Developer inXile has released a new Wasteland 3 gameplay trailer that dives head-first into the minutiae of the post-apocalyptic RPG’s tactical turn-based combat.
Unveiled at Gamescom, the Wasteland 3 gameplay trailer strikes a happy balance of cinematic sequences and in-game footage based around a radio transmission from the shadowy Patriarch of Colorado – a warlord of sorts who draws in the Desert Rangers with the promise of saving their homeland of Arizona from devastation.
He needs the help of rangers to take down his errant offsprings who’ve gone rogue and defied his authority. In other words, a mutually beneficial agreement that has the player inch forward in search of the Patriarch’s children.
Set in the snowy climes of Colorado, Wasteland 3 builds on the foundations of the franchise with the familiar formula of base building, vehicles, and party member recruitment alongside a story arc driven forward by encounters with Colorado’s finest local populace. This time around, a new co-op feature is being worked into the gameplay by inXile as well.
Gangs and cults have nestled down into the mountainous topography as seemingly endless Winter baths the land in a thick carpet of snow. It’s up to the player to decide whether to help stranded communities or engage with secluded militarized groups to progress.
Much of the combat focuses on clearing these enclaves by strategically positioning units, deciding actions, when and how to engage, and targeting specific enemy body parts in a first-person mode, which is a new feature for the series. From the trailer, there’s a distinct similarity to the combat found in X-COM, which is as good as complements get for the turn-based genre.
The stand out is, however, the gorgeous world inXile has carved out for players to explore. Visual improvement is more or less expected for each successive entry in a franchise, but the jump from Wasteland 2 appears particularly pronounced. Of course, this is based on a trickle of curated trailers, but it does bode well for the final product.
It’s all very atmospheric and caked in drifting snowstorms, sparse lighting, and a good old smattering of explosions that can quite clearly be seen throughout the run time of the trailer.
We still have a long wait ahead before we can get our hands on the game as Wasteland 3 only arrives on PC, Mac, Linux, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One in Spring 2020.
If you’re lucky enough to count among the backers that pledged $75 or more to Wasteland 3’s Fig campaign, you’ll get access to an exclusive alpha that kicks off today.