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More_Badass · Apr 19, 2016

Game's gotten a lot of positive impressions over the last year or so

$20 (Alpha/Beta)
http://overland-game.com/
First Access trailer | What is Overland | Tactics Overview

Overland is a new 3D survival tactics game from the creator of Canabalt. In Overland, players guide an evolving cast of survivors on a road trip through a ruined continent. To survive the trip, players scavenge for fuel, weapons, and other supplies to help them keep moving and protect themselves from the strange, sound-sensitive creatures roaming the remains of North America.

Every move counts in Overland. Should you save up fuel for that long detour up ahead? You can find solid upgrades there, but stockpiling gasoline is a risky maneuver. What do you do when there's only one seat left in the vehicle? Do you take a healthy passenger with no particularly useful profession? Or do you try to save the wounded specialist? Maybe there's a medkit at the next stop. Maybe there isn't.

I've had my eye on the game for a while, and jumped in the early access alpha. Some early impressions

It's a tactical roadtrip across a low-poly America ravaged by creatures. Limited seats, limited space, and limited fuel means every decision counts, harsh consequences means every action must be methodical, and you can befriend a dog as a companion.

Reminds me of Hoplite in a way, in that the encounters are more akin to very tight tactical puzzles than the more free-form combat/exploration of typical roguelikes. Everything you do must be economical. Survival means being fast, efficient, and knowing when you need to get your butt back to the car and get out of there.

For example, my first death. I had made it to the plains. Low on fuel, I opted to make a high risk stop. This map had a lot of prairie grass already burning, and some fast skittering enemies that can surround you easily. Staying in the car wasn't a good idea because we needed fuel and the car would only attract enemies towards it (thus inviting damage and probably blowing up the car.) So I made a decision to split up my duo, one to run for the fuel, the other to push dumpsters to make some barriers. But the fire was spreading, which also helped because that gave me a natural barrier between creatures if I was careful not to get trapped myself. Unfortunately, the person I was using to get fuel got trapped and had to make a bad move to avoid being burned, so she died and I had to make a choice with my remaining survivor: run for the fuel or go for another vehicle on the map which had more fuel but was back from the road. I used the current car to ram through a few enemies; the car took a hit which meant it would explode in the next turn, so I rushed out and let the explosion take out the creatures around that car. But before I was able to make it across the map to the other waiting car, I was surrounded and killed.

Here are some previews from this year
http://www.polygon.com/2016/1/8/107...-post-apocalypse-from-the-creator-of-canabalt

It's a board game-inspired, turn-based title where you control a ragtag group of survivors. You must cross the continent following a mysterious, society-collapsing event.
While traveling, you'll play through procedurally generated maps that allow you to fight strange monsters, meet new allies and scavenge for weapons and fuel. Think of it like 2012's excellent roguelike FTL, but if FTL were set on a post-apocalyptic earth rather than in space.

http://www.pcgamer.com/overland-is-a-survival-game-thats-as-mean-as-it-is-beautiful/

Here’s the most tragicomic thing that has happened to me since I started playing Overland. My crappy hatchback lies abandoned on a country road with a couple of gallons still in the tank. Its human inhabitants are dead, picked off by scuttling insectoid creatures. I’m able to keep playing because the dog I befriended on an earlier level is still alive. The dog can pick up gas cans with its mouth, but for obvious reasons isn’t able to fill up the car or drive it. It is however able to befriend another dog that’s wandering around, which gives me two dogs. I click my beautiful, bushy-tailed companions around the map for a couple of turns before they also succumb to whatever these monsters are. It’s tragic because, hey, who doesn’t like dogs? And it’s comic because this is how breathtakingly mean Overland is.

eyeball_kid · Apr 19, 2016

Seems like an interesting mix of game systems, and definitely would be well at-home on a tablet. I'm liking the art style, though some of the status effects seem hard to see. Even the dog blended into the background in that Polygon video. Hard to tell if it could have the same addictive quality as FTL, but ooks worth keeping an eye on.

atbigelow · Apr 20, 2016

I like how the art style is shaping up. But feel it's a little TOO abstract in places. The fire, for example.

Gonna keep an eye out for this. Sounds like it could be a lot of fun.

Easy_D · Apr 20, 2016

Cool, art reminds me a ton of Kentucky Route Zero, which is a plus.

element · Apr 20, 2016

I just want to play it. Tired of all the previews.

More_Badass · Apr 20, 2016

element said:
I just want to play it. Tired of all the previews.

Subscribe to the newsletter. That's how I got the alpha today. Subscribers got the first chance to buy alpha access. The next round of keys is "coming soon"

Thraktor · Apr 20, 2016

This looks fantastic, and right up my alley. Any idea on when the final release is due?

(I typically avoid strategy/tactics games pre-release as balancing issues and bugs can get pretty frustrating for me in these kinds of games)

Timeaisis · Apr 20, 2016

I've heard a lot of good things about this one. Looking forward to it!

More_Badass · Apr 20, 2016

Cool feature devs are working on

We actually have 'settlements' paritally working. AIs gather around campfires, and you can trade gas for their items...or murder them...or get murdered (etc)

Baron_Calamity · Apr 20, 2016

Its on my watch list but I have a feeling we won't see it this year. :|

More_Badass · Apr 20, 2016

Baron_Calamity said:
Its on my watch list but I have a feeling we won't see it this year. :|

Idk, the foundation is already really solid. Not just a skeleton of a game like some alphas.

johancruijff · Apr 20, 2016

that's the same idea behind Oregon Trail, i'm definitely interested

StrangeTaco · Apr 20, 2016

Whoa first time hearing about this, between the gorgeous art style and the genre I am totally in for this. Will definitely keep an eye on it.

Weltall Zero · Apr 20, 2016

But there's already an FTL meets post apocalypse, and it even looks a lot more like FTL (it's also pretty good).

More_Badass · Apr 20, 2016

Weltall Zero said:
But there's already an FTL meets post apocalypse, and it even looks a lot more like FTL (it's also pretty good).

That's FTL meets Mad Max
There's a difference

Servbot #42 · Apr 20, 2016

This dude is streaming the game right now!

https://www.twitch.tv/conman5794

Looks pretty cool, so many bugs things on screen at the same time. Too bad you can't buy first access anymore

More_Badass · Apr 20, 2016

Servbot #42 said:
This dude is streaming the game right now!

https://www.twitch.tv/conman5794

Looks pretty cool, so many bugs things on screen at the same time. Too bad you can't buy first access anymore

Oh, yeah, that was one of the things the devs wanted to change with typical tactical games. You can never clear a screen, only try to gather supplies and escape before being overwhelmed.

Also enemies are attracted by sound so doing certain actions like killing enemies will draw more out. So killing enemies is a last resort

Weltall Zero · Apr 21, 2016

More_Badass said:
That's FTL meets Mad Max
There's a difference

Mad Max isn't post apocalypse?

Anyhow, I'm up for pretty much FTL-meets-anything.

More_Badass · Apr 22, 2016

Hi-res vista images

Cth · Apr 22, 2016

Nice, wasn't aware of the game, but it's right up my alley.

Also, seems like FTL meets Oregon Trail in a way.

More_Badass · May 19, 2016

Another opportunity to get the alpha, 130 keys left as of now

http://overland-game.com/first-access/

Rayven · May 20, 2016

nice, thanks for the heads up.

Granjinha · May 20, 2016

More_Badass said:
Another opportunity to get the alpha, 130 keys left as of now

http://overland-game.com/first-access/

Oh, you have to pay for it.

Nothing wrong with that, btw, i just thought it was a limited time alpha acess

Azriell · May 20, 2016

Do we know if this is coming to any platforms other than PC? This is the first I've seen of it, but it looks really cool.

KyanMehwulfe · May 20, 2016

for some reason, I suddenly have the urge for a survival horror Firewatch 2

anyhow, pretty cool concept and I like the art style of this. subscribed for now to see how it develops.

Cth · May 20, 2016

Thanks for the heads up.. Hope there's still some keys left when I get paid tomorrow

More_Badass · May 20, 2016

Azriell said:
Do we know if this is coming to any platforms other than PC? This is the first I've seen of it, but it looks really cool.

I believe it's also planned for mobile

Purkake4 · Jun 30, 2016

Heard about it on the last Idle Thumbs, looks really interesting.

Aselith · Jun 30, 2016

Cth said:
Nice, wasn't aware of the game, but it's right up my alley.

Also, seems like FTL meets Oregon Trail in a way.

Then I bet you can't wait for my new FTL meets Parts Unknown culinary sim!

The one that I am not making

More_Badass · Dec 1, 2016

https://medium.com/the-overlander/overland-newsletter-november-2016-8c1a0c29c0d1#.vryvrxasd

So Overland has a simple day night cycle — each location you stop in advances through Dawn, Midday, Sunset, and Night. For a long time this was mostly cosmetic, part of the road trip aesthetic and all. We have some connections to character trust and some other things but it’s still mostly cosmetic.

Until now.

Welcome to Night Mode! Fun for the whole family, including new visibility items like the road flare, a renewed emphasis on torches and fires, and new character traits like night vision for puppers. If you wanted Overland to be much, much, scarier, you’re welcome. If you didn’t, well, watch the time of day closely, and plan accordingly. Save up a little extra fuel and spend the night in places you were going to skip anyways… it’s up to you

RelentlessRolento · Dec 1, 2016

Hey, I'm in for anything Adam Atomic is involved with.

Purkake4 · Dec 1, 2016

Happy to see this moving along.

More_Badass · Dec 16, 2016

New trailer
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3vrG8poCYEE

Glix · Dec 16, 2016

Will play anything from these guys, Cannabalt is a gem, and games like FTL are great too.

Purkake4 · Dec 17, 2016

More_Badass said:
New trailer
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3vrG8poCYEE

Looking good. Is there a name for the Flame in the Flood-esque art style?

More_Badass · Dec 17, 2016

Purkake4 said:
Looking good. Is there a name for the Flame in the Flood-esque art style?

Low poly?

Purkake4 · Dec 17, 2016

More_Badass said:
Low poly?

Sounds good.

Hesemonni · Dec 17, 2016

Looks awesome.

Will definately be all over it.

IbizaPocholo · Mar 21, 2019

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