As the dust settles, a post-apocalyptic world emerges. Can you survive?
There are some wonderfully creative and inspirational indie titles available on Steam at the moment. We seem to have entered an 80s-like golden era of the lone developer or small team releasing something that could easily blow a triple-A title out of the water. It’s something we and a lot of other gamers can appreciate and thoroughly enjoy.
Dustbowl is one such title. Released mid-May, this retro inspired adventure/RPG has the look and feel of C64 or 16-bit game, but with elements of a classic DOS title thrown in. The story see you as the son of a survivor of an alien attack. In the aftermath, the world is broken and damaged, with what’s left of humanity scraping a rough living in an underground shelter to avoid exposure to the poisoned surface above.
Your task appears simple enough: to find your father who has ventured into the Dustbowl to find the source of mysterious earthquakes before they wipe out what’s left of your shelter. However, once you begin to delve into the world you now inhabit, you soon realise there’s a lot more going on under the surface.
Visually, Dustbowl has a magnificent Zak McKracken look to it. There’s more, though, as the developer has included a basic crafting system alongside a clever turn-based combat engine that involves you having to react in time to get a hit – or miss, if you’re not on the ball.
There’s also a survival element here too, in that you need to keep fed and watered and to protect yourself from the ravages of the environment – not to mention the other scavengers, gangs, mutations and creatures you’ll no doubt come across.
There’s a lot of enjoyment to be had from playing Dustbowl. Those who like their adventures raw, cunning and a little challenging at times will certainly relish what it has to offer. The post-apocalyptic world it’s set in is harsh, unforgiving, and it will require all your RPG and adventure skills to survive for more than a couple days, let alone leaving the relative safety of the bunker and striking out into what’s left of the surface.
There are a few improvements that could be worked on – a better mapping system perhaps and some tweaks to the dialogue. But on the whole it’s a sterling effort, and the odd encounter with a mole-man and his pet, mutants and even the Tardis makes up for any problems you may come across when playing.
For a mere £5.99, Dustbowl is a great effort and one worth investing in. There are tons of quests, side missions and secrets to uncover, as well as amusing Easter eggs. The survival element, combat and crafting are enjoyable, as well as being easy and effective enough to keep you playing through the adventure. David Hayward
A cracking indie adventure/RPG title.