The world of classic text adventure games has always been rife with challenges, and The Oregon Trail is a prime example of this. Players face a series of perilous scenarios, from dwindling supplies to treacherous storms and hostile wildlife, all of which test their resource management skills and strategic thinking. Among the many dangers one could encounter, dying from dysentery was just one of the grim realities, alongside broken limbs, typhoid, or the ever-dreaded starvation.

This week, gamers are buzzing about Wagon, a new title launching on Steam that serves as a spiritual successor to The Oregon Trail. The term 'spiritual' here takes on a rather literal meaning, as the game weaves elements of the occult into its narrative. For instance, the calendar you use to keep track of time ominously features a pentagram, hinting at darker themes lurking beneath the surface.

While The Oregon Trail eventually reveals its bleak nature, Wagon opens with an unsettling scene right off the bat. In the demo I experienced, a handful of starving settlers are forced to draw straws to determine who will be sacrificed and consumed by the others. This horrifying initiation sets the tone for the game and demonstrates the grim choices players will have to make.

As the player responsible for drawing the straws, I found myself in a position to manipulate the outcome to save myself from becoming dinner. Sorry, Jerry, but survival often demands tough decisions!

Once the grim task of cannibalism is out of the way, the real adventure begins with the construction of a wagon, which involves combining various cards to gather the necessary materials. The gameplay mechanics of Wagon remind me of Sokpop Collective's engaging survival card game Stacklands. To craft a plank, for example, you need to play a saw card alongside two log cards. If you want to generate ore, you simply place a 'human' card on a mine card, and to pull your wagon effectively, youll need to play an ox card on it and enlist another human to lead the way. Before long, you find yourself rolling down the path toward Oregon.

As I navigate through this card-based gameplay, I do so with the guidance of a peculiar being who appears to take the form of a little girl, presumed to be a demonic entity. This character emerges after I make a fateful choice to chop up a fellow traveler with an axe, followed by a rather ill-advised attempt to reach out to spirits using a Ouija board.

To aid my endeavors in this darkly humorous journey, I reference my book of Rites, ominously adorned with an eyeball on the cover. The final page contains a prayer that ominously invokes 'Omogenu' as my father and alludes to a serpent, suggesting that perhaps my fate was sealed long before my party resorted to cannibalism.

Despite its macabre themes, Wagon is undeniably fun. If you enjoy survival games, card mechanics, and have a taste for the absurd, Wagon is set to launch on April 30. A demo is available on the Steam page for those who wish to sample this unique blend of survival horror and strategy before diving into the full experience.