I’ve played so many survival and crafting games that my opening routine is down to a science. It usually goes like this: I wake up in a up-to-date environment and immediately start hitting trees. Sometimes I don’t even get to punch trees – I have to pick up sticks and rocks, make a makeshift ax, and then start chopping down trees to get the logs. I’m tired of punching trees and picking up sticks. Subvertedcrazy kingdom building simulator designed to be enjoyed with friends, it manages to shake up this antiquated formula.
The first thing I do Subverted it’s to get the crown marked by the ray of lightweight, which seems like a needy system of government, but it allows me to find balance. Then I need to start getting wood to start building my settlement. I do have to hit trees, but developer Brimstone made the basic movements and combat in this game feel polished and brisk. So I don’t just punch trees; I hit them with combos, dash throw them and blast those massive oak trees. I don’t need to upgrade my ax to level 3 to attack a gigantic tree; I just have to keep at it.
When the tree falls, the log will roll away and I have to chase it and hope it doesn’t fall off the cliff. I can also pick up a log and throw it into the sawmill, where it will immediately be ground into pieces of wood. Comfortable!
This is the biggest advantage Subverted; there’s room for a lot of physics-based antics. When I’m building my base, I can move an awkwardly placed building by picking it up and throwing it. My base attracts NPC villagers who lend a hand with daily chores. I can also raise them, so if someone is too sleepy, I can just throw them into bed like the benevolent monarch that I am.
Subverted I just entered early access and haven’t had a chance to try it out with a group of friends, so I’ll have to see if the game still tickles my fancy. For now, I’m glad I don’t have to collect sticks and painstakingly build my first axe. If you want me to punch trees, at least make tree punching a little novel.
