Fun slice of historical adventuring
For anyone with a thirst for adventure and exploration, The Oregon Trail is a neat little combination of strategy and education that provides some solid old-school thrills. The game places players in the shoes of a party of Old West pioneers as they strike out from Missouri and head along the Oregon Trail to find adventure and a new life. You're in charge of the whole caravan and must make decisions on every aspect of your journey, from provisions, to the route, how much time to spend resting and everything in between. You will face disease, wild animals and raging rivers and at every step there will be tough choices to make, as you consider the needs of your people, but there are also a few lighter moments along the way, like taking a few minutes to enjoy some mini-games where you can just float down the river for the sheer enjoyment of it. Considering its age, The Oregon Trail stands up pretty well as a nicely detailed strategy sim and which does a good job of recreating a lost age and the troubles that came with it. It's an easy game to pick up, thanks to its accessible and straightforward interface but which provides a decent level of challenge thanks to the variety of options available along the trail and which offer some intriguing options and decisions to make. The graphics are somewhat simple, but again considering the game's age, they are actually quite nice, with some colourful sprites and environments which help to create a good recreation of the period. The game isn't the most complex ever made but it is certainly enjoyable so if you fancy a trip into the past, this is well worth a visit. Check out The Amazon Trail for a similarly themed experience.
