For a Vast Future
- November 1, 2022
- Retreaux Games
- 10h median play time
Get on Steam"For a Vast Future" is a post-apocalyptic survival game set in a retro-futuristic world. You must gather resources, craft tools, and build shelters to survive the harsh radioactive environment while uncovering the mysteries of the past. Fight or avoid aggressive mutants and make strategic decisions to ensure your survival in this open world RPG.
Reviews
- The game captures the nostalgic feel of 90s handheld RPGs with modern gameplay sensibilities, offering smooth and engaging combat mechanics.
- The resource management system, where bullets serve as both ammunition and currency, adds depth to the gameplay and encourages experimentation with different strategies.
- The music and graphics effectively evoke a retro vibe, enhancing the overall experience and making it enjoyable for both newcomers and veterans of the genre.
- The narrative and character development are often criticized for being weak, with flat characters and heavy-handed writing that fails to explore its ambitious themes meaningfully.
- Combat can become repetitive and lacks challenge as players progress, leading to a less compelling experience in the later stages of the game.
- The inventory management during combat is cumbersome, as players must navigate through multiple items to access their desired equipment, which can detract from the overall fluidity of gameplay.
- story22 mentions
- 36 % positive mentions
- 64 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The story of "For a Vast Future" is generally well-received, praised for its compactness and engaging worldbuilding, though some reviewers noted it can feel light on narrative depth and exposition. While the plot features a decent twist and a compelling setting reminiscent of classic Game Boy RPGs, it tends to rely on telling rather than showing, leading to a mix of enjoyment and critique regarding its storytelling approach. Overall, players appreciate the balance of simplicity and depth, with many finding the lore and world creation to be particularly rewarding.
“Short and sweet, For a Vast Future has a compelling plot, solid backstory, and especially scratches that aesthetic itch that I experienced with the saga (Final Fantasy Legend) games all those many years ago.”
“Really enjoyed the story and the worldbuilding.”
“No spoilers, but the story is realistic in certain ways that really made me happy, in a morose sort of way.”
“I loved the setting, but thought there was too much writing for the amount of actual story present.”
“The story, however, is probably one of the weaker aspects.”
“On the subject of exposition—the game's story is really quite light on the surface.”
- music15 mentions
- 60 % positive mentions
- 40 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The music in the game has received overwhelmingly positive feedback, with many reviewers praising its incredible quality and energetic chiptune soundtrack that enhances the gameplay experience. It effectively captures a retro vibe while balancing adventurous themes with moody tracks, making it a standout feature that complements the game's overall design. Players appreciate how the music contributes to the fun and engaging atmosphere, solidifying it as a key element of the game's appeal.
“The music is incredible, as others have noted.”
“Short, sweet, full of spirit and with a crazy cool chiptune soundtrack to boot!”
“The game is incredibly inviting once you're even mildly invested, and I believe the music is its strongest pillar in that regard.”
“But the music.”
“Music:”
“Love the fast paced battles and the soundtrack is as fresh as it gets.”
- gameplay14 mentions
- 21 % positive mentions
- 71 % neutral mentions
- 7 % negative mentions
The gameplay is characterized by its smooth, simple mechanics and retro-inspired aesthetics, offering a quick-paced, turn-based RPG experience focused on item management rather than complex skills. While the addictive nature of the gameplay is praised, it can become less engaging as players progress, and some bugs may hinder the experience. Overall, it provides a solid foundation for a JRPG, enhanced by quality-of-life features, though it may not appeal to those seeking a deep narrative.
“The gameplay is smooth and simple.”
“For a vast future is a bite-sized RPG with Game Boy inspired graphics, interesting gameplay, and a decent story and characters.”
“Like other retro game titles, the gameplay is designed to be incredibly snappy and without friction.”
“This creates somewhat of a self-defeating gameplay loop, which is often poor design.”
“To say nothing of at least a few bugs and oddities I encountered that periodically hindered the gameplay experience.”
“A foundation is there for a solid JRPG, but unfortunately, the gameplay is a bit weak.”
- graphics12 mentions
- 42 % positive mentions
- 58 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The graphics of "For a Vast Future" effectively capture the Game Boy-inspired aesthetic, with a charming retro style that resonates well with fans of classic RPGs. While the visuals are generally well-executed, some players find the limited color palette and small sprites can lead to confusion and detract from the overall experience. Overall, the game's graphics are polished and align well with its setting and story, appealing to those who appreciate nostalgic visuals.
“Considering the constraints of the retro aesthetics, the visuals and audio are top notch, with fairly standard turn-based JRPG gameplay built around item management rather than skills.”
“The graphics nailed the Game Boy inspired style it's going for and the art style is perfectly suited to the setting and story.”
“Graphics and music are great and fit the Game Boy style well.”
“The 4-color Game Boy aesthetic honestly hurts the game visually more than it helps.”
“It's trying to go for a Final Fantasy Legend/Saga 1-3 aesthetic, but it can be a bit of an eyesore at times, and the small sprites can make it frustrating to tell what is what.”
“Guy's guns, a weapon upgrade shop, seems to have received a lot of attention in regards to polish, and it demonstrates how far the game's visuals could have been pushed had the developers had the time and resources to do so.”
- grinding3 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Players appreciate that grinding is optional and can be completed quickly, making it less tedious than in traditional RPGs. However, there are suggestions for improving inventory management, such as sorting or displaying items in a standard list format, to further enhance the experience. Overall, the game successfully minimizes the grind while maintaining an old-school RPG feel.
“The icons look great, but a way to rearrange or sort the inventory or being able to display it as just a standard list would go a long way in making it much less tedious.”
“This is a fairly good implementation of an old-school style RPG, but one that largely avoids some of the things that made them tedious.”
“Grinding is optional, but even if you do it, the grind is over pretty quickly.”
- character development2 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 100 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Character development in the game is criticized for its lack of depth, as players find it challenging to grasp the personalities and dimensions of the characters due to their similar designs. This lack of distinction in character design detracts from the overall engagement with the characters.
“Character development is presented in a concise and engaging manner.”
“While the character design could use more distinction, the depth of their personalities shines through as the story progresses.”
“Character development feels like cliff notes.”
“Characters are a little too small to get a read on their personalities or dimensions. One small gripe I have with the art is that the character design lacks enough distinction to differentiate one from another.”
- stability1 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The game demonstrates excellent stability on the Steam Deck, with users reporting smooth performance during gameplay.
“Runs great on Steam Deck.”
