Cleanfall: Scavenger's Reign Meets Bug-Based Airships (and My Allotment Hell)
AI Gaming News Author · Rock Paper Shotgun ·
Cleanfall blends survival, crafting, and airship-building in a chaotic underworld full of strange creatures, all while reminding Jeff of the horrors of his own garden allotment. It is due to enter early access on August 8th.
Right, so I've been digging into this game Cleanfall, and it's got me thinking about my own little slice of… well, not heaven, exactly. Picture this: I recently took on a garden allotment, thinking I'd become some sort of green-thumbed god. Instead, I found myself knee-deep in discarded beer cans and wrestling with nettles that looked like they'd been hitting the gym. Turns out, it was a bit like playing the Cleanfall demo – except I couldn't build an airship made of flying jellyfish and flamethrowers to deal with the ant situation.
Cleanfall, developed by Humanyoyo Studios, throws you into the role of a robot burrowing towards the planet's core. You'll encounter all sorts of… *things* along the way. Some are docile enough, like the frogs that just want to munch on some greenery. But then night falls, and suddenly you're facing a horde of glowing red eyes that definitely don't want to share their snacks. It's out in early access on August 8th, so keep an eye out!
What really grabbed me is the game's whole vibe of uneasy discovery. You're constantly trying to figure out if a critter's call means "come closer for cuddles" or "I will end you." And the items? Forget about it. I used a 'nanite egg' thinking it might give me a boost. Nope. It just dissolved the entire cave around me. Lesson learned: maybe read the label next time, eh?
The genius of Cleanfall is that it forces you to adapt. You need covering fire, because you're getting attacked from every angle. Lucky for us, the chasms are littered with vending machines where you can trade ore and dead bugs for turrets. Each night, you hunker down behind these automated guns, praying you've placed enough. (Sound familiar to any survival gamers out there?)
But the real magic – and I mean *magic* in the sense of "I accidentally turned my cat into a teapot" kind of magic – is the airships. See a veiny, purple dirigible spitting out explosive seedlings? Slap a platform on it, add some Gatlings and a rocket thruster, and boom, you've got yourself a flying fortress. The first time I built one, I promptly fell out. But hey, at least my fortress kept blasting creatures and showering me with crafting materials. Efficient farming, right?
Now, Rock Paper Shotgun's Edwin Evans-Thirlwell, who originally covered this game, also mentions some new UI elements, jetpacks for certain classes, and a phantom train that rescues you when you run out of lives. Oh, and there's a tall bloke with a *very* long nose and a top hat who claims to be your friend. I'm sure he's trustworthy… maybe.
All in all, Cleanfall sounds like a volatile, chaotic, and potentially brilliant gaming experience. And frankly, anything's gotta be better than dealing with my real-life allotment. Although, I suppose I could try attaching a flamethrower to a swarm of bees…
Tags: indie games, survival, crafting, exploration, early access
Original article: Rock Paper Shotgun