Nuts, Bolts, Wheels, Guns: Scraps Is Out Now
Now in Early Access, with demo
After three years in development, vehicle construction and combat game Scraps has entered Early Access. The initial response seems positive (Steam literally says "User reviews: positive") and that's understandable: Scraps [official site] allows you to build vehicles that are more or less made out of cannons, and when those cannons fire, the recoil is liable to cause all manner of physics-driven shenanigans. The video below shows a variety of vehicle types, and the final shot demonstrates that spherical cars are the only thing better than galley-shaped cars.
Obviously, I want to recreate a war rig and just about every other vehicle in Mad Max: Fury Road. Hell, I just want to recreate Fury Road in its entirety, although the Doof Wagon might be a bit of a stretch even with Scraps' versatile building tools.
There's a singleplayer mode as well as online multiplayer and LAN support, and the latter is compatible with the demo so you'll only need one full copy of the game if you're hooked up to a local network.
The press release mentions scavenging for parts, which sounds great. I'm often deterred from experimenting with construction modes in games because I'm easily overwhelmed if I have access to loads of parts straight away. A built-in way to earn parts sounds ideal.
During Early Access, extra parts will be added, as well as new propulsion systems (such as tank tracks), and improved AI and physics.
It's almost obligatory for me to mention Banjo Kazooie Nuts and Bolts, and then to briefly wonder if I actually enjoyed that game or if I just enjoyed the concept of that game. Either way, Scraps seems very much like the concept of Nuts and Bolts stripped down to the essential pleasures.