Olympus 2249 1
Image: Dieselship Studio

Olympus 2249 is an isometric post-apocalyptic CRPG that is set in a dark dieselpunk world, full to the brim with all of your classic RPG staples.

Make your way across the wasteland as a trigger-happy madman, or choose to use brains over brawn and solve your issues without as much as a bullet casing hitting the ground – you choose. Olympus 2249 is heavily inspired by games like Fallout 1 and 2 (the developers were behind the famous Olympus 2207 Fallout 2 mod), with deep RPG systems laid out across an isometric wasteland; while it draws on those influences, it builds on the core principles they established.

Deep, meaningful, and realistic dialogue choices mean each decision can affect your adventure, and each choice can open (or close) opportunities. This is further amplified by the karmic system, which is central to your post-apocalyptic trek.

Start off your journey as a moralist, asshole, or even a mix of both, and see how characters react to you based on your karmic standing. Don't fear, however, as you can change this by making choices that align with who you want your character to be; see your karma change with your actions, and as the developer puts it: "The person who starts this story doesn't have to be the person who finishes it", so mould your character into who you want them to be.

Backing up this meaningful dialogue, Olympus 2249 utilises turn-based combat and environmental hazards to create a combat system that really requires you to use your head. Position yourself to gain advantages over the enemy, and use the environment to exploit their weaknesses; kick explosive barrels, light oil spills on fire, use traps, electricity, and much more. There are countless ways to gain the upper hand and win your battles your way.

Fighting isn't always the answer, however, as words are sometimes more powerful than bullets. Choose to resolve issues peacefully using 1 of the 5 "peaceful specialisations" and unlock new dialogue options.

It's worth noting that the game's Steam page has an AI disclosure message, which states that "AI tools were used only to check visual concepts, translate text into some languages, and create music placeholders. All such materials are currently significantly reworked by humans. By release, we plan to replace the music placeholders with original compositions and have the translations reviewed by human editors."

If you like Fallout 1 and 2, I can almost assure you this game is for you; and even if you don't, Olympus 2249 builds on the classic RPG formula in ways that might make it worth a try.

If you want to check it out, Olympus 2249 is out on Steam today.