Chill with Wasteland 3's new, snow-caked trailer

It didn’t seem all that long ago that a new Wasteland game was nothing but a distant dream, but now we’re here at the third game in the series. InXile’s newest tactical RPG is set away from the dusty deserts of Arizona, and takes in you into the mountains, beckoned there by the Patriarch of Colorado. Here he is, being all portentous and grey, begging you to take down his own family.

But you’ll need help to do so. You’re the last surviving member of the Ranger squad sent into the cold. You have to build your reputation among the gangs of the mountain pass, playing sides off each other, and blowing shit up.

The glimpses of Wasteland 3 here shows the first vehicle and though it’s not in combat, I very much enjoyed the tumbling, snowy drifts it left in its wake. But this is not a trailer about appreciating special snowflakes. If you’re as facile as I am, you’ll appreciate the extra gunpowder that’s packed into the action. There’s a fair whack of bolts and blasts sending debris all over. I had a wee peek at Wasteland 2 again before writing this and it’s like looking into the distant past.

The quick cuts of fights show what looks like an overhaul to Precision Strike: the UI-led aiming system that gave you body parts to select from now seems to let you move your aim over the character model. It’s more of a tweak than an overhaul, but it’s definitely welcome.

Funnily for a game caked in snow, the release date is now spring 2020.