10 Miles to Safety developed & published by Trickjump games. This early access Action Strategy game has the player running for their life from a zombie apocalypse. 1 to 4 players must explore, loot, craft & build to survive. A randomly generated world where the aim is to get rescued & escape.
The game starts with you lying in a hospital bed, devastation surrounding you. You have no idea what has happened, as you leave your trashed room you hear a sound, a radio message. Can this help to shed light onto the mystery that surrounds you? A pathogen has infected humanity, society has broken down. Follow the on screen instructions to learn the basics to survive. As you plan to exit the hospital another message, safety is close. A mere 10 miles away. Only 10 miles to safety.
You now have a choice of what you want to do, your only limitations; a compass which indicates the direction of travel & distance, & a symbol which shows the severity of the outbreak. Also more importantly the day night cycle is highlighted clearly on the screen. As day turns to dusk "Night is coming prepare to survive" is emblazoned on the screen. Its time to find somewhere to hide, but where? You search & search, but time runs out, anywhere is better than outside. Then you hear the screams, fear rises. Build those defences & plan to slow them down, will you survive?
This 2D action adventure has you walking through an abandoned & dilapidated town. The only signs that it was ever populated are the remains of burnt out cars, & the bodies of innocent citizens, victims in this outbreak.
Zombies wonder aimlessly around, occasionally lunging towards you to eat your juicy brain, shoot them or smash them with your bat, the choice is yours.
You will be walking through the town & a distant gun shot will ring out, in the distance a figure runs towards you, friend or foe? The dialogue bubble "Help, this is crazy" shows another unfortunate soul caught up in this madness.
Like with all good zombie games, fear & suspense are the driving factors. The 10 Miles to Safety soundtrack delivers a perfect combination of dread & despair. The calm and tranquil piano music really sets the scene, all hope is lost.
Graphically the indie developers have done well to focus on the details. This not only helps to make the game look attractive, but makes it easy to play. The interface on the screen isn't cluttered, this means you focus on the action in front of you, the fog of war is at a distance where you fear walking into the unknown, but you always feel comfortable that you can plan for the next move. NPC's & zombies have a clear highlighted hue surrounding them. When both are out of direct sight you can easily identify friend or foe. This game has a distinct requirement to loot & the accessible storage is clearly marked with different coloured orbs.
Using & finding materials is a key mechanic of the game. Destroy exiting barricades & loot everything you can. With a fully functioning craft menu any item could be the key to your survival.
A procedural generated map ensures that every attempt at survival is unique, houses throughout the game will alter as you make your way through the world. The games one aim to escape is punctuated by smaller micro missions, whether they are save the public, help the emergency services, or protect the loot drop I found them to be particularly unforgiving for the solo player. I began ignoring the missions as I was more likely to die than succeed. With a number of survivors this additional challenge would be a welcome break from the linear goal.
Controls are easy & crisp, you can utilise a controller or mouse & keyboard. An on screen crosshair helps to identify the aim for both melee and ranged weapons. It's a dual stick controlled game, so some practise may be required.
My major gripe with this title is small, but I feel quite important. The NPC's have no interaction with you, you receive an automated dialogue, & whether you choose to save them or not, nothing happens. You risk your life to help them, & no signs of gratitude. It's easier to forget humanity & your natural instinct to help, & just leave them to be munched.
Trickjump games took a leap into an already crowded genre, with fans known to be very particular about how their zombie survival games play out. Do I believe they have nailed it, & this little indie title has made it into Zombie apocalyptic folk lore? Yes I do, the game isn't perfect, but its few minor draw backs are so heavily outweighed by the positives that even the most hardcore of zombie fans will forgive it.
Would I recommend the game, yes I would. Great fun solo, a fresh & interesting adventure every time you play, & I'm sure much more fun with friends. So why not try it, remember it's only a mere 10 Miles to Safety.