The Curious Expedition takes exploration as its central theme. Not just exploration in the videogame sense, i.e. here’s a world to explore so go do that, but exploration’s role as part of human history. Specifically, it focuses on the explorers of the 19th century: geographers, scientists, engineers, programmers, pilots, scientists, and hunters.
Many of these historical figures that have made a name for themselves in the history books appear as playable characters in The Curious Expedition. You can have a team comprised of Marie Curie, Charles Darwin, Aleister Crowley, Mary Kingsley, and Nikola Tesla, for example. There are plenty of others to choose from too.
With your team, each with their own unique skills relating to what they’ve become known for, you set out into uncharted territories to map them out, meet the local tribes, and face whatever dangers may lie in wait. The worlds are procedurally generated so every time you set out in The Curious Expedition it will actually be a new adventure for you. This is why you must ensure to prepare for anything before heading out – deciding what to pack in your bags is a crucial process in your survival.
And just because the game takes historical figures as its characters don’t expect for whatever you come across to be deeply entrenched in historical fact. You’ll find dinosaurs and mysterious temples that will curse you upon entry. To survive the unexpected and find whatever treasures you can, you’ll want to manage your resources – do you throw away rations to carry the treasure back or leave it behind? – trade with and seek advice from the natives, and ensure that your party stays alive first and foremost as well as keeps their sanity.
 
Playing the game itself, you travel across a hex-based grid, plotting points from a top-down perspective. But once you discover something, it zooms in, either to a turn-based battle played with dice rolls, or it might ask you to make a decision about whether to proceed into a new area, or choose dialogue options when talking to people.
The Curious Expedition is now available on Steam Early Access. It’s also possible to grab it from the official website. Once it’s finished, it will be released on tablets as well.
