I’ve been following this interesting survival RPG for a while now, but the lack of updates made me doubt its actual development. A few days ago, however, the indie developer Wineviper released a brief dev diary in which he talks about how encounters are managed in his promising game Ruinlander, which is inspired by games like Neo Scavenger and Artem Michurin’s book series “Food and Ammo” so I took the opportunity to introduce an overview of the game.
Let’s start by saying that Ruinlander is a sandbox experience set in a world devastated by a natural cataclysm. Few cities remain standing, and the populations are reduced to tribes and factions that players will have to deal with. Hunger, thirst, and rest comprise what seems to be a ruthless survival mechanic, not to mention the reputation that the player’s character will enjoy based on the choices made within the game.
According to the latest update, as expected in a post-apocalyptic world, there will be dangers everywhere: pirates, rival gangs, mutant monsters, and much more. The further the player ventures from populated places and cities, the more these dangers increase and the tougher the encounters become. These encounters are presented in a first-person view, similar to dungeon crawlers like the Might and Magic series, to be clear, and the player can use firearms or melee weapons according to character competencies.
As seen from the screenshots, the UI suggests that during world exploration, the player will also need to pay attention to radiation levels, heat, cold, and the weight they carry on their back. Many factors comprise the character’s stats and the skills acquired, and the competencies can lead the character to favor combat prowess or diplomatic abilities.
In short, Ruinlander is a truly intriguing survival RPG that I suggest you add to your Steam wishlist. Below, you’ll find the overview and some screens.
ABOUT THIS GAME
The events in the game take place several decades after a global natural cataclysm, which led to the emergence of large areas of radioactive wasteland. On the territories untouched by the cataclysm, city-states were formed, strengthened by the influx of refugees, each with their own orders and competing fiercely with their neighbours for the remaining resources.
Small villages and settlements fell under the control of such cities, or destroyed by various gangs of those who did not want to hold on to the remnants of humanity – raiders, cannibals, sadists and perverts. A multitude of gangs, from small groups to entire armies have filled the livable territories.The player, in addition to maintaining the basic needs of food, water and rest, will have to make choices, the consequences of which somehow affect the world, in the face of emerging new threats in the form of disease and mutations. The player’s decisions can bend the world towards restoring humanity or give it over to rapid natural selection.
Features:
- Hardcore survival mechanics with hunger, thirst, fatigue, hypothermia, poisoning, radiation, injuries.
- Open world with hidden, dangerous radioactive and toxic areas.
- Saving game play at specific points.
- Exploring abandoned and ruined settlements in search of food and supplies.
- Reputation system for cities, factions and gangs that unlocks access to rare items and skills.
- Levelling-up stats and skills.
- Events, random encounters, and weather effects.
- Craft and cooking.
- Hunting, fishing, gathering.
- Trade and caravans.
