Afterworld, Paradox's post-apocalyptic grand strategy game, let me conquer Florida with a band of alcoholic mutant cannibals

With Afterworld, Paradox Development Studio is giving the post-apocalypse the Stellaris treatment, turning the end times into a ludicrously elaborate sandbox where you can live out all sorts of apocalyptic fantasies—whether you want to create a freewheeling band of road warriors or a new American empire.

I went to Sweden to play an alpha build of this ambitious behemoth last month, and I've been able to keep playing at home since then. But this is a Paradox game, so I still feel like I'm barely scraping its dusty, radioactive surface.

Here's a bit of what I've been getting up to, across multiple playthroughs:

• I made a band of alcoholic mutant cannibals, stole some bikes, and conquered Florida.
• I embraced the religion of the highway, creating a tribe of zealous petrol heads spreading their beliefs across the wasteland.
• I teamed up with an ancient immortal to help rebuild America, betrayed him, and tore the continent apart with our brutal civil war.
• I created a docile empire of slaves by making everyone addicted to drugs.
• I became a cheese magnate.