Chris InglisDustwind: Resistance is a singleplayer tactical game developed by Z-Software and is an engaging experience reminiscent of Fallout Tactics and elements of Project Zomboid. This standalone expansion to the 2018 original Dustwind delivers a challenging learning curve but ultimately a rewarding journey for fans of these types of tactical games.
You play as Jake, a farmer whose quiet life is shattered by a brutal raider invasion. On his mission for survival, freedom, and justice, he and his loyal canine companion, Diesel, lead a squad of warriors against the brutal raider army, led by Warlord, to reclaim his homeland. Your team expands beyond Jake and Diesel to include further party members, and you later gain access to a vehicle for traversal.
At its core, Dustwind: Resistance is about tactical combat. You control a small group of survivors, navigating through a series of missions that require careful planning, strategic positioning, and clever use of the environment. Missions are generally linear, much like Fallout Tactics, encouraging thorough exploration for hidden gear and loot before progressing. The CTRL button highlights interactive objects like doors, containers, items, and fallen enemies. The highlighted item indicators show you if doors are locked and if containers are empty which respects the player’s time.
The real-time with pause system works exceptionally well, allowing you to react to oncoming enemy units, issue commands and set up ambushes giving you greater control and precision over your actions. A toggleable auto-targeting system ensures your team automatically engages enemies within range, allowing you to focus on strategic placement and movement. However, friendly fire is a significant factor, as is distance to target for your ranged weapons and line of sight to the enemy.
While you do have a wide array of tactical options for each mission, from going in guns blazing with various firearms, to engaging in brutal melee with chops and kicks, you still need to think tactically about what could be coming ahead. Stealth, trap-setting, grenade throws, and even crushing foes with an armoured car are all viable approaches. For defensive mission scenarios, deploying turrets and barricades becomes essential.
Visually, Dustwind: Resistance doesn’t push the graphics ceiling much but has a good nostalgic vibe with the isometric perspective. The character models are distinct, and the weapon designs are satisfyingly brutal, though shotguns seemed to be less effective than pistols or a rifle. The ability to recover arrows from enemies and the environment after using a bow also adds a satisfying layer of resource management.
Environmental hazards and destructible elements add to the tactical possibilities. The sound design is equally effective, with satisfying weapon effects, atmospheric ambient noises, and a fittingly desolate soundtrack that enhances the post-apocalyptic mood. Performance is generally smooth, even during intense firefights with numerous combatants.
Overall, Dustwind: Resistance is a challenging tactical RPG in an engaging post-apocalyptic setting. The game’s features respect the player’s time, rewarding strategic thinking and patience. There is a fair learning curve depending on the difficulty you choose but is a good nod to nostalgia with the isometric viewpoint. Fans of Fallout Tactics will certainly get some good quality time in the game.
This review utilised a key provided by Z-Software and Dustwind: Resistance is out now on Steam, Xbox and PlayStation.
#roundtablecoop
Yonan
