Wasteland 2 Preview

There’s a new, very thorough preview for inXile’s Wasteland 2 over at fansite Wasteland 2 Guru, courtesy of the Gamescom showing of the title. Here’s an excerpt to give you an idea:

The first part of the game will take place in Arizona, revisiting several locations from the original game. The playable area does not match the original game, however. The Ranger Citadel is located in the upper left corner of the map, with areas beyond inaccessible to the Ranger party. That means no Darwin, Needles, Quartz, or Las Vegas. Returning locations include the Rail Nomads’ camp, the agricultural center, Highpool, and the old Prison. Supplementing them will be a host of new locations in Arizona, like Damonta (above), and other parts of the game, bringing the total amount of maps in Wasteland 2 to between 40 and 50. As noted during the demo, the game will include a working economy. Goods will have different values depending on location.

Story-wise of the game is intended to be be non-linear, in the best traditions of the original game. However, Wasteland 2 goes beyond that and also introduces non-standard game endings. Fargo elaborated on this concept, stating that one of these results from the player straying too far away from the Rangers’ code and values. If the player’s team gun downs everything that moves (and shoots everything that doesn’t until it starts moving), then General Vargas will cut them loose and deploy kill squads to track down and kill the player’s team, leading to a different storyline and ending, at the expense of some 40% of the game. Yes, you can actually kill everyone you meet. Yes, the game will shut you off from certain content or alter it depending on your choices. No, you won’t see everything on one playthrough. For example, in the first 30 minutes of the game you will have to make a decision and save either Highpool or the Agricultural Center, leading to tangible consequences both in the long and short term.

Many choices will be related to the factions inhabiting the land and their attitude towards you. As the game has no arbitrary karma or morality meter, what matters are the choices you make and how you handle the consequences they bring. There will be plenty of organizations to offend, including the well mannered cannibals called the Mannerites, the half-man, half-machine Children of the Citadel, Reagan-worshiping Gippers, and the Red Skorpion Militia, among many. The Red Skorpions are important for another reason: the Prison is firmly under their control and the player’s interactions with them form a big part of the demo.

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Consequences are divided into two types: short-term and long-term. A more vivid example is an early encounter on the Prison map. The Rangers come across Fred Darvis, a trader whose trading cart got stuck in the mud. Since his goat is of no help, he asks the Rangers to provide help. If they help Darvis with his problem, he gives them the opportunity to browse his wares and restock on supplies. In the long-term, he will appear a few maps later with a much larger selection of wares and a proper security detail. Or you can shoot him and loot his cart immediately. Or shoot his goat. And then him.

Another example of shooting people and living with the consequences is an encounter with a sick woman, Anne. The Rangers come across a radio signal where Anne calls for help. Tracking down its source, they find her in terrible pain, asking them to end her suffering. If the Rangers oblige, they can loot her cupboard for their reward. However, just moments later they come across her husband, Elroy, who was just returning with the medicine. Understandably, he is less than thrilled by his wife being dead and attacks the Rangers. The alternative solution, if you have a high enough Surgeon skill, is to heal her or go out and find Elroy with the medicine. Of course, her broadcasting thanks to the Rangers over the radio, while in the middle of Red Skorpion territory, may lead to complications down the line.