Primordia Preview: Metal and Dust

Imagine an Earth beyond humans. Dry from man’s extinction. Inhabited by man’s creations.

Robots walk the Earth of Primordia, the latest adventure game from publisher Wadjet Eye Games.

“Man built us to build, Crispin.” The emotionless, metallic face speaks with the tone of a man who’s seen all there is to see. Gruff, but assuring. The robots of Primordia abide by the rules set by man. To build and maintain. They devote their lives to serve a purpose, a belief. But not all robots agree.

Horatio and Crispin scavenge through the junk piled up outside the city of Metropol. They search the outskirts for materials. Horatio collects scrap metal like a mechanic collects tools. You never know when they’ll come in handy. He built his ship like he built Crispin: out of spare parts. So when another robot disrupts their routine, steals the ship’s power source, and shoots a laser into his chest, he doesn’t panic.

Horatio stores coordinates on his data pouch, allowing him to quickly travel around the wasteland. Crispin floats behind him spouting sarcasm and one-liners as they search for a replacement power source. His humor doesn’t always penetrate Horatio’s thick plating, but when it does, their banter brings a warmth to the otherwise cold, decaying world.

Primordia’s abandons the friction of puzzle-solving, giving you the tools to quickly travel from location to location. It sets the game forward with a steady pace. The puzzles themselves ape traditional adventure game structure. They’re methodical, and rewarding. With a careful eye, and good listening skills, Primordia won’t leave you stumped.

Primordia’s dystopian world shows promise. There’s a distinct look to the way it combines the rusty browns of metal and the worn pieces of junk. Moments where you stumble upon remnants of familiar objects, like tanks and human skeletons, the tinge of sci-fi mystery keeps you asking questions you’ll want to answer.

Like many of Wadjet Eye’s games, Primordia has an innate allegiance to classic adventure games. It invites you to observe its world, and to listen to its story. Horatio has a lot to say as you poke around the environment. But when he doesn’t have anything to say, when he doesn’t understand what’s going on, the mysterious machinations of Primordia pull you in.

Primordia is developed by Wormwood Studios, and launches digitally on PC December 5, 2012.