If you can't get enough of exploring open, procedurally-generated worlds, you can look forward to German publisher-developer Headup Games' Tinkertown, which goes into Early Access on Steam next month. There are many different ways to play, as showcased by the new trailer, whether you want to explore different biomes and collect loot, do battle with large enemies, or simply build a nice village without being bothered by anyone. Additionally, Tinkertown works for up to three players in co-op or PvP.
I'm intrigued by the amount of detail Tinkertown seems to offer. You can specialise your character by crafting equipment, for example, to fit a traditional role such as knight or mage, or make an entirely new loadout. The world promises plenty of crafting recipes for everything from armor to beds, fireplaces and pathways, so that exploration will be rewarded. If you so choose, there will also be plenty of dungeons for you to fight monsters in.
Visually, it looks perhaps a bit simple, but for a sandbox game, this gives you the opportunity to add lots of content, and that simplicity often adds to the charm. Also, Tinkertown's motto of "loot, loot, loot" shows they do know what sandbox connoisseurs are usually after.
The Early Access period is only expected to last for a few months. "The current version at EA launch will already include the full base gameplay, multiplayer, and enough content to entertain over a long time," the Steam page reads. "But as with most sandbox games, the sky's the limit, we will try to implement as much as we can before releasing the game into EA.”
Tinkertown is slated to go live on December 3. You can get a taste of what it's all about right now, though, courtesy of the free demo on Steam.
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