Wasteland 2

• Available for:
• PC

Wasteland 2 received a considerable amount of support from backers on Kickstarter in order to finance the project. The resulting game makes me extremely worried about how Torment Tides of Numenera might turn out. Everything about the game seems weak, and it’s riddled with bugs. It doesn’t seem as though the amount devotion or care given to the Kickstarter actually went into its creation.

No tactics are needed, and seeking cover is pointless as enemies will rush your group even if they are using a ranged weapon. Some of the enemies take forever to die. The enemies on every map consist of the same 4 to 5 enemy models, and all the fights will play out the same. They seem to just waste the players time as they aren’t meaningful or test the players abilities. The turn-based system is completely basic – skills will increase your DPS, and there are no added feats to spice up the battles. Xenonauts was similar with regards to combat, and while it may not have been a graphically advanced game, it was at least challenging.

The skills system is frustrating. You need to invest in medic, lock picking, safe cracking, trap disarming, computers, repairing, hard-ass and kiss-ass, all whilst keeping up your weapon skill in order to win any battles. I felt completely exhausted keeping up all of the aforementioned and others, and it was never enough. All these skills needed to be extremely high in order to work, even early in the game. It wastes your time, and given the amount of times you need to use the skills it adds up. You are being pulled in so many directions you lose what little team customization there is. The equipment will not change your overall appearance, making all the hats, chest pieces and leg gear feel totally pointless.  In this world resources aren’t scarce and boxes are found all over the place, loaded with ammunition and guns, and usually trapped with explosives.

One of the biggest problems are the consequences choosing between AG or Highpool. You can’t save both. I know players wanted this option, and story-wise it’s completely stupid; we can’t split the party up and do both, and the Rangers can’t be bothered to send another team for something that’s essential for their survival. It just doesn’t make narrative sense. You will be faced with these choices several times throughout the game, and it doesn’t matter which one you end up saving – it changes nothing. It’s tiring that in most games, when presented with a choice it doesn’t matter which option you pick, it’s always bad and you can never win. In Fallout 1 and 2 our choices affected the game and they affected our companions, but in Wasteland 2 they mean nothing. The companions are completely unlikable, they have no personalities, no personal quest, no defining characteristics that makes the player want to pick them more than just being an extra gun. Baldur’s Gate had some amazing characters, memorable voice acting and some great dialogue, nothing of which was to be found in Wasteland 2.

Overall the game isn’t great, at best it’s just average. The environments are the same, and the maps are populated with the same 4-5 enemy types at every encounter. Most of the game consists of mindless grinding, backtracking constantly which takes up the players time.
I feel the game should not have been given early access at this current time. It’s playable but problematic, and it feels as if it needs a lot more polish. Kickstarter has a lot of potential for these types of games. Divinity: Original Sin is a beautiful game which added it’s own take on turn-based combat, but Wasteland 2 just doesn’t deliver. If you’re a fan of turn-based combat and want to play Wasteland 2, wait for a sale. As of right now it isn’t worth the price (£29.99) as it comes across as  a very unfinished game.