
So I Tried… DuneCrawl
Each edition of So I Tried… I will try a game that I have never played before. Will I find something new to love? Will I find something new to despise? I'll take a full half hour, no matter how bad it gets or how badly I do, to see if this is the game for me. This time around, the GrinCast Crew set out to conquer the sands with the Steam Next Fest demo for DuneCrawl!
What I thought it was
Going into the game with as little information as possible, as is tradition, I had little idea of what DuneCrawl had in store. Based on the logo, a few screenshots, and the title itself, I imagined a roguelite of some description (because most indies I end up trying usually belong to the genre), with the added feature of a giant mecha crab thing to control. I’d imagine the runs would have us travel the desert, taking on other mechas, while maybe trying to find upgrades and loot, or even a different monstrosity to ride to victory.
What it actually is
In the game, you (or with up to three of your buddies) start off living a peaceful life in a desert village until a giant Dune Crawler, a massive insectoid creature with an accompanying platform for riders, arrives and lays waste to your home. After some death-defying cannon battling, you defeat the raiders, gaining the massive beetle for yourself! Piloting your newly outfitted friend, you set off into the sands to figure out why you were attacked while also having a grand adventure!
Instead of a roguelite, the game is more like an open-world adventure, with the wide open desert being yours to explore as soon as you hop onto your companion crab. As you travel, you may come across enemy outposts, friends in need, or other interesting locations to explore. You’ll also receive quests from the different locals of the desert, in addition to having the opportunity to stock up. Allowing you to upgrade both yourself and your mobile home.
The combat can be divided into two categories: fighting other creatures and fighting Crawlers. Combat among regular opponents is pretty fast-paced, with most bouts featuring a group of enemies going against one or a few heroes. Viewed from an isometric perspective, you’ll have to keep everyone in mind as you dodge and block attacks, all while dealing damage with your repertoire of weapons.
When it comes to your huge vehicles, however, the combat slows down a tad. Requiring someone to be behind the proverbial wheel, your lumbering buddy needs to be steered into or out of danger depending on the situation, avoiding your enemy's cannons while trying to get into the right angle to return fire yourself. When not driving, you can mill about the small platform atop your walking home, which is fitted with cannons, a supply of healing goop, ammunition, and a stash for your items. You can even fire yourself out of said cannons onto nearby platforms or enemy Crawlers! All in all, the constant switching between micro-level duels and macro-level Crawler combat is great fun; it’s a mechanic with much promise.
Will I keep playing
The only negative thing I had to say about the DuneCrawl demo we played was the length: lasting about half an hour, we had just gotten our hands on the insectoid castle when it was over. This is a good issue to have, however, as getting a taste left me wanting to play even more. Exploring the desert, fighting other Crawlers, and co-operating with my friends was a great time; I look forward to the eventual full release.
COMMENTS