The Traveller Alpha Build Review

As a creative writer/storyteller myself, I couldn’t help but be blown away by the story of The Traveller’s alpha build. but it lacked that kick of a finished game.

Plot

An intriguing plot that captivates you from the start and keeps you wondering, “What next?” The Traveller is set in a futuristic world with advanced technology and some pretty sweet homes (as seen in the comic) but is then transported to the Tetherverse’s first realm.

It has a mediaeval fantasy feel to it, with you meeting and fighting mages, swordsmen, and scary-looking warrior women. Following Fro-9 on his journey through the Tetherverse, I was drawn into his quest to achieve the goals he’d set for himself, and I yearned to see it through. I was rooting for him to win. But there was one major issue that plagued me throughout my journey through the game’s alpha build.

It kept crashing.

Gameplay

At first, I thought it was my laptop’s fault (it’s been running extremely slowly lately), but as I kept reopening the build, it kept repeating the crash cycle. This was always the case when I reached a point of significance.

For example, when I encountered my first challenger, it pumped me up to try out Fro-9’s Paladin and Mage abilities, possibly due to the advantage of Switch (it’s a complete power system unique only to the main character). I quickly lost hope when the game froze for what seemed like an eternity and eventually crashed, forcing me to restart the game.

It’s to be expected given that the game isn’t quite finished. Even though it is only a prototype, I thought the interface was quite impressive.

Simple gameplay makes for a fun adventure, and it doesn’t necessitate complicated combos to progress. When battling opponents, however, the health level drops faster than the speed of light, making the game a little difficult to play.

Who doesn’t enjoy a good challenge? The controls are simple and easy to use on PC, and when I tried the game with my controller, it appeared to be even better on the console. Personally, I appreciate how the game maintains the noir aesthetic of the comic/manga from which it was adapted.

That being said, The Traveller appears to be extremely promising, and I will be eager to see how it turns out when the final game is released.

Watch our interview with the game’s developer, Alexander Poone, for more information on The Traveller development and when you can get your hands on it.