental agility will be crucial in survival: to attack enemies, we must position our vehicles near enemies to place them in our attack range. At the same time, we must divert the course to avoid lethal obstacles, and we must never lose sight of the main caravan, whose loss will mean the end of the game. Thus, we are faced with a somewhat steep difficulty curve, and that is that it takes some time to control some mechanics that require dividing the attention into several points. Also, we only start with two vehicles, which are equivalent to two lives, since if these fall we will not have the possibility of redeeming ourselves, and we will condemn ourselves to see how the enemies finish smashing a caravan that has no possibility of attacking or defending itself.
Despite everything, after a few games we will be in tune with Convoy and we will learn to dominate the sandy road; Know if it is convenient to go with two vehicles against a single enemy or if it is better to manage two simultaneous fights, when to use special attacks, when to use distraction maneuvers and how to avoid obstacles on the road. Over time, we will acquire new escort vehicles and, the more troops, the greater the difficulty in managing our convoy. All in all, and like a classic roguelike, we will have very few concessions: we can only save the game when we leave and if we die we will lose all progress. The familiarization process with the game will make us restart the game on more than one occasion, since it is very likely that a random event will surprise us in our lowest hours. Also, the slow response of the controls, although it is intentional and seeks to convey the feeling of being behind the wheel of a heavy vehicle, can be frustrating until the moment we get down to it.
Along a map whose distribution will be generated randomly in each game, we will go to the points of interest where we will find the necessary pieces. Along the way, we will find radio signals that we can investigate and that will take us to side missions and events from which we will benefit or suffer according to our decisions. And there will be no shortage of random encounters that we can stand up to or reject, depending on our interests and needs. During our trip, we will have the management of our main supplies: gasoline and screws, which we can obtain during the missions. Without fuel, we will have to wait for an event in which we can acquire it, while the screws will be used to acquire new weapons, repairs and vehicles in the camps.
RPG
The role-playing and narrative component of Convoy is based on mere textual format, similar to that of the conversational adventures that were styled in the 70s and 80s, with an austerity of graphics that can discourage players who are looking for a visually attractive game. The greatest graphic display occurs in the combat sequences, where, within the pixel art aesthetic, all the meat has been put on the grill. Even the scenarios have some variation so that the desert is not the only landscape on which we fight. It should be remembered that the texts are only in English, so players who do not know the language will not be able to enjoy the narrative component of the game.
Throughout our game we will live little stories with other inhabitants who survive in a world in which day to day is a war for survival, and we will make decisions in the style of a classic RPG. Being a good Samaritan or cheating on our behalf? Or rather shoot first and ask questions later? Likewise, we will discover the society that supports each of the enemy factions and with which we will have multiple battles and with whom we will establish temporary alliances according to the need of the mission. Of course, there will be no lack of sympathetic references to other works of popular culture, and it is easy to get a smile when meeting Mad Max himself (called Bad Max) or a radio station that broadcasts novels by Terry Pratchett.
However, the narrative part, although well-intentioned, stays in the middle in many aspects and prevents the player from immersing himself in the plot. The range of missions and events is very limited and this, added to the multiple game restarts caused by the failures, ends up showing an irremediable sense of repetition, although at first it serves to learn which choice is the most successful. The font, in turn, is at the limit of readability, even in Dock mode. As for the soundtrack, her discretion prevents her from shining. The calm music that accompanies us in the desert is adequate, as well as the radio communications that we have with our troops, but perhaps more presence is missing in the textual adventure sequences.
The duration of the game is estimated at about 4-5 hours, but they can be prolonged due to the trial and error phase through which we will get hold of the main mechanics. Once we learn to master the control of our convoy, we will enjoy some fast-paced battles that will awaken our adrenaline while reminding us of the most hectic sequences of Mad Max. However, and despite the frenzy of these violent careers, the residue that will leave us later will be an unsatisfied void, caused by an effective and fun proposal, but incomplete in its audiovisual and narrative pillars.
This game has been analyzed in its version for Nintendo Switch.
CONCLUSION
Convoy is a Mad Max-style vehicle fighting roguelike with a steep difficulty curve. Mastering vehicle handling, strategic maneuvering, and creating our tactics will require a certain learning process, in addition to the downside with which we will face our enemies. Once this phase is over, we will enter the core of fun of the game, which pales before a too brief visual section and a story in a very repetitive textual adventure format due to its shortage of plots and missions.
THE BEST
- Original, fun and fast-paced battles.
- The Mad Max flavored stories in the textual adventure sequences.
WORST
- Texts only in English.
- Artistically concise.
- Very few missions and plots that make the game repetitive.
- The textual adventure part has a small font for certain audiences.
Improvable
It can have acceptable elements and entertain, but in general it is an experience that will not leave a mark.
