Mr. Prepper, the latest survival sim from Rejected Games, lets you experience probation under a surveilling government, prepare for a disaster you probably only know, and look cool doing it.
Published by PlayWay S.A, you play as the titular Mr. Prepper - introduced to us as a man who is currently on probation after attempting to escape the weird yet appropriately named Muricaville. A man from "The Agency" checks up on him regularly, and he aims to survive and ultimately escape that sad place.
What to expect from Mr. Prepper this 2021?
In the game, you are tasked to farm, craft, and trade various materials toward self-sufficiency. As Mr. Prepper, the player can build their own underground bunker - plant their produce, develop generators for power, and craft weapons and traps for hunting wildlife.
How to Navigate Through Muricaville
Starting a new game introduces us to the character, back at home with his car confiscated, and terms of his probation are laid out. The player is immediately introduced to necessary metrics that describe Mr. Prepper's disposition and health in terms of sleep, food, and "preparedness," a unique meter that affects the player's response - run out of it, and the character just faints.
While the game appears slow at first, getting the hang of its mechanics - especially crafting and trading - makes the game instantly addictive. A fun challenge is in the urge to grab and disassemble all your household stuff until you find out that it isn't the way to go!
Every now and then, the agent visits your home to see how you're doing, i.e., make sure that you're not into anything this government considers subversive: escaping the town, working towards self-sufficiency, etc. Every non-compliant behavior will reflect in their report, as well as recommendations toward becoming a more compliant citizen.
You can trade and establish rapport with various characters in Muricaville, each focused on a specific type of resource.
A Pop Culture Commentary
The game immediately creates a feeling of freedom and fun with its references. For example, on its home screen, Mr. Prepper is shown seated on a foldable bench - hands behind his head - with rations behind him. He looks as a mushroom cloud lights up the city from afar. This alone gives off a vibe much like The Dude from "The Big Lebowski."
Mr. Prepper also has a number of nods to pop culture and literary references. Its two-faced "The Ultimate Plan" board can be rotated to show a large "Bless the President" poster - with the color scheme highly reminiscent of 1984 and other totalitarian entities in pop culture. Even the phone, a seemingly ubiquitous decoration (that you can also disassemble), references a Lionel Richie song or the radio claiming that "Nobody killed the video star in this timeline."
The Rejected Games entry itself feels like a welcome trip to memory lane, with its large point and click interface, with its collaged navigation map set to remind some players of some Flash games in the early 2000s. Even the choice of making Mr. Prepper look shady, going away from the action hero-esque character design, might come across some players as a nod to Postal - a 1997 FPS that deals with conspiracy theories and shady government agencies.
Mr. Prepper is now on its BETA Version. Make sure to stay updated by checking out the Mr. Prepper STEAM page. Players can also try a standalone, free to play version, with the Mr. Prepper - Prologue on STEAM. You can also follow Rejected Games and Playway S.A. on Facebook.
