Analysis before leaving

Before We Leave places us in a post-apocalyptic hexagonal world where society must re-emerge.

When we play a title, one of the first pieces of information we have is the genre. If you are presented with a Where for example, you would expect a challenging platform game, in the Forza Horizon you know you’re going to have a flat ass to drive, Fra Cry and his action in the first person … Let’s say that the genre determines how we position ourselves in front of a certain title. In Before leaving the first information I got was… “this is a real time strategy game” (RTS). Here my concern began.

Not because it’s a genre I don’t like, on the contrary, I’ve loved this type of game for as long as I can remember. If I remember correctly, I could quote some classics of the RTS I spent time building two Holy Families. Command and Conquer in all its versions, Warcraft 1, 2 and 3, Starcraft 1 and 2, all the Age of Empires, Dune I and II, SIM Citys, many civilizations … and so on a host of titles. But I love them from the comfort of playing them with a mouse and keyboard. So my first question with this title was what it would be like to play an RTS for the first time with a order… And I’m telling you… I was scared.

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Souvenirs from Catania

In Before leaving we will take control of a society formed by “worker” creatures called Peep. For reasons unknown, their society has gone to hell and they have been living underground for centuries. After waiting, the necessary conditions exist outside to see the sunlight again. The outside world has managed to heal from what appears to have been an uncontrolled development and little responsible for the environment

. We are therefore going to start from scratch. The company has lost years of knowledge. We will start by building modest huts, planting fields and a well which seems to cover the basic needs of the people. Peep.

The map is shown to us in great detail, from an overhead position and the first impression it gave me … is that I was playing Catania! The map is divided into squares hexagonal, like the famous board game, in each of which we have a different resource or suitable terrain to carry out a certain activity. At this point we start with the Tutorial of the game, something that has been extremely useful and is integrated very well into the game. It is clear and concise, allowing you to understand all the processes that are going to take place throughout the title.

the TutorialIn about an hour, he will introduce you to the ins and outs of the game. In a natural way, we will learn the controls and to handle and know our civilization. The tutorial can be deactivated after one hour of play but if you wish it can remain active. In my case, after 4 hours of playing, he continued to guide me and give me instructions and missions to improve me.

Beliefs and Prejudices.

When I started analyzing, I already told you about first impressions and creating expectations with a headline for its genre. Well, these prejudices don’t end with the already named “Afraid to play an RTS on console”. This I have already taken apart, play Before leaving in my X series it is a delight. Control the card with both controller it happens very naturally. The number of buttons available gives you quick access to the menus.

If I had to put in a but, it would be something very personal and a habit on my part, but it’s not a game problem. I tend to move around in-game menus which use RB and RL to access the different options. In this Before leaving

It is not like that. Here, once the menu is open, we move with the joystick through them, something natural, but in my case it was a puzzle that after 3 hours of play, it was still difficult for me to internalize.

the second prejudice The bad one I had was the following … I started the tutorial at full speed, trying to mechanically absorb it quickly, making the village I was creating evolve without enjoying it. I was moving quickly to areas that they thought could give me an advantage, like having more huts to increase the population. I focused on the ability to generate resources quickly, all in anticipation of an attack … who never came.

A quiet RTS to enjoy.

Before leaving has a different take on what an RTS should be, instead of being a constant scramble for resources to defend or attack, its main focus is on learning tech to keep the colony happy. The game has no fight, there is no risk no danger for our company. So we can take it slow. Our only concern will be that every member of our civilization, Peep, is happy. Each peep has its own name, its own characteristics and its own personality. All of this can be micromanaged from their menus. Consult the happiness, needs, beliefs and desires of our “Compass” that will be our priority.

We will need to have sufficient food and water resources, research technologies that help us to evolve. We can colonize new islands, gain land to build. Each island has a different biome with different resources. We will have to establish trade routes to supply all the settlements with the necessary raw materials. In some islands we will have fertile land to sow and others will be a source of metals.

To provide the other islands with the resources that it cannot produce, we will have to establish trade routes. maritime. We will be able to study maritime technologies that allow the creation of shipyards and ships. With them, we will design trade routes to provide all the necessary raw materials to all borders.

However the peep does not want to live another apocalypse, so in this opportunity to rebuild as a society, we will have to pay attention to the impact environmental of our actions. On the map it is necessary to know how to distribute the polluting structures and to limit them, otherwise the happiness of the peep will collapse.

Strategy at the service of pleasure.

In Before leaving We can leave stressful games behind in real time. The ones that generate anxiety and make you look at the map all the time while waiting for an invasion. This title is benevolent towards the players, “simply” it will be necessary to lay the foundations and develop a society. You won’t have to create armies or attack anyone. The happiness of peep and generating resources that cover their basic needs will be our goal. All this without neglecting the environment.

It’s a very good title for those who have never dared this type of game. Its non-combat mechanics are perfectly suited to new players looking for a first contact with the RTS. For players seasoned in this type of title, it will be a different and refreshing approach that will not disappoint. Before you go can be as deep and complicated as we want it to be. The detailed information and graphics of the peep It will be a source of almost endless and stressful challenges to the extent that everyone wants.