Underrail Preview

RPGCodex’s “Blaine” has written a preview for indie turn-based post-apocalyptic RPG Underrail, which offers some rather positive impressions of the game. Here’s a snippet:

As stated by JarlFrank in his 2012 preview, Underrail’s level design ranges from serviceable to amazing, and while I agree with that sentiment, he had only a fraction of the world at his disposal back then. I’ve seen nearly all there is to see so far, and rest assured, there is some fantastic exploration and fiddling about the with environment to be had in this game. You can easily get turned around and lost in the extensive cave system (not helped by the absence of a map, which some people dislike but which I personally think is fantastic), and Core City is absolutely immense. I must avoid describing the most memorable parts of exploration and environmental interaction in order to avoid spoiling them, but they’re there, and you’ll probably be amazed that they’re in a turn-based indie RPG. There are even a few puzzles of sorts, and not the insultingly stupid kind, either.

Most levels sport a lot of detail, including searchable boxes, lockers, barrels, and junk piles (some of which must be lockpicked or hacked); boulders that must be demolished in order to proceed further; doors and elevators which may also be electronically or mechanically locked, might be jammed, or may need to be repaired; light switches, electrical switches, generators, computer consoles, security cameras, Auto-Turrets, and surveillance monitors; exploding barrels you can shoot; water from which certain enemies may leap and ambush you; little critters running around underfoot eating mushrooms; various plants to pick; secret doors or areas including secret ventilation ducts, trapdoors, hidden switches, or entire tunnels; keys and keycards pickpocket-able from guards and the like; and more. More environmental interaction is also planned in Underrail’s next alpha update.

NPCs patrol, steam billows from vents, lights flicker on and off, fans turn and make noise (that diminishes as you move away from them), there might be a hard-to-see ladder leading up to an obscure little hideout belonging to a paranoid weirdo, you’ll hear water dripping, hear critters munching on mushrooms… the ambient sound effects in general, come to think of it, really pull it all together.

Instead of including several screenshots or walking you through a quest (refer to JarlFrank’s preview for that), I’ll refer you to the “Locations” page of the official Underrail Wiki. You can pick a few locations, see their in-game level map(s) (devoid of NPCs and so on), and get a feel for the game’s level design.