Fun! If you're looking for the original experience, this is not it. But a lot of people are complaining that it's a cheap, mobile ripoff, and to that, it is very much not. It's got a great, unique art-style, and a whole boatload of new mechanics.
There's something about the original Oregon Trail that will stay true to my heart, but this is a faithful, contemporary adaption. It uses a little bit of RNG, mixed with a tiny bit of roguelite elements, and finally some basic inventory management and survival management to create this blend of really unique features that let it shine on its own.
It's also very fleshed out in all those regards. The main game is there, and it's challenging and fun. If you complete the game once, you unlock their version of hard mode, which ramps up the brutality even farther.
But what if you don't want all that difficulty? Don't worry, they have a peaceful mode too! And wait, there's more? What about going down the California Trail? What about multiple story modes, which focus on historical fictions rather than emergent gameplay? This isn't a simple affair, and it's not a "one-and-done" type of game. It's tough and will challenge you, but also allows players of all types to have fun with the adventure. Not to mention the accessibility options (most of which should be on by default, frankly), and the great attention to detail, both in terms of the old game, and in terms of historical facts, and in terms of diversity within the game, with a dedication to also highlight the perspectives of Native Americans during the period.
It's all just good stuff, and really unique. The game really stands out in the way it wants to play and present itself. Which is the key, at the end of the day. This version of Oregon Trail is its own game. It's not trying to be past games, and it's also not trying to reinvent the wheel. It's trying to bring those games everyone loved into the 21st century, with modern mechanics and game-design ideas, and a cinematic art perspective. And they did great!
There's something about the original Oregon Trail that will stay true to my heart, but this is a faithful, contemporary adaption. It uses a little bit of RNG, mixed with a tiny bit of roguelite elements, and finally some basic inventory management and survival management to create this blend of really unique features that let it shine on its own.
It's also very fleshed out in all those regards. The main game is there, and it's challenging and fun. If you complete the game once, you unlock their version of hard mode, which ramps up the brutality even farther.
But what if you don't want all that difficulty? Don't worry, they have a peaceful mode too! And wait, there's more? What about going down the California Trail? What about multiple story modes, which focus on historical fictions rather than emergent gameplay? This isn't a simple affair, and it's not a "one-and-done" type of game. It's tough and will challenge you, but also allows players of all types to have fun with the adventure. Not to mention the accessibility options (most of which should be on by default, frankly), and the great attention to detail, both in terms of the old game, and in terms of historical facts, and in terms of diversity within the game, with a dedication to also highlight the perspectives of Native Americans during the period.
It's all just good stuff, and really unique. The game really stands out in the way it wants to play and present itself. Which is the key, at the end of the day. This version of Oregon Trail is its own game. It's not trying to be past games, and it's also not trying to reinvent the wheel. It's trying to bring those games everyone loved into the 21st century, with modern mechanics and game-design ideas, and a cinematic art perspective. And they did great!