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.
Nintendo Switch
PC
Windows
Reviews
- For a Vast Future is a charming homage to 90s handheld RPGs, featuring a nostalgic Game Boy aesthetic and a well-paced, engaging story that respects players' time.
- The combat system is innovative, utilizing a shared ammo and crafting mechanic that encourages strategic resource management and experimentation with different item types.
- The game is well-polished with great music, smooth gameplay, and a variety of customization options, making it accessible and 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 many players find the game too easy, with little need for grinding or strategic depth as characters level up.
- Some players experienced issues with the inventory management during combat, finding it tedious to navigate and lacking options for sorting or rearranging items.
- story33 mentions
- 33 % positive mentions
- 58 % neutral mentions
- 9 % negative mentions
The story of "For a Vast Future" is generally well-received, praised for its engaging and compact narrative that balances depth with a straightforward approach. While some players noted a tendency for exposition to lean towards "telling" rather than "showing," the game compensates with a rich world filled with lore and a compelling plot that includes twists and a realistic feel. Overall, the story complements the fast-paced gameplay and nostalgic graphics, making it a satisfying experience for fans of retro RPGs.
“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.”
“The story's been fast-paced and engaging, with the combat being snappy and addictive.”
“Don't sleep on the story, either - there is a lot of lore in bookshelves and in recordings, and the world feels really well-created as a result.”
“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.”
- music22 mentions
- 59 % positive mentions
- 27 % neutral mentions
- 14 % negative mentions
The music in the game has received overwhelmingly positive feedback, with many reviewers praising its incredible quality and ability to enhance the overall experience. The chiptune soundtrack is noted for being both memorable and fitting the game's tone, contributing to a sense of adventure and nostalgia reminiscent of the Game Boy era. Overall, the music is considered a standout feature, elevating the gameplay and atmosphere significantly.
“The music was really good at fitting the tone/mood of what was currently going on and actually pretty memorable, which I feel may actually be kind of hard to do for such a short game.”
“The music and atmosphere are spot on to that generation with the addition of a more fleshed-out story and world, and some surprisingly impressive pixel art scenes!”
“I love the music, and if you like 8-bit chiptunes, you will too.”
“But the music.”
“The music is absolute fire.”
“Quite often there is a theme of adventure and drive in the music that aims to move you forward, but there's an excellent contrast with some more moody tracks that aid in backing the game's exposition.”
- gameplay17 mentions
- 24 % positive mentions
- 59 % neutral mentions
- 18 % negative mentions
The gameplay is characterized by its smooth, simple mechanics and quick-paced, turn-based combat that emphasizes item management and innovative ammo crafting. While the retro-inspired visuals and audio are well-executed, some players noted a lack of depth as the game progresses, leading to a less compelling experience. Overall, it offers an enjoyable, bite-sized RPG experience with minimal grind, though occasional bugs and design flaws can hinder the enjoyment.
“For a vast future is a bite-sized RPG with Game Boy inspired graphics, interesting gameplay, and a decent story and characters.”
“The combat mechanics were really interesting, relying on all sorts of different bullets and war gear, allowing for all sorts of strategy.”
“From a motorcycle that you get early on that lets you travel each area at breakneck speed, to the sparse story exposition and clear direction given to the player, every gameplay element is designed to expedite progress and keep the player moving along.”
“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.”
- graphics16 mentions
- 44 % positive mentions
- 38 % neutral mentions
- 19 % negative mentions
The graphics of "For a Vast Future" are heavily inspired by Game Boy aesthetics, successfully capturing the retro vibe while delivering well-executed pixel art that complements the game's setting and story. However, some players find the limited 4-color palette and small sprites occasionally frustrating, detracting from the overall visual experience. Despite these drawbacks, fans of retro JRPGs will likely appreciate the nostalgic art style and polished details, particularly in specific elements like weapon upgrades.
“The graphics nailed the Game Boy inspired style it's going for, and the art style is perfectly suited to the setting and story.”
“An incredible recreation of an authentic retro JRPG with a wonderful Game Boy-styled aesthetic.”
“While 8-bit graphics may feel like an odd choice in 2022, the pixel work in For a Vast Future will make a believer out of anyone who gives it a try.”
“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 telling what is what frustrating.”
“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.”
- grinding5 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Players appreciate that grinding in this game is optional and generally quick, avoiding the tedium often associated with traditional JRPGs. While some express a desire for better inventory management to reduce tediousness, the overall implementation is seen as a positive evolution of the genre that minimizes grind-related frustrations.
“I grew up loving JRPGs, but I'm wary of actually playing them because they're often very large, grindy, and unoriginal.”
“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.”
“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 to making it much less tedious.”
- character development2 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- -100 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Character development in the game is criticized for its lack of depth, as players find it difficult to connect with the characters due to their minimalistic design and insufficient personality differentiation. This results in a less engaging experience, as the characters feel underdeveloped and indistinct.
“Character development is presented in a concise and engaging manner.”
“The characters are well-crafted, but I wish there was more distinction in their designs to better convey their unique personalities.”
“Character development feels like a series of cliff notes rather than a deep exploration of the characters.”
“The characters are a little too small to get a read on their personalities or dimensions, which makes it difficult to connect with them. My main gripe with the art is that the character design lacks enough distinction to differentiate one from another.”
- atmosphere2 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- -150 % neutral mentions
- 150 % negative mentions
The atmosphere is highly praised for its authentic representation of the generation it reflects, enhanced by a well-developed story and impressive pixel art. Additionally, the game effectively captures a bleak, post-apocalyptic vibe, immersing players in its world.
“The music and atmosphere are spot on for that generation, with the addition of a more fleshed-out story and world, along with some surprisingly impressive pixel art scenes!”
“"For a Vast Future" really nails the bleak, post-apocalyptic atmosphere.”
“The game fails to create a truly immersive atmosphere, leaving players feeling disconnected from the world.”
“Despite its potential, the atmosphere feels flat and uninspired, lacking the depth needed to engage players.”
“The attempts at building a tense atmosphere fall short, resulting in a lack of suspense and excitement.”
- 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 and minimal issues.
“Runs great on Steam Deck.”
