Scout: An Apocalypse Story is a free text-based simulation video game wherein you must face the challenges of surviving a post-apocalyptic world with your community. Developed by Anya, this indie dating sim game features a story heavily centered around its rich writing and the choices that can change the course of your destiny. It’s still in development and gradually ekes out chapters. Take care, however, as it has issues with save files.

All paths are open

In Scout: An Apocalypse Story, the world had been nearly obliterated by an apocalyptic natural disaster just a decade ago. Mankind is no longer the dominant species, and there are now only small groups of humans trying to survive the desolate landscape. You play as a 24-year-old scout living with a small community. However, you eventually encounter another community. This opens up another world of possibilities beyond the isolation of your people.

The game is entirely text-based, with naturally-flowing descriptions instead of character sprites like in most dating sims. It plays in the second-person perspective, letting you play as your character. You can customize your pronouns and full name and even enable the option for R-rated scenes. Your appearance can be configured, as well, during the start; click on the white bolded text to change it to your choice. 

The story primarily focuses on romance, with four characters you can pursue—some of which can be an LGBT romance depending on your chosen gender. However, the plot still centers around the struggles of surviving the wasteland. What’s interesting here is that your choices change the personality info on your Scout Profile. The game can be quite engrossing, but its issue with saves due to it being a browser-based game can be frustrating, too.

Worth a bookmark

All in all, Scout: An Apocalypse Story is an interesting post-apocalyptic dating game with its gameplay. The writing in second-person POV can be refreshing if you’re used to dating sim visual novels that usually use the first-person perspective. It’s a browser game, however, so your save files may not easily be retrieved if you switched browsers or devices. Nevertheless, this is a recommended romance game for any fans of story-rich plots.