Get ready for another post-apocalyptic adventure into the unknown…or a revisit, rather? A spiritual successor of sorts, Wasteland 2: Director’s Cut is a sequel to the game that influenced the concept for Fallout. I have to admit, I thought I was a bit worn out on the post-nuke games. But after some deep self-reflection I realized I’m just done with zombie shooters – the good news is, despite the premise, this game is the furthest thing from that.

Developer: InXile Entertainment

Publisher: inXile Entertainment

Review Copy // Price: $29.99 USD

Disclaimers: None

Given that this title boasts over 80 hours of gameplay, I’m going to approach it a little differently. This first look will essentially serve as a “part one” of my review, in my attempt to look at everything from start to . . . as much as I can finish. As appealing as sitting and playing games for over 3 days straight without rest sounds, I value what little grains of sanity I have left. Now, where’s my coffee?

WASTELAND 2 AIN’T NOTHIN’ TO F*** WITH

Okay, let’s start from the beginning of my experience – the VERY beginning. I’m talking about the email we received from the publishers. *Me reading it* “Description, cool. Okay, okay, embargo, sure. Code – nice. Starter guide . . . WAIT, WAT??” A LINK TO AN ONLINE STRATEGY GUIDE is included with the code for the review copy? I didn’t know whether to laugh, cry, or be impressed! Already, before even starting the game, I knew Wasteland 2 wasn’t messing around. What exactly am I getting into here?

Well, to put it plainly: a strategic, isometric, tactical RPG. I knew this would be a loaded game from the genre and description, but I didn’t know to what extent. Let me digress for a moment here – do you ever get excited about load times? Probably not, right (I want to waste time playing, not waiting to play!)? But what about download times? I ask because I do, and I’m not ashamed to admit it. When I purchase or redeem a game and that download bar is getting beat by a snail going to watch paint dry I get EXCITED.

I’m Not Okay (I Promise)

You’re probably already googling a list of counselors where I can seek help. I appreciate the concern, but let me explain before you DM me motivational quotes. Long download times typically mean large files (or slow internet but don’t get me started on that). Pertaining to games, bigger files generally signify more details or content. Good RPG’s, in my opinion, should be relatively content-heavy. Therefore, the prolonged wait time for the game was already a good sign. I dare you to change my mind (you won’t).

Boy, did I find out why this game took an eternity to download. Let me back up a step first – keep in mind, this game is a port from its initial 2014 release. It’s not ‘new’ by any stretch, especially with how much technology has evolved since then. Unfortunately, certain parts of the game remind you of how dated this title is. However, there are aspects definitively more innovative.

We’ll Do it LIVE!

Wasteland 2 starts off with full-on LIVE-ACTION cut scenes – this is ahead of its time. This is amazing! I was taken by surprise and didn’t bother to ask where I was going; I was just enjoying the ride. The initial immersion is akin to that of watching of movie. I was thoroughly impressed. It’s not that the technology or talent isn’t there, but rather many games either don’t have the time or budget to make this happen. I applaud this effort, but was quickly brought back to reality. Nothing looks as good as real life, and what you get, from the majority of what I’ve seen, is a far cry from it.

This is the point where I was reminded of how dated Wasteland 2 is. Seeing the actual gameplay was like meeting someone in person after becoming infatuated with their filtered Instagram photos. I immediately thought of games like Baldur’s Gate and Shadow Run. While all great games, when we’re discussing a game published in 2018, there is something left to be desired. And that would be the graphics.

I understand for a game that is so in-depth with every bit of detail, it’s a minor gripe. I personally value the core gameplay over the aesthetics any day of the week. But if I’m going to be staring at a game for longer than I’m clocked in at work for a week, some visual fidelity would be nice. And it should feel less like work, too. The characters seem stiff, movements are slow, and the angle of view is awkward. I’ll admit the camera movement options are reasonable enough, but the angle at which you view everything still seems limited. I just want to angle the camera just a little more than it allows me too, but I’ll live.

Debrief Me . . . Slowly

Again, this was just the first thing I noticed. Getting more into the gameplay itself, this game really grew on me, and it is because of the DEPTH of the game. Wasteland 2 doesn’t waste any time! You are instantly being thrown options, tips, prompts, conversations, interactions, and gameplay aspects via a series of pop up boxes. These windows on the screen are complemented by the beautiful sounds of a (mostly) voice-acted script in the background as you are being debriefed on your first mission.

There is so much to go through and although it can be a bit tedious, I love reading everything. Fun Fact: I basically learned to read on all the dialogue from The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past. In my opinion, more details are better than not enough. That is, if you want me to care about the game in any meaningful way (sorry Dark Souls). Sure, many decent games use stylish graphics as a crutch, or fun gameplay gimmicks to foster a community of players, but true masterpieces will incorporate everything. That is, to say, stylized, fluid experiences strengthened by intuitive controls with deep, rich stories that grab the player and doesn’t let go. Sounds a bit intimate – but that’s because they are.

Playing the Long Game

As for Wasteland 2, I have yet to become thoroughly engrossed. However, the more I play, the more I become invested. The sheer magnitude of the game is daunting, yet amazing. There are options galore! The combat exposes itself to become individual encounters that transform into series of turn-based, tactical maneuvers. You utilize many different types of points, some in combat, and some to upgrade skills and stats from experience. Teammates can be killed and lost forever. Conversations have an immense amount of dialogue options. Some NPC’s can actually join your squad and temporarily become playable. I understand why a strategy guide was recommended. The list goes on and on.

Wasteland 2 includes all of these elements and so much more. It makes Mario vs. Rabbids Kingdom Battle seem like “baby’s first tactical RPG”. I’m only a couple of hours in and have become a ‘Desert Ranger’, discovered oases in the desert, and have been killed by traveling merchants (good thing there is an autosave fuction). I’ve fought mutated plants and animals, discovered the remnants of an AI-equipped synthetic human, and was cussed out by a doctor more than once. This game has so much to give, I just hope I can endure looking at it long enough to enjoy all that it has to offer.

TO BE CONTINUED . . .