If you're someone who just can't get enough of building self-sufficient settlements that survive against the odds in games like Stronghold and Frostpunk but you've already mined their campaigns for all they're worth, then Against the Storm will satisfy your cravings with nigh infinite replayability and depth through its roguelite structure!
I'm always a bit skeptical of roguelites as they can feel a bit shallow and repetitive at times compared to a more hand-crafted campaign, but I was surprised at how compelling the random factors you must adapt to, how campaign-like the overarching structure of going for seals was, and how deep the progression system was in constantly unlocking new mechanics that change the shape of the game in new ways, such as trade routes and the rainpunk system. Yes, there still is a certain level of repetition in building settlement after settlement, but for me, it's just got that certain je ne sais quoi I like in my roguelites where it doesn't just feel like some sort of slot machine.
I'm having a blast with the game, but it's not without its potential issues to look out for:
For one, as helpful as the tutorials and the interface can be...the game can still be rather overwhelming and confusing to grasp at first! I felt so confident going into my first game after playing the tutorials, only for it to feel like a nightmare trying to keep track of all the resource dependencies as well as the indecipherable menus with their endless array of buttons and doodads: it got to the point where I scrapped my settlement out of shame and restarted! I was almost scared off, but with a few more rounds of practice, I soon got into the groove, recognized the interface for what it was and appreciated just how much control and quality-of-life features there were at my fingertips, and just how much the game allows you to adapt out of (almost) any situation.
The other thing is that the game is a TIME VAMPIRE. I thought this was going to be a snacky experience since it was a roguelite, but no, each settlement can take up to around two hours to complete, and you've got around 4 settlements to do per run, in a game that wants multiple runs from you: that adds up to a lot! And this is even when I started to get proficient with the game and running it at 3x speed! Maybe I'm just bad or that doesn't sound like much to some people, but there were times where I felt like my soul was being sucked away as I played, unable to pry myself away until the settlement was complete...and realize I've missed all of my real-life responsibilities I had planned to do. Where did the time go? It's both a compliment and a warning at how addictive this game can be! Heck, I even started to get stressed out from constantly running simulations in my head even when I was away from the game!
