The Unexpected Quest Demo Impressions

The Unexpected Quest is an upcoming strategy game inspired by the wonderful classics such as Warcraft 3 and The Settlers as per stated in its store page. The influence of these games are also heavily reflected on the graphics. The game isn't released yet and there is not a set release date apart from "2020". Fortunately there is a demo available that allows you access to 3 missions.

The first two missions are on a locked small map where you can't even move the camera since they take place on a small location to teach you the basics. I completed these two missions fairly quickly in about 2-5 minutes each. Then came the 4th mission (3rd mission is not available in the demo). I actually spent 55 minutes on mission 4. This mission is a great indicator of what this game is capable of. It introduces you to pretty much all the mechanics and features provided more are not added in future missions. It takes place in a fairly medium sized map and there are many things to do. If only one mission is like that, I think I can predict that this game will have amazing content. 

I was pleasantly surprised when I started playing the game because for some reason I initially thought it was gonna be your typical RTS. I was prepared to put my moderate APM skills to use and ready to memorise hotkeys for optimal play. Then I saw the game play as a time/resource management WITHOUT the time restrictions, which I absolutely appreciated. I only ever played some Hercules games and Incredible Dracula in this genre but I know it's heavily populated.

While it may be a populated genre and the experience I've got may be limited, there is absolutely no depth to the games I played. The only complexity comes from having to figure out the most optimal way to finish a mission before you run out of time to get the highest points. However this is NOT the case in The Unexpected Quest since it boasts deep and complex mechanics we can see in actual RTS or even RPG games. Side quests, quest rewards, crafting system, training units, unit levels, weapon/equipment levels, upgrades, inventory management, storage chests, spells, potions, buffs, buildings, population cap... I've never seen such mechanics in this genre before. There is so much potential with all these existing features. 

Different building types will give the player access to different types of units. There are different types of enemies on the map which require to be killed by a specific unit. For example you need a swordsmen to kill a spider. You can't send an archer or a mage for that. You can even train clerics to heal your units or craft potions after looting herbs that respawn frequently around the map.

I don't wanna get into too many details about the gameplay since I'd love to leave that to the actual review when the game is released. I'll definitely be buying it and already plan on a more detailed review. For now suffice it to say that it has a very simple core gameplay, that we can see in resource management games such as the Hercules series, but with MANY extra mechanics that definitely up the complexity and make the game feel like such a breath of fresh air. It might actually be the first game to offer all these in one package in this genre but don't take my word for it :P

For now I'm following the game to keep a close eye out for any updates about its development as well as its release date. I can't wait! :)