Underrail

 PC
User Score
7.8

Generally favorable reviews- based on 181 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 134 out of 181
  2. Mixed: 18 out of 181
  3. Negative: 29 out of 181

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  1. Epitome22
    Dec 19, 2015
    10
    Imagine a combination of Fallout 2, System shock, Metro and Echelon and then polish it to a mirror shine. For fans of turn based CRPG's you need to add this one to your collection. Expect tough but fair turn based combat in an intriguing and well developed world.

    Also, be sure to choose "Oddities" when starting your game, which replaces the standard "Kill enemy, get XP" system, with one    Imagine a combination of Fallout 2, System shock, Metro and Echelon and then polish it to a mirror shine. For fans of turn based CRPG's you need to add this one to your collection. Expect tough but fair turn based combat in an intriguing and well developed world.

    Also, be sure to choose "Oddities" when starting your game, which replaces the standard "Kill enemy, get XP" system, with one that rewards exploration and lore development.    … Expand
  2. Ostrypwns
    Dec 13, 2019
    10
    If Planescape: Torment and the original Fallouts crossed over the result would be very close to Underrail. I've been playing with the expansion features and this is how I recommend it.

    The story is pretty damn good and has a lot to offer to inquisitive players. The quest design is very solid and doesn't hold your hand. The writing is awesome and truly what makes this game shine. The    If Planescape: Torment and the original Fallouts crossed over the result would be very close to Underrail. I've been playing with the expansion features and this is how I recommend it.

    The story is pretty damn good and has a lot to offer to inquisitive players. The quest design is very solid and doesn't hold your hand. The writing is awesome and truly what makes this game shine. The music is pretty damn amazing. Mechanically the game is really effin good and the amount of character builds is only limited by your imagination. The expansion (yes - expansion - not dlc) is one of the best I've played so far in any game.

    There are some cons but they shouldn't spoil the overall experience. If you love you a good rpg experience - buy it. If you are rpg addict like myself - there is literally no excuse not to play this gem.    … Expand
  3. iseeall
    Dec 25, 2015
    10
    It's a great 2D isometric RPG, close to Fallout 2 but with more stuff added: more skills, more perks (called "feats"), tons of crafting, psionic abilities (they let you play like a mage in a fantasy RPG and allow interesting kiting tactics). It's also pretty close to Wasteland 2 though you only control 1 character. If you liked Fallout 2, Wasteland 2, Divinity Original Sin, XCom games orIt's a great 2D isometric RPG, close to Fallout 2 but with more stuff added: more skills, more perks (called "feats"), tons of crafting, psionic abilities (they let you play like a mage in a fantasy RPG and allow interesting kiting tactics). It's also pretty close to Wasteland 2 though you only control 1 character. If you liked Fallout 2, Wasteland 2, Divinity Original Sin, XCom games or Jagged Alliance 2 then you will likely enjoy this game, too. Actually, this game is better than Fallout 2. Gee, did I say that? Yes, I did.

    The good:
    - a huge world to explore with a great atmosphere
    - some excellent dialog with witty social satire later in the game
    - all of the loot can be used in crafting
    - psionic abilities offer an additional way to play thru the game (e.g. with Force Field you can create cover against ranged attackers for a turn or two, or you can even block enemies with it and escape the level)
    - the color of the cursor shows if opening a door or a container will anger NPCs around it (if they see you opening/hacking/lockpicking it)
    - already checked containers have "empty" word added to their tooltip

    The so-so:
    - NPCs only barter for a limited set of items (like, "i'll only buy from you 3 leathers, 3 medical components, 3 weapons and nothing else"). If you are a completionist (compulsively greedy looter) like myself, you'll carry all the junk around and re-check the same NPCs over and over because the list of things they want to buy randomly updates. Soon you will be swimming in money, but there isn't much to buy. Btw that guy in Core City... ROFL
    - the 2D art may seem a bit amateurish at start. I'd even say they may need to redraw most of the character portraits with more detail to match the rest of the graphics in the game, like environment in Junkyard and Core City. Some portraits are re-used across characters (docs in Rail Crossing and Core City, and a nurse in SGS) - important characters should have had a unique portrait and everyone else maybe no portrait at all

    The bad (more like suggestions for the next update):
    - no map of zones (see below)
    - a bug in Force Field spell: I understand that the field should expire (disappear) after the AI has done its turn and before you do your turn - but sometimes it expires in the middle of enemy turn
    - in cramped locations it may be not easy to spot enemies behind walls -> have to press Tab for the tooltips too often. It might be a good option to toggle display of tooltips with Tab, not just showing them while Tab is pressed
    - the cave walls all look like thin 1-cell thick wall, even if it's an outer wall. This might not look like a big problem, but in fact it really gives the caves this "auto-generated" low-budget feel, especially because there are so many cave zones in the game. Maybe the wall tiles which aren't between corridors but are between a corridor and solid rock shouldn't show any thickness and instead just show black for solid rock. Also, the walls which aren't visible to the player (looking north or west) should be shown as black space. Currently caves look more like tubes hanging in black empty space
    - the GUI doesn't scale for bigger monitors. The GUI elements are all pixel-crisp but look very small on 1920x1080. Also the fonts are somewhat hard to read - simple Arial or Verdana would work better

    About the map:
    Fans have already made such a map of zones on the game's wiki, but 1) it's awkward to alt+tab to those maps while playing the game, 2) some maps are not accurate which adds to the confusion, 3) seeing all those zones you haven't yet seen in the game breaks the exploration feeling during the first playthru

    Such a map could be shown only when you use a special "Navigator" item which also could be crafted and consumed batteries (per look at the map). Ideally the navigator should be able to calculate and show a path from the zone where you currently are to any other explored zone where you want to go, if a connection thru explored zones exists (should show rocks to be cleared, too).

    Less patient players can be turned off as soon as they get lost in the endless caves and sub-metro zones. It would be more logical if the zones would fit into a grid, like in JA2 - this would also make the map much easier to draw and present - as the current fans' map in the wiki stretches and bends lines to fit it all in.    … Expand
  4. Sirik_Matak
    Dec 18, 2015
    10
    The game is everything everyone hoped for it will be.
    It has been a long time for Fallout players, but Fallout 3 is finally released after 17 years since the last one.
  5. jblac02
    Feb 25, 2017
    10
    First and foremost, this is an oldschool turn based isometric rpg and it's catering to a very specific consumer;
    mainly those that grew up on things like the original fallouts, baldur's gate, planescape and other rpgs of the golden years of the 90s and early 2000s. If you enjoy challenging games and you wanted something with the post apocalyptic feel of the old fallout games then this is    First and foremost, this is an oldschool turn based isometric rpg and it's catering to a very specific consumer;
    mainly those that grew up on things like the original fallouts, baldur's gate, planescape and other rpgs of the golden years of the 90s and early 2000s. If you enjoy challenging games and you wanted something with the post apocalyptic feel of the old fallout games then this is probably a game you will cherish. Be forewarned, this game is not a polished casual game with the type of things that are 'standard' in modern rpgs and games in general; there is no map and you don't get your hand held through quests indicators or directions, you will be required to explore and reload many times. I've seen many negative reviews on steam and other forums where people complained about how it was too difficult and they couldn't get past the first area or quit within the first few hours out of frustration and let me be clear; if you aren't a veteran rpg player with a good grasp of how to play a tactical turn based game then you will probably die quite a bit but imo that's what makes the game so special in an age where games are designed for the lowest common denominator and you have to purposely make a game harder manually to not steamroll through. Now that I've said that I'll talk a bit about the setting; Underrail takes place in the distant future in an entirely underground setting where the remnants of humanity live after Earths surface is ruined. I won't go too much into the story because it's a great game and I don't want to spoil anything but there's a general lawlessness to the setting and there are many competing political movements vying for control over resources, real estate and power. What starts out as a chain of what seem to be simple fetch quests eventually spirals into a much bigger conflict and you get thrown into the middle of it. If you're someone that likes to explore and enjoys a game that allows you freedom off of a linear path then you will love this game; once you get past the 'tutorial' area you are given near free reign to go almost anywhere in the game(at your own peril) and this game is huge, that can't be understated as a full clear could take you well over 70 hours depending on the pace you take. The character creation and customization is pretty deep and allows you to successfully pull off a wide variety of builds that include multiple weapon types and crafting. I will warn that the tutorial area at the beginning I spoke of before is designed to test the viability of your build and a strange build that isn't thought out might require a restart. The OST and the general tone/setting of the game come together well and leave a memorable impression the likes of which I haven't experienced in many years before. I could go on but I'll end it here by simply saying that if you like this type of game then this is a gem you shouldn't overlook and with such a low price for so much content you would be hard pressed to find something comparable by a modern studio.    … Expand
  6. LPDawid
    Mar 22, 2022
    10
    Thank you very much dev for this gem!

    It is not for everyone, that for sure. You need to learn things first, mechanics, balance, rules. After that it will take you to beautiful dark adventure. Original style assured by specific graphics and music. All story elements are of high quality. Game can immerse you fully. Replaying will make you happy, different choice - different consequences,    Thank you very much dev for this gem!

    It is not for everyone, that for sure. You need to learn things first, mechanics, balance, rules. After that it will take you to beautiful dark adventure. Original style assured by specific graphics and music. All story elements are of high quality. Game can immerse you fully. Replaying will make you happy, different choice - different consequences, same with character creation and gameplay you receive from it. I love it even more than old RPGs like Fallout and Arcanum.    … Expand
  7. FlorianGh
    Dec 20, 2015
    10
    If you like Fallout 1 and 2, Arcanum, System Shock then you will love Underrail. IT's so good that I started loving the low pixel art style. PC players rejoice,the incline is here!
  8. Bruny
    Dec 18, 2015
    10
    A solid rpg experience, underrail remind the old classic fallout combined with deus ex and system shock (psi powers). You can make the character you want, choose your path and explore an enormous system of metro station and cavern (and much more) that is called the Underrail.
    Graphics is basic but it has it's own style and united with the good music and ambient vibe recreate a good    A solid rpg experience, underrail remind the old classic fallout combined with deus ex and system shock (psi powers). You can make the character you want, choose your path and explore an enormous system of metro station and cavern (and much more) that is called the Underrail.
    Graphics is basic but it has it's own style and united with the good music and ambient vibe recreate a good visualaudio experience.
    The game also is pretty long, you can easily put 70 to 100 hours and not see everything, not to count the replay value that is very good. Recommended.    … Expand
  9. toadkiller_dog
    Oct 27, 2022
    10
    This game is pure genius. There are interesting and nontrivial quests, colourful description of characters and situations, live dialogues and intriguing plot. The game encourages you to explore its dark secrets. Oh, and the revolutionary non-experience based leveling system is a real a whiff of fresh air. Combat system allows player to deal with a singe encounter in a so many ways. And theThis game is pure genius. There are interesting and nontrivial quests, colourful description of characters and situations, live dialogues and intriguing plot. The game encourages you to explore its dark secrets. Oh, and the revolutionary non-experience based leveling system is a real a whiff of fresh air. Combat system allows player to deal with a singe encounter in a so many ways. And the atmosphere, jeez. Grim darkness of the post-apocalyptic cyberpunk underground. High tech low life at its finest. This is probably the best turn-based RPG I've ever played since Fallout 2. Highly recommended.… Expand
  10. johnk10j
    Dec 21, 2015
    10
    Like an old good rpg games. Super !!!!! ..................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................
  11. Petrosian
    Dec 19, 2015
    10
    If you googled about this game, chances are that you will find some over enthusiastic fans talking about the isometric Fallout 3 that was never released. That has some truth in it, but with some caveats. Underrail takes the post-apocalyptic atmosphere and perks of FO1 and FO2 (in Underrail they are called “feats”), improve the combat and exploration tenfold, but cut most of the skillIf you googled about this game, chances are that you will find some over enthusiastic fans talking about the isometric Fallout 3 that was never released. That has some truth in it, but with some caveats. Underrail takes the post-apocalyptic atmosphere and perks of FO1 and FO2 (in Underrail they are called “feats”), improve the combat and exploration tenfold, but cut most of the skill checks and reactivity.
    The weakest aspects in the game are the writing and the quests, which represent the usual variety of kill things or delivering something to a NPC. However, even if the writing of Underrail is not stellar, at least it has a lot of personality and it’s very immersive. I love the causal way in which NPCs talk about creatures, like rathounds and hoppers, or the different cities and stations, etc. This, accompanied with a direct presentation, makes everything in the game look like a real world.
    The strongest aspects of the game are the combat, the exploration and the atmosphere. The variety of builds and feats are fantastic. The crafting in this game is rivaled only by the crafting of Arcanum. There are tons of quests to do, and the tunnels and caves feel endless. The cities are great too.
    Overall, the game is falloutish in some aspects, but it’s a very different game on its own and has a lot of personality. Which is good, especially if we consider how many attempts to imitate classics resulted in grotesque caricatures of great games. It would not be an exaggeration to say that Underrail is, by any reasonable standard, a new classic to be added on the pantheon of great cRPGs.    … Expand
  12. WebbUK
    Jun 30, 2020
    10
    Underrail is my favorite game of all time, a fantastic RPG with a rich and gritty world to explore. The game is difficult as combat is very tactical and requires planning ahead, but gives you many different approaches and playstyles to tackle challenging content with. You're encouraged to control the battlefield with molotovs, psionics and traps to keep enemies in range of your preferredUnderrail is my favorite game of all time, a fantastic RPG with a rich and gritty world to explore. The game is difficult as combat is very tactical and requires planning ahead, but gives you many different approaches and playstyles to tackle challenging content with. You're encouraged to control the battlefield with molotovs, psionics and traps to keep enemies in range of your preferred weapon, or to break them up and pick them off with your melee weapon.

    I find most people who are put off by this game are those who struggle at the notorious difficulty hurdle of Depot A, a zone you reach early on in the game. But after this hurdle the difficulty curve becomes much smoother, and the game opens up dramatically allowing you to explore new areas.

    If you do pick this game up, I strongly recommend taking Oddity experience system over Classic, as it encourages you to explore and hunt different enemy types for experience.    … Expand
  13. Vault-Dweller
    Dec 24, 2015
    10
    This game is addictingly good with its great combat and character system, interesting locations and good quests. Buy this game if you liked the classic Fallouts. There is really nothing more to say.
  14. MasterSmith
    Dec 19, 2015
    10
    This game captures a lot of the greatness of games like Deus Ex and Fallout, without being carbon copies. The oddity XP system is such a simple innovation, I wonder why it hasn't been done before. The crafting is diverse, fun, but simple. And each quest has multiple areas through. This is a fantastic game. Buy it and support a fantastic small developer.
  15. Hakkutsu
    May 11, 2018
    10
    This game is an unique life experience.
    Its not an mainstream **** its a underrated marvelous and perfect game.
    You need to be patient, this game is hard, its not to the fluffy kids who wanna play easy ****s, its a real RPG, who needs patience to learn all things, but, its the most perfect post apocalyptic game ever.
  16. TwinkieGorilla
    Jul 18, 2019
    10
    I honestly think this is the best iso/tb RPG since Planescape Torment and the original Fallout games. Just hands down incredible.
  17. ners83
    Nov 21, 2022
    10
    One of the best RPGs I've played. It allows you to play any role, from a knight in shining armor to a disgusting scum. The leveling system finally offers something new.
  18. DavidDeDavidson
    May 28, 2020
    10
    Fantastic CRPG. Build choices matter, quest choices matter. The feat system allows deep personalization and specialization. There's not just PSI build, melee build, gun build, there are specific specializations and focuses within all of those. There are PSI abilities clearly meant to supplement a melee character. Combat is more prominent than in Fallout and much of it is unavoidable, butFantastic CRPG. Build choices matter, quest choices matter. The feat system allows deep personalization and specialization. There's not just PSI build, melee build, gun build, there are specific specializations and focuses within all of those. There are PSI abilities clearly meant to supplement a melee character. Combat is more prominent than in Fallout and much of it is unavoidable, but the tradeoff is that combat is much more developed.

    Prioritizing movement speed, armor, shields, stealth will be tied in to not just what feats and skills you invest in, but what crafting skills you invest in because crafting is highly developed and extremely impactful. What crafting you have is the difference between something you find scavenging being completely useless or game-changing and crucial.

    Social skills are in many ways less fleshed out than in comparable games. At the same time, they aren't just a way to avoid combat, but rather open up entirely new possibilities that you cannot access in quests any other way. If you want things to go the way you want, you might need to invest in it more. But in investing in social skills more, you may lose out on some crafting, or combat, or defense. It's up to you to decide what trade-offs are worth it, and all of them will have consequences and make certain parts of the game harder or easier.

    And the game is damn hard. Avoiding any real spoilers, I started a side questline that was manageable for my level for a while without knowing or having any warning that there was a point of no return that would put me into a much more difficult and dangerous situation than any I'd seen in the game up until that point. It was deeply frustrating, and if you don't save early and often you could easily get yourself completely stuck in a situation you cannot solve. I was able to pull through after many hours of trying to figure out an approach that worked, but it was frustrating and somewhat RNG dependent as well. But in hindsight, if you contextualize the quest within the world it seems like a sketchy and dangerous thing to do, so you should take seriously whether your actions would be dangerous in the world depicted in this game because consequences will frequently reflect that in a way you don't see too often in games.

    It's rough around the edges in that regard. Sudden and immense difficult spikes will happen. The map is not particularly easy to use or clear, nor are quest directions. Anything that seems dangerous or that characters tell you is dangerous probably is. If you don't choose skills, feats and approaches that compliment each other, you're going to have a bad time. This is a game for people who want a real challenge, to have to use the resources at their disposal wisely and with strategy, that want risk, consequence and build variety. If you like these things, it's deeply rewarding, intricately designed and satisfying. If you don't, it will be a punishing slog and you will not complete the game.    … Expand
  19. Asmogod
    Dec 11, 2020
    10
    One of the best rpgs i've ever played. It has it all, a good storyline, nice characters and a good combat system. The best part is being able to create your character in any way that you want, and the way that you go through the game will be different according to the skills you leveled up.
  20. JamCrumpet
    Mar 21, 2022
    10
    Amazing story, amazing gameplay, amazing everything. I haven't been this hooked on a game in years.

    A few notes for players: - Keep in mind when first playing I wouldn't bother researching character spec guides as your first build would most likely be rubbish anyway. - This game isn't for people who skip dialogue as there is quite a lot of it. - I would recommend you buy the DLC as    Amazing story, amazing gameplay, amazing everything. I haven't been this hooked on a game in years.

    A few notes for players:
    - Keep in mind when first playing I wouldn't bother researching character spec guides as your first build would most likely be rubbish anyway.
    - This game isn't for people who skip dialogue as there is quite a lot of it.
    - I would recommend you buy the DLC as the base+DLC is 100% worth the price and I believe the DLC effects some of the main gameplay.
    - Similar to AtomRPG but I prefer Underrail    … Expand
  21. Himawanfm35
    May 17, 2022
    10
    This is the best turn based isometric game that i don't meet in any other games. How they using gadget and inventory management, every things is very unique.

    this game has full of content that may make this game 2d version of Elder Scroll. just imagine 9 Gb data for a 2D game? that's incredible.
  22. skohl
    Mar 4, 2020
    9
    An immersive game that simulates an underground future, hundreds of years post-apocalypse. Monstrous game, easily 150+ hours in addition to having branching story/faction quests typical for RPGs. Boasts an elegant character creation system where there's no dump stats, everything is desirable, but you can't have it all. You have to use your head to figure out how to do what you want to do,An immersive game that simulates an underground future, hundreds of years post-apocalypse. Monstrous game, easily 150+ hours in addition to having branching story/faction quests typical for RPGs. Boasts an elegant character creation system where there's no dump stats, everything is desirable, but you can't have it all. You have to use your head to figure out how to do what you want to do, while also taking into account the harsh challenges of the game world. For example, traps kill you. There are a few ways of improving your ability to detect them, but if you overlook all of them then you're going to walk onto landmines.

    It has some pacing issues, specifically I felt like I leveled up too quickly after the game initially opened up following the 'intro.' It's like there were now 20 directions to explore, and after going down a couple of them I was already overpowered for many of the others. However there's an alternate game mode where you get experience for looting basically, not for killing. There are lots of nice quality of life features like that, such as being able to increase the game speed and the combat speed separately.

    I played Fallout 1-3/NV all the same way, by exploring, sneaking, killing, looting. This game gave me a lot of that, nice and pure, with a good story to back it up. Underrail gets a lot of attention for the combat, rightfully, but it's equally an exploration-focused game. You're constantly walking into darkness, and the map is only a big picture with little detail. Navigating is a challenge in itself, and it's an element of both the gameplay and theme, which feels rewarding when you find your way.    … Expand
  23. skyst
    Dec 18, 2015
    9
    Underrail is a game that I have had my eye on for quite some time. Years, in fact - I initially purchased into the Underrail early access back in 2013. Despite the unfinished build at that time, Underrail's brilliance was evident and brought joy to this jaded RPG lover's soul seldom found outside of those first teenage forays into the worlds of Fallout and Arcanum.

    You create a single    Underrail is a game that I have had my eye on for quite some time. Years, in fact - I initially purchased into the Underrail early access back in 2013. Despite the unfinished build at that time, Underrail's brilliance was evident and brought joy to this jaded RPG lover's soul seldom found outside of those first teenage forays into the worlds of Fallout and Arcanum.

    You create a single character to explore Underrail's immersive underground world full of danger, competing factions and mystery. The character generation clearly borrows from the earlier Fallout titles, using 7 ability scores, skill points and feats, the later of which are heavily gated behind ability and skill requirements. The system feels familiar and deep enough for RPG veterans to immediately begin theorycrafting and planning character builds for subsequent playthroughs. A PC can spend skill points in a variety of general weapon skills such as guns, crossbows or unarmed; you can eventually specialize further via feats, into a field like energy weapons, for example. There are diplomatic, crafting and psionic skills available as well, seemingly allowing a huge variety of builds and experiences in Underrail.

    Underrail's combat uses a competent turn-based system utilizing action points, again similar to Fallout, or more recent releases such as Wasteland 2 and Divinity: Original Sin. Your character build, special abilities and relatively low action point cost per ability give you a lot of options in combat. Definitely more than standing around, taking pot shots at your opponent's eyes, anyway. Combat on normal difficulty feels just about right after spending roughly thirty minutes with the character generator to create, what I hope will continue to be, a well functioning character.

    Gameplay out of combat is where Underrail really shines. Your character build comes into play heavily when interacting with the game world. Genre standard locked doors, computers to be hacked and pockets to be picked are everywhere, of course. If you specialize in diplomatic skills, Underrail provides you with opportunities to apply them to turn combat situations to your favor, or avoid them entirely. An encounter fairly early in the game allows for a handful of resolutions, from stealth, speech skills, technical skills or, of course, charging forward, guns blazing. This type of thought and accommodation for a variety of character builds is what the RPG genre should ultimately be about, and Underrail nails it.

    My gripes with Underrail are few and far between, but need mentioning to validate a score of 9/10. What most people will immediately notice are the game's rough graphics. Character models reflect gear worn, which is a huge plus, but they don't look too great regardless. The interface is simple and effective, but could benefit from more artistic framing, similar to Fallout or Wasteland 2. The art direction is consistent and serviceable, but Underrail just looks dated overall, which will, unfortunately, turn many people off. On a related note, Underrail's musical score is fantastic. Grammar nerds will notice some issues throughout many of Underrail's branching dialogue trees.

    Underrail is a game literally brimming with promise and excitement. Even despite the recent renaissance of old school computer RPGs, Underrail looks to be able to count itself among the best of them. I have yet to complete the game, which likely won't occur for quite some time, but I have nothing but the highest of expectations for what is to come from the rest of this brilliant game. If you are at all into this genre, you would be a fool to not pick this game up.    … Expand
  24. cxmtl
    Mar 19, 2016
    9
    Let me get started quickly. I simply love the atmosphere. I get lost roaming the rails, the caves, the tunnels, the abandoned warehouses - for no particular reason, just waiting for the next interesting encounter or nasty surprise down the road. I revel in the ambiental music, which picks up the pace smoothly when combat starts. The general theme is bizzaro-techno-cyber/steampunk dependingLet me get started quickly. I simply love the atmosphere. I get lost roaming the rails, the caves, the tunnels, the abandoned warehouses - for no particular reason, just waiting for the next interesting encounter or nasty surprise down the road. I revel in the ambiental music, which picks up the pace smoothly when combat starts. The general theme is bizzaro-techno-cyber/steampunk depending on which area you're on. I fool you not, I had the feeling I was exploring the Hub, the Glow or some dark alley in Necropolis more often than not. There is also a strange coolness and attention to detail that usually defines everything: stylish art direction and intentional retro fitting. The gunshots have just the right kick to them, the echoes and screeching sounds in the caves are exactly the right fit. Even the neon flashes in the dump, gritty, grimy, depressing dread dystopic metro stations have the right sound to them.

    "More often than not" is the word to remember here. More often than not, Underrail gets things right; it delivers on atmosphere, combat and mechanics, exploration, inventory system, stats, skills and "perks" and quests. But let's not get ahead of ourselves.

    The highlight piece of the game (but you should know this already) is the turn based combat system. Take Fallout's combat system and reimagine it into a more complex counterpart. Add cooldowns, movement points in addition to action points, interesting cloaking and hide in shadow mechanics and we've got a winner. To be honest, this is the most maturely developed turn-based combat system I've seen in a while in an isometric RPG. Hats off Styg, you've managed to outperform even established developers - Wasteland 2 for example doesn't even come close, in my view. Well, if you were to be extremely picky, you could say that a proper cover system is missing. Also, multi-level combat a la Jagged Alliance 2. Or, from the same game, ducking or going into prone positions. To Underrail's defense: remember this is not a tactical game with RPG elements (as much as it may seem at times :wink:) - but quite "au contraire".

    I'd like to say at this point that no matter what builds you'll be experimenting with, you are going to miss a lot without being at least partly invested in PSI abilities. Needless to say that mind-affecting abilities aside, those fire, ice, electricity and telekinesis attacks will just come in handy when dealing with a large variety of enemies, each packing a different flavour of resistances. The usual archetype builds you'll meet are the PSIchopath, chiller, firestarter, electronist, gunner, cutter or invisible stalker with a crossbow. Expect to meet anything in between. There are mostly two approaches when talking about defense: one, you can pack the heaviest suit of metal armor that you'll find and become essentially a tank (and try to resist almost every attack) but suffer movement, evasion and stealth penalties. Two, go as light as possible and invest in actually evading the bullets and dodging the cranium-targeted sledgehammers. By going with light armour, you'll keep your ability to be effective at stealth and make it your life's purpose to actually avoid getting hit in the first place. Now, the plus side to this approach is you'll attack first and surprise your enemies more. On the down side, expect to risk being put down by a single, well-aimed sniper rifle bullet, simply because your armour doesn't have the stopping power to withstand the mechanical impact. My views on defense are quite biased - to quote a line from a favorite game of mine, "neither view is balanced, but one is less unwise".

    Speaking of enemies, a scavenger named Marty once told me that there be bandits around; robbers; raiders; outlaws; marauders; gangsters; criminals; crooks; thieves; railroadmen; thugs... his own words you know. Don't get me wrong; packs of rathounds, bugs, giant insects, lizards, spiders, or even robots - can be menacing in most situations, especially when they surround you or surprise you. However, *nothing* really compares to dealing with a roomful of human enemies, no matter what faction or allegiance. The fact that they can and *will* use the entire arsenal at their disposal and all the offensive capabilities that *you* yourself can, well, that makes them downright dangerous. At most times you'll have a chance to prepare for assault, which is tactical goodness right there. You can position yourself, hide in shadows or trap the room if your skill is high enough. Attacking first allows you to pick targets close together and blast them with grenades, EMP their energy shields or simply mass PSI them with fire, ice, electricity, telekinesis or mind-control abilities, instilling fear or mass enrage. Carnage is guaranteed and a lot of itemy swag will be left on the corpses, for pillaging purposes.

    Just pick up this piece. You'll remember it for a long while and never regret it.    … Expand
  25. Aethervagrant
    Dec 20, 2015
    9
    FINALLY RELEASED! Fallout 3 as originally intended for less than $15. 60hrs can be barely halfway through the story. Beautiful variety of combat options, quest resolutions, exploration, and a story that unfolds with a nice balance of exposition and in-game situations. I quit Fallout 4 when I heard Underrail was finally finished, it's that good.
  26. NoPeace
    Jan 15, 2016
    9
    If u don't care about graphics and look for a solid rpg experience, this is the game for you. Honestly i haven't felt this draw to a game since fallout 2. This game punishes mistakes so hard, but rewards good tactics. The story maybe a little shallow at first but i progresses nicely.
    A job well done. This game proves that passion for a project is more important then money and profit.
  27. Joewashere
    Aug 10, 2019
    9
    If there's ever any doubt about if recent "retro-revival" games can be any good, let Underrail lay it to rest. Granted, it is heavily influenced by Fallout, but it also has its share of fresh ideas that elevate it above your average wannabe. For example, its world is designed like a maze of interconnected areas and hallways, rather than an open map. There's also the Oddity system whichIf there's ever any doubt about if recent "retro-revival" games can be any good, let Underrail lay it to rest. Granted, it is heavily influenced by Fallout, but it also has its share of fresh ideas that elevate it above your average wannabe. For example, its world is designed like a maze of interconnected areas and hallways, rather than an open map. There's also the Oddity system which awards you XP for discovering hidden items, the Thought Control skill which gives you a variety of telepathy-based abilities, and a whole bunch of little twists that keep the quests interesting.

    Though, what truly puts Underrail above the rest is the execution. The world is not only densely packed with content, but it's content you'll be looking forward to. That especially goes for the combat; it's just the right amount of skill as opposed to luck, and I always felt like hot **** after beating a tough group of enemies. Underrail is, simply put, one of the most enjoyable CRPGs since Baldur's Gate 2.    … Expand
  28. AndrewThunder
    Sep 13, 2019
    9
    Лучшая изометрическая игра про пост - апокалипсис со времён серии "радиоактивных осадков" .Но,стоит учесть,что это именно боевая рпг , где тактика проведения боя далеко затмила серию Fallot 1-2 ,но потеряла социнальную составляющую . Атмосфера и геймплей больше схож с dungeon ,но это придаёт игре больше оригинальности наряду с похожими проектами ,а пиксель арт строго выдержан в своёмЛучшая изометрическая игра про пост - апокалипсис со времён серии "радиоактивных осадков" .Но,стоит учесть,что это именно боевая рпг , где тактика проведения боя далеко затмила серию Fallot 1-2 ,но потеряла социнальную составляющую . Атмосфера и геймплей больше схож с dungeon ,но это придаёт игре больше оригинальности наряду с похожими проектами ,а пиксель арт строго выдержан в своём стиле.… Expand
  29. HempWolf
    Dec 22, 2020
    9
    Absolut großartiges cRPG. Das Spiel ist mitunter den besten RPG's die ich je gespielt habe. Es ist gut und knackig geschrieben, die Monologe werden nie zu lang und es macht einfach Spaß di Welt zu entdecken und herauszufinden was passiert ist und was vor sich geht. Ein Punkt geht weg, weil es keine Möglichkeit gibt die Skillung rückängig zu machen, wenn man es zu spät merkt oderAbsolut großartiges cRPG. Das Spiel ist mitunter den besten RPG's die ich je gespielt habe. Es ist gut und knackig geschrieben, die Monologe werden nie zu lang und es macht einfach Spaß di Welt zu entdecken und herauszufinden was passiert ist und was vor sich geht. Ein Punkt geht weg, weil es keine Möglichkeit gibt die Skillung rückängig zu machen, wenn man es zu spät merkt oder angetrunken sich verskillt und mehrere Spielstunden später erst den Fehler bemerkt.… Expand
  30. letefte
    Feb 4, 2021
    9
    An old-school rpg that's not for the faint of heart! Even if you consider yourself a crpg veteran it will still test your mettle. This is probably the single hardest crpg ever made, but it is also one of the best. And the beauty of it all is that once you get through the tough exterior you will never want to leave. Just heed my words, this is not a game that you just install and play, butAn old-school rpg that's not for the faint of heart! Even if you consider yourself a crpg veteran it will still test your mettle. This is probably the single hardest crpg ever made, but it is also one of the best. And the beauty of it all is that once you get through the tough exterior you will never want to leave. Just heed my words, this is not a game that you just install and play, but a brutal and rewarding experience.… Expand
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Awards & Rankings

93
#93 Most Discussed PC Game of 2012
30
#30 Most Shared PC Game of 2012

Critic Reviews

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Metascore
72

Mixed or average reviews - based on 11 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 5 out of 11
  2. Mixed: 6 out of 11
  3. Negative: 0 out of 11
  1. CD-Action
    Mar 30, 2016
    75
    If you regard the 90s and first two Fallout games as ancient history, Underrail is not for you, because without the anesthetic power of nostalgia it might be completely indigestible. [03/2016, p.71]
  2. Games.cz
    Mar 7, 2016
    60
    Core fans of the first two Fallout games will enjoy Underrail as well as the players who hate the last 15 years of game development. It is a hardcore game that somewhere under the terrible interface and illogical absence of some key elements hides days of traditional post-apocalyptic entertainment.
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  3. Brash Games
    Feb 22, 2016
    60
    With more intelligent and varied AI, and a combat system that didn’t effectively screw over anyone wanting something just a little more accessible (sadly a trait shared with many games attempting to be ‘hardcore’, especially the retro-styled ones), this could have been a genuine classic instead of a missed opportunity.
    Read full review
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