Sailing Alone- Aftermath Is A Post-apocalyptic Game Off To A Shaky Start

Sailing Alone: Aftermath is a survival game set in an expansive world. Islands will be generated as players explore. Characters move slowly so time can go quickly, but leave them stranded at night. Make a pricey mistake and you’ll be reset, often far away or in the middle of the ocean. There are multiple backstories to choose from, but gameplay is open to whatever narrative players create themselves.

Unfortunately, the game has a lot of jank to it. It can be both funny and immersion breaking in turn. Basic tasks take too long. There’s so much focus on balancing bodily needs, it almost feels as though that’s the entire gameplay loop. It’s almost humorous to die from “stink” even though it affects player reputation. The game’s sound effects also range from funny to outright bad, though it may be intentional. Your character’s persistent farting grows old really fast.

Combat isn’t bad on land since zombies move just as slowly. Numbers can quickly add up so avoiding them where possible is a good idea. The camera also works against you. It revolves around the character, but can’t be aimed downwards. This often requires awkwardly moving until it faces what needs to be interacted with. Sailing Alone is a slow moving game for multiple reasons.

Sailing Alone: Aftermath is in early access and it’s in rough shape. There are moments of (semi) relaxation while fishing or sailing towards a new destination. However, the overall experience is pretty hit or miss at the moment. It’s currently single player only but that could change. The game has only recently launched so it can’t be entirely written off just yet. Only time can tell what improvements could be made with dedicated updates.