When you think of Zen Studios, you should immediately consider them as the kings of pinball, having dropped a few brilliant ball-pinging experiences to console in recent years, culminating in the stunning Pinball FX3 and the whole host of table varieties that brings. But occasionally every now and then Zen move away from the constraints of the table to move into other gaming areas, exploring multiple other opportunities. That’s exactly what they are doing today with the release of the hugely intriguing, captivatingly eerie, Dread Nautical on Xbox One, PS4, Nintendo Switch and PC.
Available to purchase and download on Xbox One, PS4, Switch and PC from the usual digital stores right now – the Xbox Store, the PlayStation Store, the Nintendo eShop or the Epic Games Store (yep, sorry Steam fans!) – Dread Nautical is the latest from Zen, and this time around we’re sent off on a relaxing little cruise on good ship Hope.
Well, at least it’s relaxing for a short time, but then a host of monsters rock up and try to kill everyone. Probably best to stick some kind of insurance claim in to be honest!
Anyways, Dread Nautical works as a tactical turn-based RPG, one that merges the usual ideas with everyone’s favourite genre – the roguelike. As you would therefore expect to hear, in Dread Nautical, no matter how well you think things are going, you’re going to die, a lot, all before starting over again and taking the experience you learnt into a new run.
You’ll get to learn lots too as Dread Nautical sees you attempting to fight back against those cruise-ruining monsters by taking charge of a group of rather unlikely heroes. By utilising the scarce resources on board effectively, and convincing other holiday-goers to join your cause, this cartoony yet eerie adventure will have you working through the 20 decks of the Hope, battling back foes and ensuring that everyone can stay alive.
Will it happen? Probably not, but thanks to the superb visual look, and the promise of tons of depth to the gameplay, we can be sure to give it a good go.
Our full review of Dread Nautical on Xbox One should be with you in the coming days – possibly even by the time you are reading this – so if you think this is a cruise worth taking in, we’re sure that will tempt you even more.
If you are willing to give it a go head on over to the Xbox Store, the PlayStation Store, the Nintendo eShop or the Epic Games Store and grab yourself a copy. The £16.74 price tag on offer for the Xbox One version puts it right in punt territory.
Game Description:
Your cruise was so relaxing until the monsters from another dimension showed up to kill everyone. A tactical turn-based RPG with roguelike elements, Dread Nautical combines immersive gameplay with a cartoonish—yet captivatingly eerie—tone. Supernatural forces have overwhelmed a cruise liner called Hope with mysterious malevolent monstrosities. Fight them off as one of four unlikely heroes. Manage your scarce resources effectively, and convince scattered survivors to fight alongside you. You’ll need them for any hope of escaping this “vacation” alive. Traverse all 20 decks of the to unlock the mysteries of the Hope. Think several steps ahead during each battle, plotting the optimal use of each character’s action points. Your weapons, bandages, and other items deteriorate, and your resources are very limited. Make sure your companions rest, or panic may overtake them. Oh… And expect to die. A lot.
