Game:

The Curious Expedition (2016)

Category:

Review

Duration: 54:39

3,702 views

34

I'm playing The Curious Expedition, a roguelike adventure game by Maschinen-Mensch. A historical figure is selected to lead expeditions to randomly generated regions around the globe, searching for the elusive Golden Pyramid. Equipment can be purchased for the arduous journey, and party members have varied attributes that can both benefit and hinder the entourage. With each movement around the map, sanity is lost, regained by resting or eating food. Various locations are revealed with exploration, which can be ransacked for treasures (upsetting the natives). Offering favorable trades at a village will lower native hostility. A limited inventory makes juggling supplies and treasures challenging. Animals also roam the lands; a combat encounter involves turn-based dice rolls that grant attacks and defenses. After a successful expedition, treasures can be sold for cash (in order to purchase equipment for the next mission) or exchanged for fame points (used to determine the victor after six expeditions). While it is fun to explore the unknown, randomized maps, engaging friend and foe, finding space for treasures, and simply not dying, the same events and locations are recycled across missions, increasing repetition. The Curious Expedition features a great theme with engaging but repetitive gameplay.