On the road again: The Curious Expedition prepares for send-off

Adios, Satipo.

The Curious Expedition is a rouge-like in the vein of FTL: Faster Than Light, but it replaces the sci-fi setting with one more in line with Burroughs, Doyle and Verne. It’s a world that hasn’t yet been explored, where dinosaurs could still roam the Amazon basin, where golden pyramids have hidden for centuries waiting for plunder and where rich Englishmen gather in stuffy rooms to talk about their latest expedition. It’s pretty much what would happen if FTL and 80 Days had a kid.

Curious Expedition puts you in the shoes of some of history’s greatest figures and then pushes you out the door looking for fame and fortune. You can explore the globe as Darwin, Curie, Tesla, or a dozen different characters, each with a special ability that changes the way the game plays. After picking your crew and gear, you’re off to a procedurally generated map searching for a fabled golden pyramid. Each step of your journey will drain your sanity and if your sanity drops to zero, your game is over. Along the trek, you’ll find hidden shrines and villages, be attacked by wild animals, discover natural wonders and have to find and trade with locals.

I’ve been playing the alpha version a bit and I’m really digging it so far. You’re trying to complete a series of 5 expeditions and return to the Adventurer’s Club to boast of your glory. I haven’t made it back yet. Damn tigers. The game is entering a paid-alpha phase next week for PC, Mac and Linux and it plays very well in a browser. It should be coming to tablets as a native app sometime in 2015.

Trailer after the break.