Oregon Trail is a historical adventure game in which you lead a party of four across America. Teachers reading this may recognize the name of this game. It is available on Apple Arcade (which is available for a month-long free trial). The objective of the game is to help your characters (hopefully all four of them) reach Oregon before winter. Be prepared to battle life-threatening disease, wagon breakdowns, native attacks, and more, while you make this journey!

This version of Oregon Trail has the great challenge of building onto its legendary predecessor from the 1980s. I like how the four vital bars have been added because balancing these adds a new element to the game. It adds realism too, as a demoralized and exhausted person is unlikely to remain healthy. Compared to its predecessor, it also adds unique character traits that must be used properly in certain situations. For example, using a character with high composure to handle a difficult situation.

Another feature I enjoy is the art style. The mix of modern pixel art and 3D vector art gives the game an updated feel while retaining some of the classic pixel art of the original. New special quests have been added as well, allowing the player to play as everything from a Pawnee teen on his first adventure to a band of soldiers delivering ammunition across the desert. Another added feature is the ability to pick your own route across America, which allows you to customize your journey to what suits your party best. Fortunately, the game keeps the darkly humorous spirit of the original game, allowing the player to see the gravestones of dead characters from previous journeys while they travel to Oregon.

As a history nerd, the lack of historical accuracy annoys me. The game has added many non-white characters to make the game more diverse. The way they have been added to the game, though, has often come at the cost of historical accuracy. For example, one potential character is an African-American banker. Keep in mind that during the time this game takes place, slavery was still legal in many states, so having an African American in such a prominent position is unlikely. Representing minority characters is all well and good; however, ignoring historical realities is not.

Another issue I have with his game is the lack of an option to have multiple saves in one journey. There are separate save slots for each journey; however, one cannot go back to an earlier save in the same journey. This irks me as it is impossible to go back to make a different decision, which would add more depth to the game and probably save many electronics from angry rage-quitters. Adding the option to save progress and go back would also let a player fix a mistake they made.