NEO Scavenger
NEO Scavenger | |
---|---|
Release |
|
Genre(s) | Role-playing, roguelike |
Mode(s) | Single-player |
NEO Scavenger is a
Plot
The game is set in a
Gameplay
NEO Scavenger is a post-apocalyptic outdoor survival simulation.[1] The player controls a character through a series of turns (each turn equals an in-game hour) played on an isometric map divided into hexagonal tiles.[1] During each turn, the character has a certain number of "moves". Each move makes the character hungrier, thirstier and more tired.[1] The objective of the game is to ensure the character's survival.[1] This requires that the player scavenge supplies from ruined settlements in the area.[1] Scavenging can be risky as it may alert nearby looters and raiders to the player's activities,[1] but it is necessary if the player wishes to survive in the wasteland;[1] clothes, weapons, food, and tools quickly become a necessity for the wandering player.[1] Recipes are available which require the player to gather certain items and combine them together to create other items.[4]
The player can suffer from a variety of illnesses including hypothermia, diarrhea, dehydration, and malnutrition.[1] Left untreated, the character could die.[1] Illnesses can be treated or avoided by using certain items in the game.[1] For example, to ward against hypothermia, the player should quickly obtain a pair of pants.[1]
PC Gamer's Tom Sykes said of the game, "Compared to other post-apocalyptic RPGs, NEO Scavenger feels like the real deal, with a central character who lives the harsh life of a wastelander rather than simply borrowing the aesthetic."[1]
Development
After leaving his job of seven years at BioWare, Daniel Fedor founded Blue Bottles Games and began working on his first independent project, NEO Scavenger.[1] The game is inspired by other games he played as a child, particularly tabletop role-playing games including Advanced Dungeons & Dragons, Rifts, and Shadowrun: "I loved the creative problem solving, character creation, exploration, and later, character development and interaction."[1]
PC Gamer's Tom Sykes compared the game to DayZ but without zombies and with a solitary player.[1] The game uses elements from roguelikes, adventure games, and role-playing games.[1] The developer tried to reduce the dependence on guns which typify the post-apocalyptic genre.[1] Although players need to fend off attacking monsters, situations in the game such as hypothermia or dehydration also require the player's immediate attention.[1]
Early versions of the game used a simple combat system that consisted of repeatedly clicking basic options such as "Use axe on looter" until either the looter or the player's character ran out of
Along with a free browser demo of the game,
References
- ^ Future Publishing. p. 28.
- ^ Blue Bottle Games. NEO Scavenger (0.954b ed.). Scene: Items Screen.
hospital wrist strap labeled "Philip Kindred"
- ^ Hollingworth, David (Mar 16, 2012). "NEO Scavenger - browser games get old-school". PC & Tech Authority. Retrieved Dec 31, 2012.
- ^ Rock, Paper, Shotgun. Retrieved Dec 31, 2012.
- ^ a b c d Tarason, Dominic (July 28, 2012). "School Of Hard Knocks – 'Neo Scavenger' Takes Survival Seriously". Indie Game Mag. Archived from the original on May 28, 2013. Retrieved Dec 31, 2012.
- ^ Blue Bottle Games. NEO Scavenger (0.954b ed.). Scene: Credits.
Free Tools that made N.E.O. Scavenger possible: Flixel, FlashDevelop, TortoiseSVN, MySQL, Audacity, ChevyRay's AssetBatcher
- ^ "NEO Scavenger entrant". Independent Games Festival. Retrieved Dec 31, 2012.
- ^ "Humble Weekly Bundle". Retrieved March 31, 2014.
Further reading
- NEO Scavenger developer accepts digital currencies on November 22, 2014
- Interview with the developer on November 16, 2012
- Interview on September 28, 2012