Overland

Overland's road trip is harsh and unforgiving, as a roguelike should be, but sometimes it rubs too much salt in the wound.

Overland's cleverly concise spin on turn-based strategy, along with its great sense of style, make for a rewarding, high-stakes game that's easy to lose yourself in.

It's a game which feels almost there.

A post apocalyptic road trip with more stops than starts.

Overland isn’t that one friend on a road trip who has packed emergency supplies, and has the itinerary worked out to the hour.

The post-apocalypse schtick was worn out long ago, so any game using it as a thematic backdrop is always going to have an uphill struggle, but Overland attempts to set itself apart with its diorama-style maps and its McCarthy-esque road trip. While it lacks the more focused combat and systems of the very similar Into the Breach, there's a lot to like about its bleak combination of fellowship and sacrifice. But with a procedural generation setup that doesn't always play in its favour and a shallow inventory, its take on Armageddon can be more frustrating than fun.

Overland is another survival roguelike adventure which due to the high difficulty, restrictions and too high level of randomness causes the disappointment. You do not learn from your mistakes, because there can be no mistakes in a situation where your car is almost immediately surrounded by enemies on all sides, and you do not even have a stick for self-defense. When your van explodes in a collision with a flimsy wooden barrier, and monsters climb out of the ground by the dozens. Throughout the journey, you don't see the progress of your team, and the system creates situations from which there is simply no way out. Of course, you can roll the dice, restarting the stages long enough to get the best conditions, but this will not be your merit or the result of labor.

Overland is a fun and challenging strategy game. Although the procedural generation can at some points be unfair, I mostly enjoyed the challenge of stepping into a new area full of creepy creatures. The lack of story and clunky controls did hurt the overall experience, but the inclusion of achievements, time limits and the option to restart a level were nice additions to add even more challenge or take some away. It’s not for everyone, but Overland appeals to a group of players that are looking for a real challenge.

Overland is a good roguelike turn-based strategy, despite some defects and deficiencies it can satisfy those looking for a challenging and potentially endless game.

Overland is a strategy horror roguelike that's as difficult as it is rewarding. Its storytelling and presentation rivals the AAA sphere and raises the bar for what indie horror games can be.