Dabbling At… WASD x IGN 2023, 1

The first episode of a short series on games I discovered at WASD x IGN 2023.

Ultros

So, Ultros. I’m going to call it visually arresting. Yes, that’ll do nicely. It’s not just the so-called psychedelic palette. No, the developers go all in: there’s something organic and alive, something that quivers, in the art direction.

I suppose I should mention it’s a metroidvania! I have no idea what the story was about, but I did some jumping, killed things and ate their remains. Important to note that if you kill creatures with skill, you get to eat prime cuts, rather than mushy meat paste.

Ultros is scheduled for a 2024 release on Windows, Mac, PS4 and PS5.

The Last Starship

Introversion are back with their first new project since Scanner Sombre in 2017. This is the The Last Starship and I think it’s safe to say it is quite broad in scope. It’s touted as a space ship construction game but you can pick up contracts for work, do a bunch of trading, build a fleet and get into scraps.

I started out installing some components and hooking them up with cables and pipework. Then I signed us up for a contract to deliver some space crap but I forgot I hadn’t learnt how to move the ship anywhere. So I wanted to punch the air when I figured it out and completed the delivery. I walked away, my head held high. I got that space crap to where it needed to be.

The Last Starship is currently in Early Access for Windows and Mac. The project is considered to be in alpha stage.

The Fermi Paradox

In The Fermi Paradox, you get to make decisions over the direction of various civilisations in the galaxy – and see what happens when they eventually meet.

I’ve read a reviews that point out The Fermi Paradox isn’t a strategy game, it’s a story generator. I think that’s right. I don’t think I fully understood the game’s system – you click on flares which can have impacts on a species’ stats and award you Synthesis points. These Synthesis points are vital because when a major event comes knocking then if you don’t have the points to derail it, the worst case scenario will play out. Maybe nuclear annihilation obliterates a species. Maybe artificial intelligence exterminates its creators.

I found it fascinating even though I was just clicking stars at the bottom of the screen for most of the time.

The Fermi Paradox is currently in Early Access for Windows.

Next: Endless Dungeon, Time Bandit, Esoteric Ebb