There’s something concerning the finish of the world that I discover comforting. No less than the top of the worlds we soak up by way of gaming.
What needs to be a horrendous journey in hope of discovering survival, the place people combat others over the scarcest of provides, I discover to be my cozy slippers sport of selection. Possibly I’m a bit mistaken and my mind has been wired incorrectly after The Division and The Final of Us playthroughs.
And right here we’re once more with a brand new apocalyptic sport. Highwater takes us to a world that’s principally flooded, the place the survivors journey by boat from island to island. It’s the set-up for an additional place that I loved travelling round, listening to a different finish of day’s story. The factor is, for the top of world vibes, Highwater is humorous, thrilling, and filled with vibrant characters.
Highwater began as a cell sport, and as a part of the Netflix household. It’s now come to Xbox to inform a deep story. The world has suffered the Nice Local weather Disaster, leaving the globe flooded by water. There’s a area referred to as Hightower the place the sport is ready. Right here there are dry areas within the little Islands and the fortified metropolis of Alphaville. You play Nico, a younger survivor who ventures out on his boat to start his adventures. When he hears of a rocket going to Mars to flee this world, he tries to collect his mates and get to the rocket in time to flee, in hope of constructing a brand new life. However will he make it?
The story and the writing are excellent. Highwater has a enjoyable tone, one thing which is uncommon for a sport caught within the apocalypse. The characters you meet alongside the way in which are vibrant and fascinating, complemented by quite a few books and papers you may gather that present perception into the world and what has occurred. A particular point out goes out to the radio station that performs as you pilot your boat; I totally loved the dialogue with the DJ.
The gameplay works as a combination of exploration and turn-based fight. Within the exploration mode, the principle mode of transport is on the boat. It’s a really calming and stress-free expertise, transferring world wide after which having locations to cease off and discover. Right here you may discover stuff you want for the principle mission or uncover collectibles or facet hustles. However preventing is one thing you need to get used to on this world.
While you begin fight you might be introduced with a grid for the battle enviornment, as Highwater goes all turned based mostly. You will have totally different companions on the journey and so they all include their very own set of abilities and attributes. It’s not as advanced as say X-Com, but it surely’s enjoyable and difficult. There’s a helpful factor the place you have got environmental assaults or use objects mendacity round. For instance, early on there’s a riot defend you may decide as much as defend your self, or knock down a beam trapping your highly effective enemy in a storage. There are some good particular assaults too, like utilizing a digicam flash to confuse the enemy in order that they miss a flip. It does get difficult within the latter components of the sport although, so remember.
Visually, Highwater, while not high-end triple-A top quality, does an excellent job with the belongings it has. You may see its cell roots, however I liked the world it builds and the way in which it’s all drawn. Characters are easy however brightly designed and a giant point out goes to the collectible fictional e-book designs you discover alongside the way in which. The voiceover is great, while the unique music you get performed on the radio – and in story sequences – is elegant.
Highwater might simply turn out to be a type of end-of-times consolation video games; very stress-free with an fascinating world to discover. Typically it’d really feel a bit empty and the fight does get barely repetitive, however total I had a good time enjoying and exploring this land.
Additional, it’s all the time good to hunt out liked soundtracks after you play a sport and that present in Highwater is one I’ll positively be including to my playlists.
