Where to start … The game’s story follows the main character as he fights his way to the top of a tower. So, you know right there that the scenery isn’t going to be exactly varied. Add to that the fact that this is a cover-shooter (think Gears of War) and you’ve got the gameplay down. Then add in the uninspired voice-acting and wooden animations … Are you getting my drift?
The visuals and story background of the post-apocalyptic world setting that we get glimpses of during the game? I found them to be more interesting than much of the gameplay itself.
While the game is a decent enough cover-shooter, I just didn’t have any fun while I played it. The level design consists mainly of rooms filled with enemies that you need to clear before the next door of the tower is unlocked. The best parts happen late in the game, when the tower itself –which happens to be alive, go figure– shifts and reconfigures the rooms you are travelling through. This forces you to think really fast to try and get to new cover while in the middle of a firefight. Instead of a variety of combat, once you gain the ability to do a combo attack with your AI-controlled teammate, it’s pretty much the only attack you need to utilize short of the occasional boss battle where you find the weak spot and then exploit it ruthlessly.
I didn’t feel connected to the characters, and the fact that the main character’s lines were delivered by an actor who sounded like he wasn’t connected to the character either didn’t help.
I really wanted to like this one. I have a soft spot for sci-fi with a post-apocalyptic setting. But I couldn’t get into it.
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