Prologue: Go Wayback! is among the toughest survival games available, yet its difficulty shouldn’t deter players from exploring this survival roguelike. Playtests have shown that with just a pocketful of blackberries and a heat source, players can tackle its challenges head-on.

“You just have to think outside the box,” Hakan Kamar, Senior Artist, mentioned. “But people are smart. I think they understand how to do that.”

Even those unfamiliar with the game mechanics demonstrated ingenuity during gameplay. Players often face tough decisions about what items to carry in their limited backpacks, making resourcefulness essential when it comes to survival.

In a real example of creativity, Scott Davidson, Lead Designer, shared a player’s improvised solution:

“This guy didn’t find a ferrous rod, so he couldn’t make a fire. But he worked out that he could turn the hob on the oven, where the pan is, and if you put a log on top of it, the log would catch fire because the hob is a heat source.”

Players have discovered shortcuts and tricks that can lead to success. Kamar noted:

“We had a playtest meta, which basically amounted to finding a jerrycan with gasoline in it and finding a lot of blackberries. This would result in players having a backpack full of berries and a jerrycan full of gasoline.”

“You get 100 calories per blackberry, while an apple provides only 60. So, if you find yourself near a blackberry bush, be sure to gather its fruit before continuing your journey.”

As the developers aim for a balance between accessibility for newcomers and challenges for veteran players, the game remains punishing yet rewarding, making each victory significant.