This will be a controversial review in some quarters. Good presentation is one of the things that I look for in indie games. And this game doesn’t have it. And yet, it’s still worth a download. Why? Read on.
“Apocalyptic Path: ToF” (the subtitle acronym standing for “Trail of Fears”) brings together two beloved genres, from two different eras of gaming: the “Oregon Trail”-style continent crossing genre, with “Pokemon”-style combat. And it blends it together pretty well. Except for the poor presentation. And I do mean poor, with things like dark green text on a black background, and occasional times that you’re not sure what you’re supposed to click next.
And yet, the game has so much going for it if you can look past that. It only costs $1, and yet has a lot of procedurally-generated gameplay that’s never the same twice. It’s set in a post-apocalyptic future, and yet you can still get dysentery. If you’re 35+ or so you might remember Oregon Trail, and if you’re a little younger you might have grown up on Pokemon, and the combination is worth experimenting with if either holds any nostalgia for you. Just expect a few rough edges along the way.
Here’s what the developer (Ralem Productions) has to say about the game:
“Travel the trail in Apocalyptic Path: Trail of Fears. This survival adventure game, inspired by the classic Oregon Trail, will take you on a journey across the apocalyptic wastes of the United States in search of a mysterious utopia on the East Coast of Florida. Do you have what it takes to lead your team to safe harbor in Cape Canaveral?”
Writings of Mass Deduction 