Abandon Ship hits Steam Early Access this month
Raise the anchor!
Abandon Ship hits Steam Early Access on 21st February.
Abandon Ship is a sort of Sid Meier's Pirates meets FTL, and it's a game I've had my eye on for some time. You navigate around the map, which is bordered by a picture frame inspired by the classic naval oil painting style the game's art is based upon, removing the fog of war on a canvas along the way.
There are events and ports to find. You move to new areas via locked gates that can be opened by completing a set number of events. Procedural generation determines the placement and routes of exploration maps within a region, as well as the islands, ports, events and environmental modifiers. The main story encourages the player to certain locations, but you're free to explore.
Each region has a theme. Uncharted regions have fewer ports and so are more dangerous to explore. Some regions have live volcanoes, which affect combat. If your ship is destroyed, the Captain is stranded with deteriorating health. If the Captain makes it to a lifeboat, you have to contend with dwindling supplies and morale. Survive long enough and you'll be picked up by another ship and you can continue.