In the risk averse world of the modern game industry it is so rare to find a game that I can honestly say is a singular unique experience. This game checks that box in so many ways. while there are enemies both of the human and checks notes Ghostly oil monster variety these are hardly the main obstacle/challenge in the game. That would be traversing the rough terrain of this post apocalyptic world... And the 150 lbs. of supplies on your back that need to be delivered.

The gameplay loop is one that I have never experienced and while it has received the criticism of being a mailman simulator, it is so much more intricate than that. Every job is a gamble where you either risk taking too much stuff and overwhelming yourself, or not maximizing the profitability of each trip. You also have to carefully plot your route to avoid bandits and BT infested areas when possible and bring only the equipment that you think you will need. Bring too much and you further overburden yourself. Bring too little, and you might not be able to rappel down that cliff, or cross that lake, and may have to take a longer or more dangerous detour. In most games the journey between point A and B is just a hurdle that you rush through to get to the next quest or boss fight. In this game the boss fight is the journey.

Finally the soundtrack is simply stunning and seems to pop in just at the right time. The highlight of the game for me was right at the end of a long arduous journey, I walked up over the crest of a mountain and finally for the first time saw my destination on the horizon, a feeling of triumph washed over me as I finally saw the light at the end of the tunnel and all of a sudden the song "Asylums For The Feeling" by the Silent Poets starts playing and it made the short jog down the hill to my destination feel somber and lonely yet hopeful and this perfectly encapsulated the tone of the game for me.