I’m not sure this can be called a true impressions article, as I dipped out of DERELIKT very early—long before any real testing could be done. The reason for this is that the game is currently segmented in a way that drops late‑game areas right after level one, which spoils a lot of things I want to keep secret until my full playthrough. Apparently, it goes something like this: Level 1, then level 4, and finally level 5. However, what I did get to test felt and looked damn good!
Saturn has gone bad
In a very classic and Thomas-approved way, something strange has happened at the Von Neumann science outpost, located on an asteroid orbiting Saturn. You have been hired to check things out, and immediately after docking, you can tell something peculiar is afoot. The lead professor seems to have gone mad with research, reminding me of every crazy sci‑fi/horror scientist ever. But perhaps most alike to a Dead Space scientist in reverence for this new overpowering object.
After the initial investigations, you are sent down to the surface, and it’s here where I stopped playing, as it seemed the natural continuation of the story was interrupted abruptly—letting me see things not meant for my uncorrupted eyes. I’ve seen things you people wouldn’t believe. Attack creatures on fire off the Orion security corridor. I watched rifle bullets glitter in the dark near the Tannhäuser airlock. All those moments will be lost in time, like tears in rain. Time to dip.
Creepy Critters & Ps1 Vibes
However, I did explore a little to try out the feel of the weapons and combat, and I’m pleased to say the little I experienced felt nice and smooth. The slimy bug-like aliens looked cool and creepy as well. Not something you want to find in your cornflake package. But what got me about the demo is the general atmosphere and visual style, which is absolutely wonderful in its retro PlayStation One-kind of graphics.
Talk about getting instantly hooked on the vibe, so DERELIKT is definitely something to look forward to if you like this kind of sci-fi, and of course blasting nasty alien critters. Below, you can check out some footage of my time exploring the base—it’s incredibly moody in its sound, visuals, and story setup!
Make sure to join the playtest if interested, as it is currently ongoing, and the devs seem very fast on the invite button.
Thanks for reading.
– Thomas
