Gameplay Overview Part 1

It is time to shed some light to the most prominent mechanics you will be interacting with in Dead Underworld. This will be a two part series covering all major components in the game.

Part 1: Characters, Exploration, Resting, Combat Part 2: Items and Resources, Stats and Upgrades, Enemies and Factions, Progress

Lets begin!

Characters:

You command a party of up to two characters known as Seekers. You start with one Seeker and can hire or convince another to join you. As survival is tough and resources scarce, you should pick a partner that complements your first seeker. The game is not lost if one of your Seekers perishes to radiation, bleed or enemy battle axe. You can always get a new companion. If your party composition is not to your liking you can also betray your partner while battling another Seeker. No one likes a backstabber that substitutes his friend (of three maps) for a more seasoned Seeker down the Underworld, but there are build options dedicated to such playstyles.

Exploration:

You move your party in the game world in a similar fashion to the Heroes of Might and Magic series or the more recent (and very excellent) Songs of Conquest. Your goal is to find the exit to travel deeper into the Underworld. Your stats and items determine your movement points available per rest. You can gain more movement, and other resources, by collecting treasures on the map. On the map you can also discover other interactable features such as stashes that contain items and shrines that are mini events that provide some lore and benefits. Once you reach the exit you choose your next destination on a branching map. Your choice dictates the terrain and special features of the next map. At certain intervals you reach a hub area where you will always find shops and options to upgrade items.

Resting:

When you run out of movement you must rest and choose a camp style for the rest. Different camps offer unique bonuses and effects. During rest your characters recover lost hit points. As you rest you drain your Supplies, if you possess no Supplies you may only rest in a very rudimentary camp. When you rest the enemies and other NPC get their chances to move. Hostile enemies will attack the player when nearby, so choose your resting location carefully to avoid a fight or to gain a benefit from terrain.

Combat:

When an enemy attacks you during a rest or you enter a zone controlled by a hostile creature you enter combat. Combat is fought in a turn based manner, starting with the side that has rolled the highest initiative. Battle ends when the other side is defeated or the player escapes. Battles are fought in three ranges long, medium and melee. Characters can advance as they please, but backing away is reserved to special items and abilities. Characters may use items in their inventory or a handful of universal actions such as melee strike or take cover. Combat is quick and very punishing, but fair. Stats, items, resistances, effects, perks and terrain affect the outcome of combat. The player has the extra option of swapping between their characters, essentially doubling their options in combat. This comes with a drawback with increasing “Scramble”, a stat that affects incoming and outgoing damage. Most enemies and player builds revolve around certain stats and concepts like Scramble, success in combat is determined how to best navigate strengths and weaknesses of changing situations.

That's all for now. Part