Caravan

Caravan, released on PC, is an interesting mix of several genres, including strategy, RPG, roguelike, economic and exploration games. The game was developed by the Berlin-based it Matters Games studio, which was associated with the browser and mobile titles.

Plot

Caravan is set on the Arabian Peninsula, in the first centuries of our era. The creators of Caravan made sure that the world presented in the game reflects the realities of those times as the best as possible: they used the records of travelers and traders as well as old maps. Thanks to them, the layout of cities, settlements, and oasis resemble those from that period. However, the game also uses many fantastical elements of the Middle Eastern culture, including "One Thousand and One Nights".

Mechanics

We play as a representative of a merchant's family. When our family palace was razed to the ground, our character decides to lead a caravan. The production of it Matters Games takes place on three fields. Using the map, we select further destinations and companions and supply the group with water and goods for sale. The journey itself is much more important - during it, we can encounter random events. When that happens, Caravan switches to a 2D view. The same happens when we reach cities where we can sell and buy several types of goods (their price depends on the region) and develop our characters' skills.

Comabt and trading were solved in an interesting way. These aspects are presented in the form of a mini-game which is a combination of dice and the popular rock-paper-scissors game. We and our opponent have three attributes whose values can be increased by choosing specific dice. The turn ends when we use them all - the person who has more points wins.

Last updated on January 21, 2020