Man, not too often that we have the opportunity to see a game while it is in Pre-Alpha these days. Yet with Pathologic, we are going to have an opportunity to get a pre-alpha look at a game that ought to be more fun than a barrel of monkeys.
As you read through the game description, you quickly get the sense that the developers might be suffering from some mood disorder. “Pathologic reeks of darkness and dismay.” Yikes!
This pre-alpha build only allowed us to play for a limited amount of time but it’s fairly clear that Ice Pick Lodge is becoming successful at blending in elements of a first person action game (complete with WASD movement control and E use key) with deeper adventure elements (inventory of items, gathering of letters, and a map to guide us around the town). Visually the graphics engine isn’t the best but it more than makes up for it with the pure atmosphere that it has in its art design. From the creepy and infected townsfolk to the weird gothic architecture of the town itself, Pathologic reeks of darkness and dismay. The developers also give the player a way to become infected by the illness, whether by humans or the many rats you encounter while exploring the town. This is depicted by blurry vision at times and also your character blacking out for a couple of seconds. Conversations with townspeople are conducted strictly by text, which is once again an adventure game trail.
