Game review: Encased

T-Mag Thursday 21/June/2018 12:56 PM
By: Times News Service
Game review: Encased

Have you ever wanted to be on the cutting edge of science, work among the best engineers, or count yourself as one of the finest doctors known to man? Then you might want to dive headfirst into the world of Encased, and head to the Dome.

Built in the middle of the desert by an unknown civilisation, this futuristic sci-fi game centres around, on and within the Dome — an artificial construction of unknown origin that is shaped like a sheer half-sphere with a small aperture at the top. The Dome is indestructible. Technology, items, and relics can be extracted from it. Beneath the earth, yet more mystery awaits, as the Dome is just the cap of an enormous complex hidden under the sands. Ancient underground labyrinths contain bountiful artefacts, weapons and artificial intelligence systems that control the whole complex.

But all is not as idyllic as it seems. People who enter the Dome cannot leave.

Research and exploration of the Dome are conducted by staff of the C.R.O.N.U.S. Foundation — an international corporation and a state-within-a-state. To the outside world, little is known about the inner workings of C.R.O.N.U.S. Those that sign up for a life within the Dome do not speak of their experiences, and those managing the Foundation from outside speak even less. Thanks to the bounty extracted from the Dome, C.R.O.N.U.S. have become powerful enough to hold sway over the leaders of the world. Now, the fate of the entire planet rests in the hands of the soldiers, businessmen, scientists and even criminals who comprise their ranks.

However, within the Dome, something is changing. Another power has arisen — something never faced by explorers before. As a direct result of actions performed by the expedition of the player’s character, an intelligent entity has awakened in the depths of the underground complex — an unstable AI nicknamed Maelstrom. Upon breaking loose, it will change the world under the Dome beyond recognition — all connection to the outside world is lost, and the denizens trapped within the Dome become desperate and split into warring factions.

Encased is currently in development, and players will decide the story of this sci-fi game when it enters early access in 2019, but that’s not the only thing that makes this game unique.

The unstable AI Maelstrom is one of the unique features of the game. Maelstrom is intelligent, it can interact with the player and even fulfil their wishes (but everything comes at a price, of course). However, Maelstrom is more than just a character: It’s an enigmatic power that destroys the minds of intelligent beings. Its influence is especially potent within the centre of the Dome, so wise players will stick near the borders in the beginning of the game. In addition to the above, Maelstrom affects the performance of some skills and perks.

Experienced players will quickly notice similarities with Fallout and other classic RPGs. This will let the player quickly figure out the role-playing system of the game without reading manuals or failing builds. Layered on top of the familiar, we add our own system of perks and skills, forcing the player to make a complicated and interesting choice every time they gain a new level.

An old-school role-playing game which promises about 30 hours of gameplay, the world of Encased is just waiting to be cracked open. Come 2019, the world will be waiting to dive into the dome.

The Short and Skinny
Name: Encased
Genre: Sci-fi Role Playing Game
Produced by: Dark Crystal Games
What it’s about: In the middle of the desert, an enigmatic dome seems to hold the answers to a better tomorrow. But does it also threaten to destroy the world as we know it?
Where to buy: TBA (Release – 2019)
Platforms: PC, others TBA