While the world waits patiently for GTA 6, it seems smaller developers have started to turn to the origins of Rockstar’s open world juggernaut for inspiration.
The Precinct recently proved that an isometric crime caper can work, and now we have a similarly presented package in Deliver At All Costs – albeit with an emphasis on unhinged late 50s haulage.
While the presentation feels distinctly Chinatown Wars, it reminds this author of Mafia, with approximately 20 hand-designed missions set in a sandbox that serves more as decoration than a meaningful place to explore.
The plot is surprisingly forward-facing and off its rocker, as you assume the role of Winston Green, a likeable but suspicious ex-engineer who’s taken a rank-and-file role at local shipping firm, We Deliver.
The story starts out as a simple workplace comedy, but over the course of its 10 or so hour running time, transforms into a weird sci-fi tale that probably bites off more than it can chew. The presentation is fine, but the maker doesn’t really have the budget to fully realise its vision here.
Still, it provides the framework for a series of madcap missions, each with its own unique wrinkle and mechanic. At one point you’ll be hauling balloons through the world, with the bouquet of helium attached to the back of your truck allowing you to quite literally float over the buildings beneath you; in another you’ll need to drive through stashes of fresh fish to feed a massive marlin before it loses its temper.
There’s a heavy emphasis on physics in a genuinely unique way; one mission sees you transporting melons, which will tumble out of your truck if you pump the brakes too quickly. And you quickly realise that the world is heavily destructible, so it’s often best to go through buildings rather than around them.
To keep frustration low, there’s rarely any consequence for busting up your vehicle or making a mistake, with checkpoints plentiful throughout. But while this does relieve irritation, it saps the game of any tension, and even when you’re transporting nuclear bombs it doesn’t feel like the stakes are ever particularly high.
To make matters worse, some missions are quite simply better than others. There’s an obligatory stealth sequence which doesn’t feel particularly impactful, and another one where you need to spook executives in a limousine falls flat.
But we applaud the invention overall, and it’s nice to play a game where its ideas are constantly changing rather than being recycled.
It’s just a shame there’s not more creativity in the sandbox itself: outside of finding some additional vehicles and a handful of side-quests, the open world is basically just a pretty backdrop.
It’s also a setting that’s heavily instanced, so you’ll find yourself loading in and out of different districts, rather than seamlessly travelling through them. It’s not the end of the world, but it robs the release of consistency, and it never really allows you to feel like you exist in an actual place.
But the music and artwork is nice, and it’s clear a lot of love and attention has gone into this game. Little details like putting on a raincoat when the weather turns add character to the experience and give it slice of life sensibilities, which we enjoyed.
Conclusion
Deliver At All Costs’ greatest strength is its ability to reinvent itself, but its missions lack tension and its story is a bit of a misfire. If you really enjoy that isometric era of GTA games, then you’ll find fun in this physics-heavy escapade – but expect bumps and blemishes, because this is far from the perfect package.