Duskers PC

Duskers for PC is another production of Misfits Attics studio, the authors of A Virus Named TOM. This time, the developers focused on complicated, complex mechanics, forcing the player to discover a secret as to why the space had decayed into a great cemetery.

Plot

The player assumes the role of a drone operator, probably the only human in the whole universe. The space had become a dead, hostile place. Our hero has only old electronics and a remote controlled drone at this disposal, with the device being his eyes and ears in the outside world. The plot is unwrapped by operational notes found in other drones or ship wrecks. This way, step by step, our hero slowly reveals the mystery behind the strange event.

Mechanics

Duskers for PC is characterized by complicated mechanics. The game is a mix between a strategy game and a rougelike. The backbone of the gameplay is the exploration of the space, salvaging resources and parts necessary to upgrade the drone. Our way is often crossed by dangerous, mysterious monsters, with our character having to plan every encounter, as weapons are a scarcity around here. Otherwise, his vessel will be permanently destroyed, which forces us to begin a completely new playthrough. The game world is procedurally generated, so you never know what you may find in the next room. The vessel’s sensors can be damaged – this includes the camera which transmits the visuals to the computer screen. Aside from that, the sensors don’t work so well on large distances – they can only detect objects, without identifying them or whether they are dangerous. The player has to keep an eye on fuel levels, as an empty fuel tank means the game is over.

However, the most interesting aspect of Duskers is the controls. While the drone is controlled using direction keys, the other orders are issued using the command line. For example, if we want to receive some information about the item nearby the vessel, we need to input “info” into the command line.

Technical aspects

Duskers takes place in a two-dimensional environment. The visuals are not very detailed, which to some extent was explained by the plot – we are receiving a video transmission from the sensors onboard our drone. However, this means reasonable system requirements, allowing older hardware users for fluid gameplay.

Last updated on 25 August 2016