Wasteland

70%
Game Brain Score Based on 431 reviews
  • story
  • graphics
  • gameplay
Wasteland Game Cover
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"Wasteland" is a single-player, Science Fiction Turn Based Strategy game with a good story and excellent gameplay, set in a post-apocalyptic wasteland in 2087. As a Desert Ranger, a lawman of a U.S. Army detachment, you must survive against mutants, raiders, and harsh environments, using your MAC 17 machine gun and other make-shift weapons. Its excellent music and challenging gameplay will keep you engaged.

  • Mac OS
  • PC
  • Windows
  • Apple II
  • Commodore C64
  • Linux
  • Ms Dos
Genres & TagsPlay Modes

Reviews

70%
Audience ScoreBased on 431 reviews
story32 positive mentions
grinding14 negative mentions
  • Wasteland is a classic CRPG that laid the groundwork for the Fallout series, offering a rich and immersive post-apocalyptic experience.
  • The game features a high level of player choice in problem-solving, allowing for multiple approaches to quests and encounters.
  • Despite its age, Wasteland still provides a challenging and rewarding gameplay experience, especially for those who appreciate retro gaming.
  • The game has a steep learning curve and can be confusing for new players, often requiring a manual or guide to navigate effectively.
  • Wasteland's graphics and user interface feel outdated, which may deter modern gamers accustomed to more polished visuals and mechanics.
  • The combat system can be tedious, with frequent random encounters that disrupt exploration and progress.
  • story108 mentions

    The story in this game is often described as underwhelming and lacking a strong overarching narrative, particularly in the early hours, but it becomes more engaging as players progress into mid-game quests that offer multiple solutions. While the game features a detailed text-based storytelling format that encourages imagination, many players find the lack of a quest tracking system and the game's difficulty frustrating. Overall, the narrative is appreciated for its depth and connection to the roots of modern RPGs, particularly in its influence on titles like Fallout, but it requires patience and effort to fully appreciate.

    • “The story is surprisingly detailed for such an old game; especially with all the paragraphs of text that help with world building.”
    • “It has an easy to follow story, atmospheric environments, great music, great characters and dialogue, and that wasteland quirkiness we all know and love.”
    • “The story, however, is great.”
    • “The story is nearly impossible to make out, and the gameplay is just too unforgiving to enjoy.”
    • “I'm not that far into the game, but there is no compelling story or quest system in the game.”
    • “It can't be played easily, crashes a lot, and the story is about as bad as you can imagine, but hey, it was the 80s, and the 80s sucked.”
  • graphics98 mentions

    The graphics of *Wasteland* are widely regarded as dated, reflecting the limitations of late 1980s technology, with low-resolution visuals and minimal animations. While some players appreciate the nostalgic charm of the pixelated art style, many find the graphics lackluster compared to modern standards, often overshadowing the gameplay experience. Despite this, the game's atmospheric elements and engaging storytelling can still captivate those willing to overlook its visual shortcomings.

    • “Despite the simplistic graphics, the game is very atmospheric thanks to the music, beautifully written descriptions, and wacky enemy portraits.”
    • “I love the original artwork (also it's animated as opposed to the smoothed out static upgraded pictures) and the added soundtrack is exceptional.”
    • “Not the most graphically wonderful game compared to today's games, but like many other older games, what they lacked in graphics they more than made up for in gameplay and depth of story, and so does Wasteland.”
    • “Yes, the graphics are terrible.”
    • “If you play this, make sure to turn the new high-res graphics off because they're ugly and don't have any animation like the original art does.”
    • “Most people will be discouraged by the outdated graphics and initially rough gameplay.”
  • gameplay84 mentions

    The gameplay of Wasteland is characterized by its archaic mechanics and steep learning curve, which can be frustrating for new players but rewarding for those familiar with classic RPGs. While the combat system is intuitive, it often feels unforgiving and imbalanced, requiring players to exploit mechanics to progress. Despite its dated graphics and challenging controls, the game offers deep customization, extensive exploration, and significant replayability, appealing to those who appreciate retro gaming experiences.

    • “The opening areas—Highpool, Ag Center, and the Desert Nomads' Camp are all designed to teach you the game's basic mechanics: how to use skills, how to strategize for combat and dungeons, and how to approach NPC interactions.”
    • “Character creation is great; you can make your party members male or female, you can make them American, Chinese, Mexican, Indian, etc. You can name them, plus there are many different stats and skills. The customization is endless, the exploration is great, the wasteland is free to explore with many different settlements and locations and different paths to take on quests. The replay value is endless.”
    • “Great replayability, amazing post-apocalyptic world, and immersive gameplay.”
    • “Despite having read the manual, it took me a few hours to figure out how to play the game, and the first few hours were not enjoyable as I was not comfortable with the controls and mechanics.”
    • “The game itself is also extremely difficult, and I had to exploit the mechanics at a few points in order to progress.”
    • “Games from this particular era come with a lot of expected baggage, such as inscrutable user interfaces, obscure important mechanics, and an unfair difficulty curve.”
  • music74 mentions

    The music in the game has received high praise for its atmospheric quality and nostalgic appeal, particularly with the addition of a new soundtrack that enhances the overall experience. While some users noted issues with the voice acting and the repetitive nature of the soundtrack, many appreciated the retro feel and the connection to classic titles like Fallout. Overall, the updated music significantly contributes to the game's charm and enjoyment, making it a standout feature.

    • “Despite the simplistic graphics, the game is very atmospheric thanks to the music, beautifully written descriptions, and wacky enemy portraits.”
    • “The music is really well done and calls back to the early Fallout games.”
    • “The patch that added a soundtrack really made a great difference.”
    • “This particular version of the game features a soundtrack and some voice-acted narration, although I would not consider either of those to be particularly critical to the experience.”
    • “The soundtrack loops through a handful of songs and the voiceover is, or at least was when I played this when it came out, comically poorly implemented, with the actor occasionally reading the wrong lines or even stopping halfway through to redo the take.”
    • “Other than that, it's pretty much just like the old PC version, which is as accessible to new players as noise music is to regular people.”
  • humor16 mentions

    The humor in the game is often compared to that of the Fallout series, featuring quirky characters, dark humor, and gory deaths that add a comedic twist to the gameplay. Reviewers appreciate the funny writing and nostalgic references to 80s gaming, though some note that the humor may not be enough to justify a purchase on its own. Overall, it offers a blend of deep, interesting storytelling and amusing moments that resonate with fans of classic gaming.

    • “Wasteland has a very similar sense of humor to the Fallout series, including weird locations, quirky characters, and the descriptive gory deaths of enemies.”
    • “It has very good humor and a great storytelling format that allows you to use your imagination to envision the world, rather than having someone else create it for you.”
    • “There is plenty of dark humor.”
  • grinding14 mentions

    Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be tedious and confusing, often requiring significant time investment to improve character builds. While the game is forgiving in terms of character death and lacks timed quests, many reviewers express frustration with the character creation process and the overall grind, leading some to abandon the game for more enjoyable alternatives.

    • “It's hard, it's grindy, and it's hard to understand how the game works without a manual.”
    • “Too rough of a diamond to spend my Saturday grinding through for only minimal enjoyment.”
    • “I tried getting into it, found it exceedingly tedious, and decided to watch a good let's play of it instead.”
  • atmosphere14 mentions

    The game's atmosphere is highly praised, with users highlighting the impactful music, engaging descriptions, and quirky enemy designs that create an immersive experience reminiscent of films like Mad Max. Despite its simplistic graphics, the atmosphere effectively conveys a sense of nostalgia and chaos, enhancing the overall enjoyment of the RPG. Players feel deeply engaged, often visualizing intense scenarios within the game's world, which adds to its charm and appeal.

    • “Despite the simplistic graphics, the game is very atmospheric thanks to the music, beautifully written descriptions, and wacky enemy portraits.”
    • “Wasteland surprisingly has a good atmosphere and sometimes I can actually imagine the rangers fighting off hordes of robots or leather jerks; I can really immerse myself in this game despite how 'dated' it may be.”
    • “The music is amazing and sounds so natural in the game that I was genuinely surprised it was not in the original release; I'm super glad it was added because it adds so much atmosphere.”
    • “The game gets even crazier, events are weirder and more out there, the atmosphere of 'war never changes' is multiplied by 3!”
    • “Nostalgic, very fun... you get a bit lost at times and it feels a bit random at times, but the game concept and atmosphere make up for it.”
    • “The music is amazing and sounds so natural in the game that I was genuinely surprised it was not in the original release. I'm super glad it was added because it adds so much atmosphere.”
  • replayability6 mentions

    The game offers exceptional replayability due to its extensive character customization options, allowing players to create diverse party members and explore a vast, open world filled with various quests and settlements. Despite its dated graphics and text-heavy presentation, the immersive gameplay and freedom of exploration provide a rich experience that surpasses many contemporary titles. Overall, players find the replay value to be virtually limitless.

    • “Great replayability, amazing post-apocalyptic world and immersive gameplay.”
    • “The customization is endless, the exploration is great, and the replay value is endless.”
    • “Character creation is great; you can make your party members male or female, and you can make them American, Chinese, Mexican, Indian, etc. You can name them, plus there are many different stats and skills. The customization is endless, the exploration is great, the wasteland is free to explore with many different settlements and locations, and different paths to take on quests. The replay value is endless. The graphics are dated, and the game is mostly text. The game was made in the 80s, but the gameplay is great and is better than most current AAA games.”
    • “Mechanics like this allow for more replayability than other CRPGs of the era.”
  • stability6 mentions

    The game has been criticized for its significant stability issues, with multiple users describing it as "buggy" and expressing frustration over its performance. Many reviewers advise against purchasing it, citing a lack of polish and a frustrating user experience.

    • “Buggy.”
    • “Do not buy this game, do not waste your money as it comes in Wasteland 2 for free... and that's even a raw deal because Wasteland 2 is buggy with a strange UI and a lot of text.”
  • monetization4 mentions

    The monetization aspect of the game is criticized for its reliance on advertising other titles, which can detract from the review's integrity. Users suggest that the focus on promoting games like Fallout, especially during sales, overshadows the game's own merits.

  • optimization2 mentions

    Users appreciate the optimization of older pixelated graphics, noting that these simpler art styles not only evoke nostalgia but also demonstrate the creativity of developers who worked within the technological limitations of their time. The low-detail visuals are seen as running smoothly on low-spec PCs, enhancing the experience of classic RPG gameplay.

Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

Critic Reviews

100% average critic score

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