Fury of the Wasteland. Preview

Post-apocalypse. How much meaning does this sound hold for a gamer's heart? For a long time now, developers around the world have been trying to make 'their own fallout', which would feature ultra-graphics, thousands of unique NPCs, a vast seamless world, and, of course, run smoothly for all players with minimal lag. In short, a utopia, as it is. It was quite surprising to see how the masters of the gaming industry, id Software, decided to try their hand at a game about 'what happens after Armageddon'. And if the stars are igniting, someone must need them. What can come of this?

Asteroid, asteroid, burn everything to hell

And he did it. The backstory of the game's world tells us about a meteorite with the concise name 'Apophis' (the asteroid exists in real life, if you want — read the article on Wikipedia), which in 2029, upon colliding with Earth, destroyed over 5 billion people. But the losses could have been even greater if, back in the 2020s, countries hadn’t launched an international project called 'Ark', organizing underground bunker-storage facilities around the world filled with weapons, ammunition, food, and other useful things. They didn't forget about the capsules, in which people were supposed to stay until the situation on the planet's surface improved.

The beauty of destruction. A matter of taste.

As always, everything went wrong as planned initially. Let's start with the fact that just a few days before the launch of the 'Ark' program, 12 generals seized power over it. They disliked the idea that civilians would be saved first. Thus, everyone who had any connection to the 'Ark' program, except for the servicing staff, was eliminated, and the generals began to call themselves the Seers.

And now, five years later, the capsules rise to the surface. The generals discover that far more people survived than they anticipated. But where there are people — there is also power, which yearns to control them. A new war ignites, during which all the generals die except one. General Noah Cross and his assistant, Colonel James Casey — these are the only holders of official power at the moment. But this power is likely formal, as it is impossible to maintain an iron grip over the vast Wasteland formed after the collision.

You won't take such opponents with a cavalry charge. Various devices will come to your aid.

Look at these soulful faces

Indeed, there is much to see. To be frank, chaos or anarchy reigns supreme in the Wasteland, whichever term you prefer. However, there is some semblance of communities. Let’s examine each of them in detail.

Ghost Clan

Ghosts are people who have nearly turned into animals; they occupy the basements, catacombs, and sewers of the Wasteland, decorating their territories with graffiti and hanging terrifying remains of their victims everywhere. In the territory of the ghosts, you must be extremely vigilant, as they are incredibly swift and agile fighters who spare no one in their home.

Wild Clan

The Wild Clan is akin to berserkers. They never attack from the darkness; they prefer to charge straight at you, brandishing a flaming club. They are strong and resilient fighters who wear multicolored armor. Many say that the Wild Clan is the last remnant of Great Britain. God save the Queen.

Fire Clan

Most likely, the Fire Clan members are cultists who worship the fallen asteroid Apophis. They believe that a demigod descended in the form of a blazing rock from the heavens and now lives in the heart of the Earth. And if the cultists touch it, they will become the toughest sons of bitches in the wastelands. They adorn their bodies, clothing, and equipment with images of fire and scenes of destruction.

Jackal Clan

If you see a person clad in animal skins and bones, you are likely in front of a representative of the Jackal Clan. Like wolves, they sniff out their prey, corner it, and tear it apart. Damn dangerous opponents; I wouldn't advise facing them head-on.

Savannah Clan

If a wanderer has grown disillusioned with their clans, they have only three paths left: either they perish at the hands of their kin, or they wander into the Wasteland and vanish, or they join the Savannah Clan. Once they join, they remain there forever. It's customary to conceal one’s name and history, keep this in mind when meeting them. The only unambiguous way out of the clan is death.

Machinhead Clan

Machinheads are practically the only technologically advanced marauders in the Wasteland. They rely not so much on brute force as on quality weapons and strong armor. Some believe that the founders of this clan were survivors from the arks who chose their own path.

There is also a Government, whose base is located in the Dead City (a fiery hello to the stalker!), but access is barred for ordinary people, and those who somehow manage to break in do not return. They say they have seen mutants as tall as skyscrapers.

And this is the local Santa Claus. At least he definitely has a bag full of good stuff.

The Wasteland — a land of contrasts

A light aroma of madness is present here everywhere. The entrance to the local media building is shaped like a clown, and the arena where you battle is adorned with circus paraphernalia. Or it features savages, whose torsos are painted in the national flag of Great Britain. But the entire environment is crafted so well and in detail that it doesn't evoke outright laughter, as in Borderlands. Although, to each their own.

As anarchy reigns over the world just about completely, we will need various means of destruction to sow goodness and impose order. Among other things, we spot: an immortal Kalashnikov, a crossbow with several types of bolts, as well as something resembling a boomerang, but with three ends. But all this is dull and monotonous; we’ve seen all this once, twice, and even twenty times. However, the ability to set up a portable turret adds some variety to battles with opponents. But it doesn’t stop there — we have a cute spider with a machine gun, as well as a remote-controlled little car loaded with explosives (a fiery hello, Black Ops!). Yes, in one form or another, all means of extermination were featured in other games, but nevertheless. The animation and overall quality of the weaponry are top-notch, and the same applies to those who will be targeted by this weaponry.

Enemies in the game are mainly represented by savages and mutants, but sometimes you will face specially trained soldiers clad in heavy armor and equipped with heavy-caliber weaponry. The quality of the overall enemy animation specifically catches the eye. Falls, jumps, rolls, tumbles, runs, and other movements are performed with maximum realism. We owe thanks to the center motion capture technology and the effort of the animators for this.

So what else will we encounter in the Wasteland? Of course, cars! They come in various types, but they are equally dilapidated and rusty. They are equipped with heavy machine guns, rocket launchers, and other kosher things that aid survival. There will also be a betting system where you can get rich. Or you may find your death in the form of a stream of lead from the enemy vehicle's minigun. After all, this is the Wasteland.

He is clearly unhappy that we came to visit him.

So what’s the conclusion?

In the end, we should receive an extremely engaging shooter with a light hint of RPG, entertaining rides in cars with miniguns, taking potshots at mad savages, all within a post-apocalyptic-steampunk backdrop. Moreover, let’s not underestimate id Software; John Carmack is perfectly capable of surprising us.

For proofreading, I extend my immense gratitude to comrade serick.