Preview: Dead Age 2 (Steam Early Access)

The successful indie survival RPG “Dead Age” is back with a vengeance! No other game offers this mix of role-playing, rogue-like, fast-paced turn-based combat and survival all in one. Inspired by Darkest Dungeon, Fallout 1+2, This War of Mine and The Walking Dead.

Pros:

• Cool graphics.
• 6750mb Download size.
• Steam achievements.
• Controller support.
• Graphics-fullscreen, borderless windowed, v-sync, and quality preset.
• 3 save slots.
• 3 difficulties-casual, normal, and hardcore.
• Stats screen.
• Character creator-hair, hair color, and ethnicity. You get 3 medals to upgrade your stats. Talent selection is multiple-choice sections like starting guns, weapon proficiency, etc.
• Four factions that give perks, buffs, weapons.
• Opening tutorial fights with menu pop-ups.
• Really good comic book style cutscenes and story moments.
• The story is written in a way very reminiscent of the choose your own adventure books.
• World map level select.
• Damage and status effects pop up in battle.
• Earn EXP and level up to get medals to use in your stats upgrades, get proficient to trigger special events or rendezvous.
• Loot drops from enemies.
• Day/night cycle with the zombies getting stronger and bigger in numbers at night.
• Base camp- can freely go between the rooms and gather supplies, trade, craft, etc. It looks and plays a bit like a Fallout Shelter type of game.
• Scouts-hire them to look for particular supplies and they will fill in locations on the map for you to travel to.
• Food and drink mechanics-you need water for your characters as you play and food is needed for the camp.
• Areas on the map will specialize in resources like the Woods-food rivers-water type of thing.
• Areas will have a rating on how many zombies you may encounter.
• Saves upon exiting the game.

Cons:

• No female character choices.
• Loading times are quite long.
• Menu navigation with the controller is the left stick that acts as a mouse.
• You have to click a certain part of the screen to advance the text.
• A lot of reading and text pop-ups.
• Strategy gameplay.
• Combat-turn based on actions and movements dictated by A-action points.
• No voice acting.
• Menus are awkward and fiddly to use with the controller.