Shadows of Kurgansk

Shadows of Kurgansk is a singleplayer survival adventure game with RPG and horror features available on PC. The title was developed in cooperation between the independent Russian studio Yadon and Gaijin Entertainment which published it as part of its program of supporting indie scene called Gaijin inCubator. The title is a slightly improved version of a game called The Abandoned which was released a few months earlier on mobile systems with iOS and Android operating systems.

Plot

The game takes place in a typical post-apocalyptic location called the Zona. The place is filled with secret military bases, research facilities, weird anomalies and gigantic, terrifying creatures. Since remaining for too long in the Zone can end in death or – in best case – madness, the player, who assumes the role of one of the survivors of an unknown crash, is tasked with surviving and finding a way out of the place. In order to do that, he must face many threats such as wild animals, hordes of mutant monsters attacking from nowhere and corrupted military units.

Mechanics

Gameplay mechanics of Shadows of Kurgansk for PC are trying to combine the popular sandbox simulation games with survival horror genre. The gameplay concentrates on surviving and during the game player must maintain basic needs like eating, drinking, building a safe hideout and contacting other survivors. While exploring the Zone, one will find many useful items and artifacts related to the anomalies that occur in the area. Thanks to the advanced crafting system, one can create tools, weapons and medicaments. The title has RPG features that are typical for the genre, thanks to which the protagonist gains experience and can develop abilities that make surviving easier.

What distinguishes the title from similar production is the atmosphere which is much different than the calm tune of many modern sandbox games. In Shadow of Kurgansk for PC player is traveling through a truly dark, post-apocalyptic world filled with weird anomalies, grim buildings and terrifying creatures that are similar to those from popular survival horrors. In addition to that, the world changes significantly after the night falls – one wrong step can lead to falling into madness or it can slow down or even kill the player. Watchfulness, ability to make contact with other survivors and wise management of resources found in the Zone are the key to the success in the game.

Game modes

PC version of Shadows of Kurgansk offers three main gameplay modes. The most important of them, Story mode, offers two separate story campaigns which provide more than 20 hours of playtime. There is also Adventure mode in which one faces specific and very hard challenges, and Survival mode which tests patience and survival skills of the player. Despite the fact that the version of the game released as part of the Steam Early Access offered only singleplayer mode, the final version of the title has also multiplayer mode that allows cooperation between players.

Technical aspects

Shadow of Kurgansk for PC distinguishes itself from other survival sandbox games with its graphics. In addition to the above mentioned dark tune, the game graphics use cel shading technology, thus creating unique, slightly comics-like style.

Last updated on 23 September 2021