Can you Fallout of this Encased bubble?
Encased is a tribute to “Roadside Picnic” and the original Fallout games. Fight enemies, explore anomalous wasteland, level up your character, join one of the forces in the ruined world in this new apocalyptic turn-based RPG.
It’s been many years since I’ve played an RPG in the original Fallout style, so it was a bit of an adjustment and while it took a while, I’m glad I gave Encased a chance. It may have started as a homage to the series, but it does manage to stand on its own two feet and fits well within the genre. The story is told well and while there’s a lot of information to unpack, it never feels like you’re in over your head.
I do want to thank the team for the press kit they sent me which contained the usual bits and bobs you would expect, but also oddly a small can of Monster Energy and a long-life chicken curry, almost like a ration pack if you will. I’ve never actually seen one of these before, so I was bewildered and amused at the same time.
I like the choices you make in the game and the overall design of the post-apocalyptic world, but it does stumble in its combat with some archaic choices that while feeling like original Fallout, stumbles as a result. I appreciate them trying to be faithful to it in this way, but I also think some evolution would have benefited the game and the genre as a whole. Also, stealth in games like these have never been done well and sadly that’s also the case here.
I really enjoyed the overall story and the clear passion from Dark Crystal Games for classic games like this. The level of customisation for your character and the choices you can make are impressive, and the ambition is definitely realised in its final build. I think with a few tweaks here and there with combat and stealth, this would be a rival for the game it pays tribute to.
Visually, the game is well detailed and ran smoothly on my gaming laptop. I did come across a few crashes and bugs here and there, but luckily nothing game-breaking.
The Verdict
Dark Crystal Games’ passion for cRPGs is impressive with Encased. It may seem outdated in its approach and while that is the case, it’s still the best game in the genre for many years. It’s a game that gives you more if you put the work into it and its definitely worth pursuing if you are a fan of the original Fallout games.