Rail Walkers

Rail Walkers is a strategy game set in the not-so-distant future. You protect a secret government mining operation after deep-earth drilling disturbs families of intelligent insects, whose swarms attack the machinery and infrastructure near their nests. Your main defence is a force of semi-autonomous, turret-equipped Rail Walkers that target and destroy the insects.

Defend the operation

You begin with one Type 1 Level 1 Rail Walker on a short track in the middle of the mining area. Extend the tracks to reach more of the operation, and use switching rails to move your Rail Walkers between locations. You must protect your Base and eight pieces of infrastructure from 40 waves of attacks by 10 insect swarm types, each with different behaviours.

You choose when to start each wave, giving you time to plan the rail layout and position and deploy your Rail Walkers. Attacks are likely to become more difficult as they progress. Defeating waves earns funds from scrap organic matter, which you can invest in upgrades or additional Rail Walkers.

Control your Rail Walkers

The Remote Operations Hub centralizes Rail Walker and rail-network controls. Rail Walkers do not move unless commanded; you can send them to move, reverse direction, patrol, stop, recharge, reload, disarm, repair, upgrade or return to Base. During patrol, a Rail Walker travels as far as it can in one direction, then reverses and continues in the other direction until you stop it. Returning to Base is required for all actions.

The Hub includes Rail Walker information and targeting windows, a point-of-view camera, command activation and a command log for checking warnings such as low battery or ammunition. You can activate up to 30 rail switches, and use the switching HUD and route preview to check a Rail Walker's path. The rail network also has automatic range and targeting sensors, collision detection and emergency braking.

Upgrade your force

There are eight Rail Walker types, each with four upgradable chassis types and four upgradable motor types. Upgrades can improve ammunition, cycle time, reload time, damage protection, movement speed, battery time and battery capacity. The game's listed features also include 37 Steam Achievements.