Expedition Zero is the first project by Czech indie studio Enigmatic Machines, created in collaboration with tinyBuild. Survival horror games are not uncommon, but how can the authors of Expedition Zero surprise you? I’ve finished the game and I’m ready to share my impressions!
STALKER on minimum minimum wage
The story of the project was clearly inspired by the series STALKER and endless custom customizations. There is also something in the plot of the story of the mysterious death of the Dyatlov tourist group.
In the depths of the underground Siberian laboratories, as always, secret experiments were carried out, but something went wrong and scientists registered anomalous activity. The main character goes in search of the missing scientific expedition, which tried to understand the causes of the paranormal.
At first glance, Expedition Zero and Stalker don’t seem to have much in common. However, the projects are united by the main thing – the atmosphere. Empty military and civilian facilities from the 1980s, local residents turned into monsters, fields with anomalous formations – do you remember anything?
The lore of the game is gradually revealed by the notes carefully left by the participants or victims of the incident. However, if you don’t read them, you won’t lose anything at all. There are no memorable characters in the game, just a trader who hands out tasks.
But the locations in Expedition Zero are well done. A forest shrouded in fog looks eerie and believable. From the first minute it is clear that the action is set in post-Soviet space. This is of course not the level of “Stalker” or Chernobylite, but still not bad and recognizable.
Have you played mods for STALKER?
Gordon Freeman on even more minimum wages
Most of the time in Expedition Zero the player will spend exploring locations and searching for virus samples. Fast travel is possible between the levels, but within them – only on foot. In any part of the game world you can equip a shelter where you can warm up and sleep – and the hero will appear there after death or when moving from another area.
During the search, the character will come across tools – mounts to break open and find equipment, as well as axes to chop wood and the heads of enemies. Firearms in the game are represented only by the Mosin rifle, whose cartridges are scattered throughout the locations in abundance. If you want to feel like Gordon Freeman, you can fight with a crowbar.
The artificial intelligence of opponents is primitive. Most enemies are slow zombies running in a straight line towards the hero. A little more trouble will be provided by a flying ghost that chases and attacks, hiding on trees and poles. But still, the encounters with the monsters turned out to be boring. Finally, the last variety of opponents is a creature in an underground laboratory that kills with one strike.
But the most annoying enemy in Expedition Zero is the cold. Without costume upgrades, the hero will quickly freeze, so you have to build fires, find useful gadgets and craft them with improvised means. A headlamp, gas mask, high-capacity battery, warmer suit and exoskeleton help to survive and spend more time outside the shelter.
The crafting system lacks depth and variety. The game has three types of resources that are taken from the collected garbage. You can only create certain types of equipment that are available on one specific workbench. Collecting every item at an appropriate time and place will not work. At the same time, no hints were given about where and what can be created.
You can praise the developers for not being too lazy to animate the hero’s interaction with the world. When you need to chop wood, you can see how the character first places the block on the deck, then takes out an ax and saws a piece of wood in half. And with what zeal the rifle is reloaded! Another thing is that most of the animation is still skewed, and this is noticeable.
Expedition Zero System Requirements and Performance
To run Expedition Zero, a PC with Windows 7, Intel Quad Core, 8 GB of RAM, a GTX 670-level graphics card and 12 GB of free space on the media is enough. My computer more than met the recommended requirements, but this did not save me from friezes. Minor flaws are also noticeable in the geometry of locations – trees can float above the ground and objects intertwine. There were no crashes and bugs that made the passage impossible.
But the game has a funny bug or feature – after returning to an already explored location or when loading saves, all loot in the location appears in the same places. My character was walking around with a pack of rifle ammunition, no shortage.
Expedition Zero is a mid-range indie horror with survival elements that tries to be like its more expensive and famous counterparts. There’s even something in the game of Slim. Lovers of the genre and fans of rummaging through gloomy locations in search of an exit or a key item will enter. If you prefer a solid story and well-trained gameplay in games, then this pen test from Enigmatic Machines is more likely to disappoint you.
Do you play Expedition Zero?
Source: VG Times
Barbara Dickson is a seasoned writer for “Social Bites”. She keeps readers informed on the latest news and trends, providing in-depth coverage and analysis on a variety of topics.