Chumps Preview is a special kind of post where we unofficially preview games in Early Access, Beta, or are otherwise “unfinished.” This kind of preview is meant to be a first impression rather than a definitive review where we provide a rating to determine a game’s value. As such, we fully expect a game covered in a Chumps Preview to have room for improvement, some bugginess/incompleteness, and other features associated with similar games in the category.
Move over Gordon Freeman, me and five of my nerdy buddies are puttin’ on lab coats to get to the bottom of shenanigans in a paranormal laboratory. Ditch the pocket protectors, the glasses tape, and your trusty swiss army knife – you’re gonna need to be a hell of a lot more scrappy to stay alive and solve the security situation in a desert facility.
Welcome to Abiotic Factor – it’s out on Early Access right now, boasting a Half-Life meets survival crafting gameplay loop that’s best enjoyed with your friends. Its 90s science-spoofy vibes are the tip of the iceberg, beginning with the character creator while manifesting later in the facility as holograms and NPC interactions. It’s a delightful thematic callback to the likes of Back to the Future, Jurassic Park, and a smidgen of Young Frankenstein.
I began playing Abiotic Factor a few days ago with my partner. While I wasn’t able to play with a full party of six players, I got a feel for the multiplayer chaos that the game could provide for a single player or a duo. I spent a few hours exploring the facility, learning how to craft new weapons and tools while deconstructing other objects to be used for crafting in the future or for keeping myself healthy.
Because this is a survival game, I had to manage my own vitals alongside keeping a lookout for alien threats in the facility. I had to keep track of my hunger, thirst, and sleep. I also had to utilize toilets when my character had to use the restroom, truly driving home the litany of everyday survival tactics that I typically had to manage. The few creatures I came across were small little slugs that curled up into a ball and launched themselves at me as well as dog-like creatures that lunged at me. Threats are everywhere, be it my own human needs or the paranormal activity that spawned around every corner of the facility.
How did I defend myself? Easy – makeshift weapons and armor. The other critical aspect of this game is the crafting gameplay loop, allowing me to create makeshift weapons, crafting tables, and other furniture to keep me safe. The first “weapon” that I was instructed to craft was a net that I could throw on the slugs and then stomp them into smithereens. Then it was a crafting table. Then it was a shiv. Then I had to craft a hacking unit out of three other items that required me to craft them, too. Crafting upon crafting upon crafting using resources found on walls, under tables, in cabinets, and lockers.
This crafting gameplay loop feels quite similar to that of Bandle Tale: A League of Legends Story where everything I could interact with eventually had a purpose involving crafting. The further I explored and more I found, the more my character became “inspired” to craft something else thanks to a drag and drop minigame. This also made my crafting window a gigantic encyclopedia of things that may come in handy later.
Compared to other survival games, I love that I don’t have to stand around waiting for my character to “chop a tree” or “mining ore.” Deconstructing a vent for scrap metal was a near instantaneous affair, as was taking pipe off the walls. Breaking open boxes was a quick process. I never once felt like I was waiting around for my character to proceed through an animation. Instead, I was tested in figuring out what to craft using the resources I had currently come across. If I didn’t have something, I had to continue exploring the gigantic facility.
Yes, the facility is absolutely gigantic. I got lost very quickly, and I often had to rely on my partner to tell me where to go via voice comms (even though he was lost, too). While there were a few maps on the walls that told us where we were, I often wished that I had a portable map that I could take with me so I could keep track of where I was and where I needed to go. I had a general idea of my current objective thanks to the briefest of statements at the top left corner of the screen, but the size of the map often confused me.
There were several moments where I felt quite overwhelmed with what I had to do to survive. Some of this could be chalked to the general learning pains of survival/crafting games, but the gigantic map and lack of overall information/instruction wasn’t helpful. Newer players, like myself, would love a helping hand to get themselves started, as not all parties will have a veteran who knows the ins and outs of Abiotic Factor’s gameplay loop. Bridging that gap will increase the appeal of the game and keep players invested in “the next step” of the game. Remember – a crafting and survival game is strong when players can plan ahead and visualize pathways to succeed. If they are overwhelmed with what to do and where to go, I fear they’ll prematurely give up.
Abiotic Factor has quite a bit of potential. Now that it’s out in Early Access, I’m excited to play with a larger group of players and see the hijinks that ensue. The 90s goofy science vibe of this preview gives me hope that Deep Field Games is on the right track. I can’t wait to see how they add to the game and iron out its systems to make the new player experience more forgiving.
A copy of Abiotic Factor was provided by the publisher for the purpose of this Chumps Preview.
