Pugscape's 2020 post-apocalyptic "Walking SImulator" is one of those hidden gems nobody really knows too much about. In the game, you play the last Postal Carrier designated to run across post apocalyptic wastelands carrying parcels for various people/organizations attempting to restore humanity to the planet after WWIII nearly wiped us out. I'll talk more about my experiences below. Basically what you do is walk, well run, from site to site, in places like the arctic or the desert (I Think), carrying fuel, supplies, and whatever else to various remote installations and scientists and whatnot.

Not a whole lot of back story, your some guy in a cybernetic suit in what looks like the Acrtic (maybe it's jut a Nuclear Winter), running around with space-age Halo-esque stuff attached to him, following little goal markers that give you distance in meters, and that's about it, as a Synthwave-ish, calming, almost new-age etherial spacey music plays, as you go about collecting briefcases and running around the landscape.

And to be honest, it's relaxing, because there's not a whole lot of risk. Basically, the only enemy in the whole series, are these plodding humanoids who look like a snow version of "Sandpeople" from star wars, with big laser halberds, and 90% of the time, they just sorta' stand there and stare off into space like they are daydreaming. And to take them out, all you need is a vehicle....like a truck.

Yes, this is a WALKING sim, but we have vehicles, of which there are three: a snowmobile, a "jetpack" that looks more like a strap-on drone, and a couple trucks. The first two are 100 "likes" to purchase, the other two are just there for you to snag for free when the plot (or your self-exploration) calls for it.

Act 1 - Act 1 finds you in some kind of snowy hinterlands doing various tasks for scientists. Basically, you bring fuel to what looks like a automated garden shed, who then gives you a briefcase full of "intel" to bring to a place reminiscent of some of the higher-rising structures from DOOM. Then this guy will send you up the mountain on the wearable drone, which seems to have a serious power-deficit as pressing and holding space after awhile, means, slamming that spacebar, and the control of the "jetpack" is worse than some LJN NES games. I find the best approach, is to fly very high, then stop going up, and fall until you're about, oh, I dunno, less than 35 meters from the control tower. COnfusingly, it tells you you can stop playing now, but you are still getting new tasks - go figure.

After that, we have to run 2000 meters to a secure base-station to pick up a truck. This is a great time to mention all those neon flashy light suitcases you find all over the place, rarely guarded by one of the "Snowpeople". You can grab these for more "likes" - "likes" being the currency. Jeezuz, WWIII happened and STILL we are using internet B.S. as a form of "currency"! I'm guessing ol' Muskrat is still trying to peddle Dogecoin from his high tech bunker. Basically, bring em' to the suitcase depository spots - marked by - a suitcase, and then get a bunch of likes. You can also spend these on Energy Drinks...which be mindful, if you use 3 of them, you'll probably fall over.

Death is null in this game. YOu just get knocked over, apparently those laser halberds the Snowpeople use are just stryrofoam facsimilies. But getting the truck task is an interesting mess. First off, you're driving a flatbed truck with 2 - what I suppose are batteries, in the back of it. The truck does surprisingly well in the snow being a 2wd Isuzu NPR with street tires on it, though hitting bumps makes the batteries explode (must be a Tesla product). Upon getting the truck, your job now is to drive it to the refueling station (or not). I only achieved this once or twice.

Interestingly, Snowpeople have an allergen to the truck so they just fall over and de-spawn as soon as they touch it, LOL! A fact I found out when I was bumbling around outside the truck trying to flip it back on all fours. The trick is to turn into the lean, and make sure it lands on it's side....which then, maybe with some energy drink convincing, you can "Slam" it onto all fours using the bed as a lever. Surprisingly, in one round of this game, I managed to make the truck do an "Endo" (reverse wheelie) onto it's roof....never was able to get it back up...

Apparently, the truck is merely optional for the refueling station, you can just run there and win the goal, or get the truck there. After that, it's over to one more place to climb a ladder for likes, and then head back to your toolshed in Alaska.

Act 2 finds us in what looks like either summertime in Finland, or apparently we have found the strange otherworld NIrvana filmed "HEart Shaped Box" in. This whole quest revolves around revising someone's AI Driven pet dog, who they eventually just pawn off on you, so you can follow the railroad tracks like a lazy hobo looking for his train. We have some new music, and the atmosphere is beautiful, but man, that dog, he's easy to lose, but somehow finds a way to re-spawn Ultima 7 style right behind you if you get too far away. Strangely, we end up at the end of the train tracks with 2 barricades and an ATV...which we...what reason do we have it for? Exploring?

Act 3 seems more like the creators hate people at the grocery store, a social commentary on stockpiling toilet paper (well, this WAS released during the COVID-19 pandemic), and some other easter eggs. Basically, you need to pick up 5 packages of toilet paper at the groery store, check them out, and then leave - for "DISLIKES" - so somehow now, we've flipped the script. Honestly, your guy looks kind of like one of those halberd Snowpeople....so I guess originally these were the guys who stockpile toilet paper and talk about the rapture? No wonder they're low-key mad as Snowpeople. However, it's fun once your tasks are done to go around kicking shopping carts with the wacky physics, and knocking people over ala ragdoll all over the place. Plus there's a prett happening rave in the stockroom in back, and a truck to drive off with - giving me some serious "Car & Driver Mall" vibes.