Drone Zone: Command Line 'Em Up Duskers Released
Break out the wrist rest
The command line terrors of sending drones into derelict (but... not empty) spaceships delighted us in Duskers [official site] even when it was in Early Access. Marsh Prematurely Evaluated it with great vigour, and Brendan declared it one of the best computer-y games. After nine months in Early Access, Duskers is now done and properly launched today.
So, something terrible has happened. Where is everyone? Maybe it's best not to know. As perhaps the last person, Duskers will have you pootling around the galaxy in your ship, scavenging for supplies, upgrades, and information by sending drones into ships. All you know comes through drones and your computer interface, with a combination of basic controls and an actual command line you type into. Drones are your eyes and your hands, probing with their motion sensors and interfacing with ship systems to fire up generators, open doors, power miniguns - y'know, things you might need when exploring spaceships which probably have something awful lurking in them.
Here, look, it's our Brendy with some good words:
"A lot of hacking games are about panicking and typing fast under pressure. But Duskers is about being meticulous, cautious and cunning, so that you don't have to be rushed. Use motion scanners and sensors to detect harmful bioforms. Flush aliens out of the ship by remotely opening airlocks, or interface with the ship’s defence systems and lure them toward some on-board turrets. It's only made more tense and methodical by the roguelike structure and the FTL-like fuel consumption. I will never forget the time I had to leave behind my best and brightest drone, Turing, because I had no way of dealing with the monstrous entity that had disabled him. I'm sorry, old friend."
Duskers is available now for Windows, Mac, and Linux from Steam, GOG, and the Humble Store for between £12.29 and £13.49, depending on which store you favour. Here's the spooky launch trailer:
