Old Western Survival Game Heat Is Now On Steam Early Access, Developer Reputation In Question
If you’re into Old Western games, then you might want to check out Code}{atch’s new Western survival sandbox game, Heat, which just launched into Steam Early Access last week. Players take on the role of homesteaders struggling to survive in the wild west.
Heat features a 67 km2 map with 20 unique biomes ranging from arid deserts and freezing mountain peaks to tropical coastlines and muggy swamps. There’s also road building, housing, farming, cooking, crafting, combat, kidnapping, and ermm... love-making, pregnancy, and breastfeeding. I’ll let the developers explain.
“Start a family with other players or NPCs. During the process of love making, the male will have a chance of making the female pregnant. Once pregnant, the female will birth a newborn. The newborn grows to become a baby, the baby then grows up to be a child, the child eventually becomes an adult.
A second option is to adopt from an orphanage by purchasing a baby basket in the shipping catalog. The baby will be inside the basket delivered to you. Adoption is very expensive, but provides a guaranteed outcome, whereas the first option may not reliably result in pregnancy due to the possibility for weak seed.
Your children are a mix of the visual DNA of the two parents. Babies, children, and adults will need to feed and stay hydrated (players lactate to breastfeed their newborns). If you fail to care for your children, the government will take them from you for mistreatment.
Beware of other players, as they can adopt your newborns, babies, and children as their own if you are not nearby (as they would be considered abandoned). So, keep them secret, keep them safe.
Once your kids become adults you can equip them with outfits, gear, and weapons. They can help protect you when you are online. However, other players may decide to capture and restrain your adult kin, so best keep them packing heat.”
Is it too good to be true though? According to Polygon, Code}{atch has a “troubled history”. “This particular developer has a notorious reputation of promising the moon to eager fans, and then delivering a pile of rocks instead. Heat will be Codehatch’s third major release. Both its previous titles — Starforge and Reign of Kings — were effectively disasters.”
Players can also become President of the United States with their very own Secret Service detail, a Native American tribe Chief, Governor, Sheriff, or a Plantation Owner. Whether the game turns out to be a success or strike three for Code}{atch still remains to be seen. If you’re thinking of purchasing the game, it’s currently priced at $19.99.
