UnderRail

you can play for 40 hours and find out your build sucks and have to start all over again, highly recomended

seperately save every mission, don't just quicksave

All in all, a strong recommendation, iif you like post-apocalyptic top-down games, somewhat similar to Fallout 1&2 in terms of looks and world feel.

Now to the game world: The game is gritty and failry grim. Do not expect an uplift story.
The world is set in the underground, the Underrails if you will - A metro system somewhere beneath the surface of the world. In this world, you will be put in, with not much of an explanation to the world history. You will find out more about the world, as the story progesses, and as you explore the world. And I do recommend to do lots of exploration. Do go to those off the beaten path locations to find out what they have to offer. There will be interesting things to find and knowledge to be found.

As a mention, as it might be important for some people: There are no relationships in this game. You will have plenty of friendly characters, but none that you will build a companionship. At least I have not been able to find any.

Then we have the gameplay. The game will not tell you how to play much - You will have to experiment and find out. You can do many things, from a stealth approach, to melee, to "magic" and so on. BUT - The game is difficult. Prepare to die. A lot.
If you are a min-maxer, this game will be a playground for you. There are many different builds to try out.
A problem that I see here, especially for someone that just randomly wants to try the game without any prior information about it: You might skill yourself into a "dead-end". If you are just trying out things, the game will not be forgiving, and punish you for a rookie mistake of not taking the correct feats for your playstile and such. I recommend that you inform yourself about what you want to do, before you actually skill. Decide on a build, and then commit to it. As long as you don't spread to wide, you should generally be alright.
Be sure that you have the capability of ranged, but also some form of melee, for the moments when enemies get up close and dirty.
Also, use the toold you get. Be it stealth, stim-boosts, or other buffs. You will need them to be able to succeed in the game.

Now I am not a veteran in this game or anything: I have one single playthrough at 115hrs. So I am certain that I could have done better myself, so please do go ahead and read some other reviews, and possibly even some builds, though I would recommend to "explore" the skills yourself. I think finding feats is a wonderful thing - but as mentioned before, you will run in danger of skilling the wrong way, if you like it this way. Do not try to be a jack of all trades.

I flip-flopped between hating the fucking guts out of this game and loving it. This is NOT an easy or accessible game. You WILL have to google things or you WILL have a bad time. This doesn't necessarily make it a BAD game, it just means you need a certain level of autism to properly enjoy it.

This game is HARD. It's HARD as FUCK. If your build sucks, you're going to have a bad time, which brings me to my original point: prerequisite knowledge. If you haven't either googled the hell out of the game, or run quite a few test runs to figure out what works and what doesn't, you will struggle and you won't have very much fun. There are certain areas during the progression of the game that spike the difficulty to a ridiculous level (looking at you Depot A, Grey Army Base, and many of the Expedition DLC areas). This adds to the enjoyment of the game in a feeling of accomplishment for those who persevere, but I can see it easily turning many players away from the game. Having to either metagame or repeat the same beginning areas multiple times in a row to test shit just to have a fighting chance is just not enjoyable or particularly good game design. I avoided metagaming a build, and ended up going plus ultra and using 110% of my autism to make my own build and beat the game with it, but it certainly was not easy. I still had to google many areas, puzzles, and quests.

All in all, it's a brutal, but enjoyable experience, but does toe the line on levels of acceptable difficulty. I think the fact that only 3% of players managed to kill the final boss speaks volumes about the game, although by the time you get to the final area you should be more than prepared; I found that the final main story boss was FAR easier than certain earlier areas and challenges. The real difficulty lies in actually sticking with the game and getting far enough and good enough at it to find the fun.

Finally, there are so many skills and builds and ways of progressing through the game that there is certainly a lot of replayability. The downside is that you have to repeat many tedious sections over and over again and build in a very specific way (usually requiring, again, prerequisite knowledge to know which perks to spec into, which quests to complete, and which items to find).

If you like disgustingly hard games that put your autism to the test, then give it a go. Otherwise, steer clear.

Every build is viable. No build is perfect.
Incredible game.

You want Fallout? This is it!

Do NOT fuck up the Oculus questline.

drop off, pipeworker.

Not the prettiest but the best for all the rest :)

One of the best renditions of a true to old form isometric rpg style game. Highly underrated title well worth the cost with a masochistic difficulty for those looking to smack their head against the rng wall.

No hand holding mechanics but a quest log that will keep you on track, lore to uncover as you play and many different viable ways to build your character up. Just a very solid iso rpg choice to pick up.

Absolutely abysmal game. The map feels far too convoluted, and the game feels like it constantly spikes in difficulty. I enjoyed the first few hours, but by the time i reached the junkyard, it constantly felt like i messed up my build. Greatly regret purchase

I think this is a very good game, one of the best in its category.
It's an RPG, but it's not story-driven; rather, it focuses on exploration and combat. Of course, there is a story as well, but it's not the main driving force of the game.
The area is huge, with plenty to discover. The combat is well-balanced, requiring attention at both low and high levels.
In-game shops have a random selection of items, and you can purchase some really good things. You can earn a lot of money in the game, but there's always something to spend it on, so that aspect is also balanced.
There are several viable builds, each providing a slightly different gaming experience.
All in all, the gaming experience is surprisingly good, offering plenty of opportunities for replays or even complete playthroughs.

In the final area (Deep Caverns) the games turn into complete garbage, extremely tedious, time consuming and infuriating experience.

So I'm in the Deep Caverns (Hard) after finishing the Expedition DLC, lvl 26, and uninstalling the game out of frustration without even finishing it.
It was nice up to this point, but the gimmick of infinitely spawning tchortlings out of every corner you can't even sneak past with Stealth 230 - all while being required to scout every nook and cranny for gate repair components... no. Just. No.
And if you start a fight (you can hardly avoid them), 3 or 4 tchortlings scanners from several directions are going to use Pseudo-spatial Projection becoming essentially impossible to hit, proceeding to shut you down and forcing you into a reload fest.

This is the definition of R tarded, don't know what the dev was thinking, I guess he wanted an easy way out in the final stretch of the game, increasing the difficulty in the laziest and most infuriating way possible...

I'm not going to touch this game ever. again.
And I suggest you save yourself money and stress.

Coming to review this game only to realize how few people have played. This is probably one of the best rpg experiences you can find on the market. Play normal/oddity and just enjoy. If you love challenging puzzles play dominating (helps if you know whats in the game before playing this, i.e. crafting stuff and feats.) I hope one day this game gets a sequel. The fact it has two expansions is a blessing to this world.

Amazing game! Exploration is top notch! Combat is in depth! Graphics are prestige .

Very unforgiving and immersive turn based role playing game with clear influences from Fallout! Just the way I like it! Highly recommend this game to anyone who enjoys a challenging adventure!

I beat Underrail expedition.

I got to the "ending" playing this 180p pixelated plumbing simulator, and uh forgot where and who the fuck I was because I was so immersed in trying to piece everything together.

...

I have become derailed.

I legit like this game more than Fallout 1 & 2. The lore is MUCH shittier, but the gameplay and exploration is absolutely top notch. Can't wait for Underrail 2.

It's like I get to experience Fallout for the first time without being spoilers or watching videos about it. Had a lot of fun, though rng drives me nuts so many time. Don't think I could finish it after learning that Deep Cavern is the most difficult area to beat it. Nonetheless, it's good. Hope I come back again with a better build.

First CRPG I've ever played and it's just absolutely amazing. It's been a long time since I've had a game like this that invokes that "just one more turn" feeling over and over again quite like this game does.

Fun way to spend some time.

Excellent story telling and world building. It may not have the graphics of AAA games but it makes up with the immersive experience. Not really a game for everyone but if you enjoy spending your free time in an underground ghetto among a bunch of sociopathic junkies THEN THIS IS THE GAME FOR YOU!

The game takes place in a post-apocalyptic world in which an unspecified catastrophe has forced the surviving population underground, into the transit systems in particular. The visuals and atmosphere are stunning and the game has a huge fleshed out world and backstory. (Perhaps the northern stations may be seen in future DLCs?)

It plays exactly like the original Fallout series, but with psychic powers and related phenomena.

The sheer multitude of equipment, abilities, and the perks of levelling up provide a satisfying feeling of gaining strength and overcoming the dangerous subterranean passages. Your reputation grows as you help the various stations, and you can even become a celebrated gladiator and buy and decorate your own home; your base of operations where you can decide what calibre of boom you should patrol the rails with.

There are certain game mechanics which make the game frustratingly difficult. Items are split into types, which either require significant cool-down times or can't be used in combat. Grenades take 4 turns to cool-down (2 if you have a special perk), healing items of any/all kinds take 8 turns. Whether you use a flash-bang or a frag grenade, a healing hypo or healing salve, it all uses the same cool-down timer. Enemies seem to have half this cool-down time (on normal difficulty) and you're frequently outnumbered 8:1. Not to mention the ridiculous capabilities of the final boss (infinitely spawning minions to start things off...).

I played religiously, having beaten the main game defeated the pirates in the DLC, until the system for psy powers was overhauled, making psy powers next to useless. It used to be that psy powers used Psy points, which regenerated over time at a rate determined by your Wisdom score, and you could use any psy powers you had freely (but with a cool-down period). Now you have to "equip" powers with a limit of 1 power/2 Wisdom (so max 5 powers), you can't equip "opposing" powers, and equipping different powers cause your psy point pool to empty, which is smaller and no longer regenerates, so requires extremely rare healing items to replenish. And you still have the cool-down period to top it off. I don't think I could have beaten the final boss with the current system.

Crafting is useless in this game as by the time you have the required skill and materials to build anything, you'll have found much better equipment, plus those crafting skill points would also require the weapon skill points to use whatever you craft. One particularly important quest, however, requires a minimum of 65 points in a particular crafting skill (mechanics, I think) which feels like a complete waste.

In conclusion, there's enough about this game that it overcomes it's faults, but there were a lot of frustrating moments where I found myself wondering why I thought it was such a great game.

good

Looking forward to the sequel.

The Game is fantastic. Can be difficult, and You, first time silly, you should pick easy mode. It's not a shade in this game, that's still Hard. A lot of the "power" can come from building a character well so you'll really need the leeway on a first playthrough, especially if going in blind.

It's crunchy and great, the dialogue is well written and lively, helps with putting you in the fucced world the
game takes place in. You're not going to find a cohesive, easy to understand, simple dialogue from a dude hooked up on every kind of mushroom the world has ever discovered and then some. But you will from a military-man giving you a mission. The game is not afraid to just allow characters written to be who they are, which a lot of modern rpgs are, for the sake of simpler navigation of a project.

This game is a passion project, made the way the developers wanted it, and it is a rare, and legitimate piece of real, unique storytelling and gameplay, with all its flaws and merits. In-between so much slop games which are 80% the same as a previous title, or even a completely different one from a different developer, might as well try something original once in a while, its worth every bit of bs this game sometimes puts you through.

Brutal, unfair, cruel, overwhelming, ruthless, complete bullshit at times. Yet the combination of Metro 2033 and Fallout 1+2 is my dream CRPG. Lacking some QoL features but still one of my all time favorites.

This game is great. Fantastic even. This game is also absolutely massive, almost 90 hours in, and still only level 16, out of 30. Highly recommend for anyone who enjoys old school style RPGs like classic Fallout.

you: misses 3 95% attacks in a row.
enemies: incapable of missing
fun(not)
one of the worst "games" i have every played.

Great crpg with fun game-play loop and atmosphere

Great CRPG, that is definitely a contender with the classic Fallout games and Wasteland.
There's plenty of build variety and some quality quests/factions.

Your first character will likely suck and you might need to restart once you understand the combat and exploration requirements a bit more. However, it's very rewarding once it clicks and you are able to enjoy the world.

I just found it dull. The story and characters are uninteresting, the game play is fine, but nothing that held me for long. It seems that many people like it for the complexity of the character building and the challenge of the strategy but I was getting no real sense of achievement for the progress I was making.

Incredible CRPG with a great story, captivating factions and political climate, featuring interesting quests, variant builds and combat styles, great for anyone who loved fallout1&2 and is looking for a post-post-apocalyptic CRPG.

YEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE MAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAN

It's been almost a year since I played Underrail.
I liked it very much, but did not write an instant review because I dropped it before finishing.

But all of a sudden the game keeps popping up in my head again and again and I fondly remember overcoming the hard battles, how I was desperate in between to have chosen normal mode and not easy, but I managed to pull through. I remember the excellent writing and how often the text surprised me (I forgot in which way exactly, but I wouldn't spoil it anyway). I remember a bunch of quests, even characters. And I like to think about the cool and believeable atmosphere it created.

You know, sometimes you really like a game while playing, but soon you forget about it and there's no urge to play again.
Here, it's kinda the opposite. I mean I very much enjoyed the game, 144 hours straight, but on the other hand there were some infuriating elements that brought my patience to its end (SO close before the last battle) and I did not finish it, but all that's stuck with me now is the positives and the desire to play again. Therefore I now felt the urge to tell YOU that this is a real gem of a game with a lot of own identity.

Whether you seek a challenge, dig Fallout asthetics/scenarios, or just are a fan of indie games made with passion, then this is a must try for you.

Hell yeah, I'ma soon play it again, and this time I'll show the boss who's boss.

Because I did not get 100% achievements I must not recommend this game, however, I will tell my kids this game is Fallout 3.

Is Guud

it feels similar in play like fallout 1 and 2, but polished every mechanic to all hell. there is a learning curve at the very start, but the help button fixes that as it was merely the controls. when starting a playthrough, by no means is it easy, let alone a first playthrough, no shame in doing easy mode on the first go around.

if you enjoyed the og fallout games, you will love this

its an increadble game with alot of content to go through unforchonly there isnt alot of help on the wiki so you might have to trail blaze a little but over all a wonderfull game with loads of builds quest and fun to be had

This game was made with pacific people in mind the kinda that love unfair ball busting difficulty (always out numbered CC'd into not being able to play, random crit'd 3 times in a row and your 89% chance to hit misses four times for example), HAVE TO follow a build guild or know every mechanic like the back of your hand.
with all that said it is a fun game JUST NOT FOR THE CAUSAL PLAYER.

I've been on this weird CRPG kick lately and this one has been a gem. Reminds me of Colony Ship, or Shadow Run. Definitely has some old school Fallout vibes. I liked it.

Also had a 95% chance to be a good review.

One of the best games I have ever played, put simply. It's a crime to look at the price and not buy it for the wealth of content it delivers(Took me 180 hours to complete the main game and Expedition).

The closest comparison in gameplay would be Fallout 1 and 2, but Underrail stands leagues above them in design and gameplay. There is a high level of polish and consideration to how things would work and do work, and learning it is quite enjoyable. You can't cheat the system either, at least nothing I tried worked.
The combat is enjoyable, I like how the system functions.
The setting, story, and worldbuilding are immaculate, in every sense of the word. There is nothing else like it on the market.

In other words, I love this game, a lot, and I will pay TOP DOLLAR for Underrail 2, when it comes out in 3 years.

If you do intend to play, do not use the wiki. DO NOT look up anything about the game aside from a guide on skill point allotment. I would still say to mess up on your own though, when making a character, but that may just be a me thing.

i have to save scum so much, makes me want a lobotomy. restarting fights over and over just for rng

Simply put - Masterpiece. Must play!

Pros
psychic powers
fucking scorpions
Cons:

Not for the casual gamer. A well-planned build is a must. I got this game when I was going through a "choices-matter" genre phase, and needed something I could run on my tablet. I got more than I bargained for, and LOVED IT. I put it down for a few years after building a nice gaming pc and wanting to spend more time on high quality graphics, but I'm about to replay it because sometimes you just need a challenging game with tons of unique interactions and a highly immerive feel to scratch a certain itch. 10/10 great game. I'd say the only that could be improved is adding modern graphics, but honestly I think it's better the way it is.

Feels like a classic crpg, but obnoxiously and unfairly difficult in some areas. I can recommend it, with a caveat that you are a fan of the genre.
You can soft-lock yourself if you don't have a build in mind from the start and stick to it no matter what.
You will die horribly exploring, because there are ambushes or overpowered enemies you need to defeat without adequate gear or skill and hoping for good RNG.