What ifStardew Valleywas grey and miserable? Okay, so that might not be the best pitch ever, butCity20- the staggeringly ambitious new indie survival sim from developer Untold Games - is kind of exactly that. And after a brief demo with the game, I’m kind of obsessed.
City20is a dystopian survival sandbox adventure set in a city that has been walled off following a radioactive leak. Unfortunately you happen to have been left inside the city along with most of the other residents, so it’s up to you to survive however you can.
The thing that most impressed me most aboutCity20was its NPC system. Using procedural generation, every NPC within the city has their own job, hobbies, schedule, and life. They hold events, they bury their dead, and maintain unique relationships with the player and each other. It’s a little likeThe Legend Of Zelda: Majora’s Maskin this regard, except far more ambitious.
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When an NPC dies, they stay dead. So if you happen to get trigger-happy and kill one of the residents responsible for maintaining the power plant and keeping the city supplied with electricity, that’s one less person to do that job. You could, if you really wanted to, kill every single person in the city and attempt to do everything on your own, though it’s unlikely you’d get far.City20is all about building relationships, though the existence of factions within the city means you’re bound to piss people off every now and again as you take on jobs that might not be in the best interests ofeveryone.
This intricate social system is wrapped up in an equally punishing survival game, in which you must contend with the changing seasons and harsh elements to gather food and resources. You’ll farm and forage for seasonal goods, hunt animals, and slowly build your own home as you fight to survive for as long as you can. A wholesome cosy game this ain’t.
City20is currently aiming for an early access launch this year, and I reckon it’s absolutely worth keeping an eye on. This could genuinely be one of the year’s best surprises.
Topics:Fallout,Indie Games,Stardew Valley,The Legend Of Zelda
