

You can attack anyone at any time, which means that combat can break out anywhere. Which is a good thing because it means plenty of time to engage with Wasteland 3’s systems. But, in a world of radiation, and cannibals, and violent cults, don’t expect to get very far. You could run headlong at Liberty Buchanan, the Patriarch’s most formidable progeny, as soon as you get your marching orders.

The game smartly allows you to build up your forces, recruiting squadmates and building out your base before it sends you out on your mission. You know how I said I put 50 hours into this game? 20 of them passed before I had even encountered the first rogue Buchanan child. But, understanding the scope of the game, and how decisions ripple as you gain access to a sprawl of new locations, is key to appreciating just how good it is. I saw all of that in the first four hours, as I fought the Dorseys, the fanatical hillbilly faction that attacks the Desert Rangers in the game’s opening. And the writing draws on well-worn post-apocalyptic tropes- expect to meet plenty of cannibals and members of more than one blood-crazed cult. The grid-based combat is a welcome but familiar mixture of new XCOM’s tactics and the “everything-is-on-fire” ethos of Larian’s games. As per usual in choice-driven RPGs, there are factions to ally with or kill. Wasteland 3 isn’t as innovative as Disco Elysium. After four hours with that preview build, I found it fun enough, but pretty formulaic.Īnd, my initial take wasn’t wrong, per se. In a world where Disco Elysium and Divinity: Original Sin 2 have pushed the boundaries of what a CRPG can be, it didn’t seem that Wasteland 3 was bringing anything new to the table. I played through this setup back in March, when I previewed Wasteland 3, and wasn’t especially impressed.
