Unexplored

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Unexplored
Unexplored cover.jpg
Original Steam store art for the first game
Developer(s) Ludomotion
Publisher(s) Ludomotion
Platform(s) Windows, Switch, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S
ReleaseUnexplored
February 22, 2017 (Win)
August 9, 2018 (Switch)
February 19, 2019 (PS4)
February 22, 2019 (Xbox One)
Unexplored 2
May 27, 2022 (Win)
June 3, 2022 (Xbox One, Series X/S)
September 14, 2022 (PS4)
Genre(s) Roguelike, action role-playing
Mode(s) Single-player

Unexplored is a series of two roguelike video games developed and published by Ludomotion. The first game, Unexplored, was released in 2017. The second game, Unexplored 2: The Wayfarer's Legacy, was released in 2022.

Contents

Gameplay

Unexplored games are roguelike action role-playing games. [1] [2] The first game's objective is to reach the deepest floor of the dungeon and retrieve the Amulet of Yendor. [3] The second game's objective is to destroy the Staff of Yendor. [4] The second game features 3D graphics as opposed to the first game's top-down 2D graphics. [5] [6]

Release

After six months of early access, Unexplored was released for Windows on February 22, 2017. [7] Linux and macOS versions were planned to be released in the first quarter of 2018, [8] but as of November 2019, Linux and macOS versions were still unreleased. [9] Three downloadable content (DLC) packs were released for the game. [10] A Nintendo Switch port was released on August 9, 2018, in Europe and North America. [11] [12] PlayStation 4 port was released in North America and Europe in February 2019, [13] along with Xbox One port. [13] Switch and Xbox One ports were published by Digerati. [14]

Unexplored 2 was announced at E3 2019's PC Gaming Show. [15] A Fig crowdfunding campaign was launched at the same time. [15] [16] The game was launched in early access on June 21, 2021, [17] followed by its full release in 2022 for Windows on May 27, for Xbox One and Xbox Series X/S on June 3, and for PlayStation 4 on September 14. [18]

Reception

Both Unexplored games received "mixed or average" reviews according to review aggregator Metacritic. [19] [20] [22]

Unexplored

Waypoint wrote: "Unexplored's procedurally generated levels are dense with meaning, memory, and connection in a way that most other RL's [roguelikes] aren't". [26] Rock Paper Shotgun also praised the procedural level design. [27] Nintendo Life said that unlike Unexplored's "overly simplistic" artstyle, the "unusual approach to balancing combat and map generation" is its most memorable element. [21] Nintendo World Report didn't like the game's combat and how the dungeon was procedurally generated. [3] PC Gamer wrote that the game's randomly generated worldbuilding was "quietly revolutionary". [28] PC Gamer nominated Unexplored for the best strategy game of 2017. [29] Waypoint included the game among its best games of 2017. [30] Dominic Tarason of Rock Paper Shotgun listed the game as one of the top three games of 2017, calling the procedural generation "a borderline-magical piece of code". [10]

Unexplored 2

CD-Action called Unexplored 2 ambitious and beautiful but criticized the story and lack of polish. [24] Eurogamer complimented the graphics and soundtrack but did not appreciate the procedurally generated story. [23] PC Gamer criticised the amount of bugs, calling the full release "too broken to interact with as intended". [4] Rock Paper Shotgun liked the game's barter and permadeath systems, and artstyle though disliked the story and camera system. [31]

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References

  1. ↑ "UnExplored - Unlocked Edition: Action-Rollenspiel für PS4 und Xbox One im Anmarsch". 4Players . 1 February 2019. Retrieved 26 March 2023.
  2. ↑ Vitale, Adam (2 May 2022). "Unexplored 2: The Wayfarer's Legacy launches for PC on May 27". RPG Site. Retrieved 26 March 2023.
  3. 1 2 3 Lloyd, David (7 August 2018). "Unexplored (Switch) Review". Nintendo World Report. Retrieved 25 March 2023.
  4. 1 2 3 Brunskill, Kerry (26 May 2022). "Unexplored 2 review". PC Gamer . Future plc . Retrieved 25 March 2023.
  5. ↑ Donlan, Christian (10 June 2019). "Unexplored 2 is in open access today". Eurogamer . Gamer Network . Retrieved 26 March 2023.
  6. ↑ Sykes, Tom (1 May 2017). "Unexplored: a real-time roguelike with advanced dungeon design". PC Gamer . Future plc . Retrieved 26 March 2023.
  7. ↑ Ludomotion (17 February 2017). "Launch trailer & date!". Steam . Valve Corporation . Retrieved 26 March 2023.
  8. ↑ Ludomotion (4 January 2018). "Unexplored in 2018: Mac, Linux, DLC, bug fixes". Steam . Valve Corporation . Retrieved 26 March 2023.
  9. ↑ Ludomotion (26 November 2019). "Unexplored 2 update trailer". Steam . Valve Corporation . Retrieved 26 March 2023.
  10. 1 2 Tarason, Dominic (27 December 2017). "Dominic Tarason's favourite games of 2017". Rock Paper Shotgun . Gamer Network . Retrieved 26 March 2023.
  11. ↑ Calvert, Darren (9 August 2018). "Nintendo Download: 9th August (Europe)". Nintendo Life . Hookshot Media. Retrieved 26 March 2023.
  12. ↑ Calvert, Darren (9 August 2018). "Nintendo Download: 9th August (North America)". Nintendo Life . Hookshot Media. Retrieved 26 March 2023.
  13. 1 2 Romano, Sal (31 January 2019). "Unexplored: Unlocked Edition launches February 19 for PS4, February 22 for Xbox One". Gematsu. Retrieved 26 March 2023.
  14. ↑ "Unexplored: Unlocked Edition". Digerati. Retrieved 26 March 2023.
  15. 1 2 "Unexplored 2: The Wayfarer's Legacy Announced at The PC Gaming Show". DualShockers. 10 June 2019. Retrieved 26 March 2023.
  16. ↑ Fuller, Alex (14 June 2020). "Unexplored 2 Gets Trailer, Releasing on Epic Games Store". RPGamer. Retrieved 26 March 2023.
  17. ↑ Morton, Lauren (21 June 2021). "Rogue-lite adventure Unexplored 2 has launched in early access". Rock Paper Shotgun . Gamer Network . Retrieved 26 March 2023.
  18. ↑ Romano, Sal (8 September 2022). "Unexplored 2: The Wayfarer's Legacy coming to PS4 on September 14". Gematsu. Retrieved 26 March 2023.
  19. 1 2 "Unexplored: Unlocked Edition for Switch Reviews". Metacritic . Fandom . Retrieved 25 March 2023.
  20. 1 2 "Unexplored: Unlocked Edition for PlayStation 4 Reviews". Metacritic . Fandom . Retrieved 25 March 2023.
  21. 1 2 Reseigh-Lincoln, Dom (10 August 2018). "Unexplored Review (Switch eShop)". Nintendo Life . Hookshot Media. Retrieved 25 March 2023.
  22. 1 2 "Unexplored 2: The Wayfarer's Legacy for PC Reviews". Metacritic . Fandom . Retrieved 25 March 2023.
  23. 1 2 Murianni, Ivana (5 June 2022). "Unexplored 2 The Wayfarer's Legacy recensione, un RPG al sapor di Dungeons & Dragons". Eurogamer (in Italian). Gamer Network . Retrieved 25 March 2023.
  24. 1 2 Biel, Dawid (30 July 2022). "Unexplored 2: The Wayfarer's Legacy – recenzja. Ambitna, piękna gra". CD-Action (in Polish). Retrieved 25 March 2023.
  25. ↑ Scattarella, Gianluca (26 May 2022). "Unexplored 2: The Wayfarer's Legacy, la recensione del seguito di un ottimo roguelike". Multiplayer.it (in Italian). NetAddiction Srl. Retrieved 25 March 2023.
  26. ↑ Walker, Austin (6 May 2017). "'Unexplored' Is a Roguelike With a Satisfying Ending". Waypoint. Vice Media . Retrieved 26 March 2023.
  27. ↑ Smith, Adam (23 February 2017). "Wot I Think: Unexplored". Rock Paper Shotgun . Gamer Network . Retrieved 26 March 2023.
  28. ↑ Fenlon, Wes (18 December 2017). "Unexplored weaves personal roguelike stories with clever random generation". PC Gamer . Future plc. Archived from the original on 20 December 2017. Retrieved 26 March 2023.
  29. ↑ "Games of the Year 2017: The nominees". PC Gamer . Future plc. 8 December 2017. Retrieved 26 March 2023.
  30. ↑ de Quidt, Jack (25 December 2017). "The Best Games of 2017: Day 1". Waypoint. Vice Media . Retrieved 26 March 2023.
  31. ↑ Caldwell, Brendan (26 May 2022). "Unexplored 2: The Wayfarer's Legacy review: a special, chunky roguesomething". Rock Paper Shotgun . Gamer Network . Retrieved 26 March 2023.
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