When considering horror video games, titles like Resident Evil’s remake and even the latest Silent Hill-inspired, atmospheric, psychological, and survival-focused games typically come to mind. As fear of zombies has subsided, a peculiar phenomenon has emerged: a subgenre dedicated to showcasing their brutal demise, where creative carnage and visceral release take center stage. If it’s not a horror film or a zombie apocalypse novel, then perhaps it’s time to dust off the old first-aid kit and prepare for an unconventional zombies slaying format – think dodgeball with reanimated corpses.
Despite their enduring popularity, zombies continue to serve as a potent medium for evoking terror and reminding humanity of its fragility and the swift transition from peaceful existence to post-apocalyptic chaos. When faced with a situation, it’s crucial to assess the context and determine the best course of action. Since its humble beginnings as a mod and subsequent evolution into a standalone title in 2011, Amnesia: The Dark Descent has masterfully distilled the pervasive sense of tension and perpetual fear that defines the human experience. You were no hero or someone exceptional; just a survivor clinging to the hope of making it through another harrowing day.
Isn’t that indeed?
From the onset, all attempts to craft an eerie atmosphere are discarded in lieu of focusing on the intended audience.
Torn Banner Studios, the original developer, can also be credited; however, they acquired Lever Games in June and have been working on the sequel for several years. While the summer sports fest trailer bears some resemblance to its original concept, its execution on a grander scale remains uncertain.
Despite this, early access presents an overly traditional – and, on occasion, formulaic – first-person shooter. Despite initial promise, this title’s potential is crushed by numerous technical issues, poorly conceived design decisions, a monotonous gameplay cycle, and a uninspiring narrative. While some zombies may genuinely appear to be present solely to avoid being penalized, this phenomenon is more reminiscent of contemporary zombie films in the vein of George A. Romero’s work than those of his earlier era.
Contrary to initial impressions, it does possess a premise. As a last resort, you are repositioned as a “responder,” tasked with racing to the facility plant to revive its operations and stave off total regional collapse, prompted by the urgent warnings of the Crisis Response Center (CRC) broadcasting across the airwaves. With the objective of being the last one standing, you embark on a solo expedition into an unforgiving environment where seven formidable opponents lurk in the shadows.
In the desolate landscape devoid of hope, armed with only a revolver, flashlight, and metallic pipe, survival against hordes of relentless zombies becomes an arduous task. To outlive the impending doom, navigating treacherously through ruins to scavenge for valuable supplies such as higher-caliber weapons, therapeutic objects, explosives, and essential gear becomes crucial. As soon as you identify potential location threats, stocking up on ammunition becomes a straightforward process, but caution is advised, as excessive gunfire could attract unwanted attention from additional undead targets.
Off the bat, any semblance of crafting a spine-tingling atmosphere is carelessly abandoned in pursuit of hitting the mark. I am directed by the CRC to focus on specific issues initially indicated through key and red-marked areas needing attention. Despite the stresses that come with exploring unknown territories – such as navigating hospitals, where the thrill of scavenging for supplies among the rubble of abandoned rooms can be tempered by the eerie presence of dozens of undead shambling about – the regular influx of new content helps to keep things fresh and exciting.
While it’s true that some gamers can tolerate the zombie AI’s vulnerability, many others find it frustrating?
Regardless of whether players explored abandoned buildings, infiltrated high-security facilities, or stumbled upon hidden treasures, every gaming moment is documented and shared with the community. I would appreciate more nuanced notifications when disengaging with others; the chaos can begin once we’re in sync together.
Despite assembling the essential requirements for High settings and setting upscaling to TSA, the battery life still fell short of expectations in my initial attempt. Firmly narrowing down the options to volumetric techniques, particularly Nvidia’s DLSS at high quality significantly improves performance, even in densely populated scenes featuring numerous zombies. Notwithstanding, the undead present a plethora of distinct characteristics that set them apart.
As participants shift from hesitant shuffles to fluid lunges, their rubber-band movements release pent-up energy, transporting them across the ground with an unmistakable vitality that sets them apart from mere mortals strolling the earth. Frustrating graphical glitches, such as zombie heads eerily hovering in mid-air or, more disconcerting, poorly attached to their still-active bodies, contribute significantly to the problem.
While other factors significantly influence the overall gaming experience, the incorporation of chance into melee combat stands out, unless players are atop a vehicle, taking down hordes of undead enemies with swings that seem impenetrable despite the foes’ surprising climbing abilities. The melee combat mechanism is awkward, regardless of the weapon’s size or mass, making it feel like trying to swing underwater. The minimum weight of the fireplace axe gives an impression that it possesses a substantial and sturdy build.
While attempting to manage their undead vitality, the zombies in question appear to have a remarkable capacity for withstanding damage. While embracing encounters with runners, I’m open to either subtly rebuffing their advances without appearing awkward or swiftly exiting while leveraging the environment to conceal my departure. Despite their tenacity, red-eyed zombies can still be taken down with ease; a well-placed shotgun blast or heavy rifle shot to the skull renders them a mere shambling corpse, albeit one that continues to advance with an unnerving persistence, its exposed jawbone and flailing tongue an unsettling reminder of its unyielding ferocity. Painfully amusing, yet ultimately disappointing.
“Beguiling at first, the journey to the plant’s starting point quickly loses luster as you realize that a staggering 60% of the foyer lies barren, rendering the final push even more arduous.”
Tries combining the unique’s brutal mechanics and realism with an additional “mainstream” approach for a broader appeal. Despite the overall swift tempo of the gameplay, certain elements fail to harmonize seamlessly. The initial allure of a neglected beginning slowly dissipates upon closer inspection, revealing an astonishing 60% of the entrance area is indeed deceased, rendering the ultimate quest even more arduous. The zombies’ infinite respawning can feel well-balanced when playing with eight players, but becomes exasperating when suddenly ambushed from an unexpected direction – such as being attacked from behind after tediously eliminating hordes of undead from the top of a car.
Despite this, the explanation still falls short in providing a clear understanding of the perma-death mechanism. As players progress through the game, they start by acquiring a Responder character, which yields rewards in the form of XP points once they successfully extract valuable resources from challenging missions. This earned XP is then used to unlock innovative passive abilities chosen by the player themselves. If a team member succumbs to their injuries during a mission, a randomly assigned replacement responder must be selected and the operation restarted.
The lack of coordination among teammates can lead to misplaced loot, causing frustration and wasting precious time, especially in co-op mode where every second counts; the consequences of these mistakes are often irreparable, resulting in a significant loss of progress. Why not grant the freedom to personalise a random character’s appearance and abilities from the outset, allowing for a fresh start with maximum flexibility?
When the game isn’t hindered by issues such as the weapon’s automatic firing solution malfunctioning, rendering it unusable for combat, or zombies becoming stuck in the environment’s railings, the visual presentation is captivating? Frayed and battered, the undead’s fragile flesh tears open with each successive blow, revealing a macabre mosaic of exposed bone and gruesome gore as the once-living corpse takes on an eerie, blood-splattered countenance. It’s no F.L.E.S.H. From a technical standpoint, though, I’ll take the combat system as is, and despite several drawbacks in melee fights, at least the gunplay still feels satisfyingly responsive.
As Torn Banner continues to refine its approach, they may yet find a way to harmoniously integrate the sequel’s mechanics with those of the original; however, for now, their solution remains a work in progress.
The lighting, shadows, and environmental details are noteworthy, with several areas exuding an air of ambiance, such as abandoned vehicles near checkpoints, chaotic refugee camps, and bodies – both reanimated and lifeless – scattered throughout. While their puzzles may have leaned slightly towards the simpler side, such as resolving four fuse boxes to disable electrical traps and entering a building, followed by flipping three circuit breakers to restore power, they still achieve their intended effect. With additional layers of complexity woven into the gameplay loop beyond merely tending to the plant and harvesting,
Despite overcoming numerous issues and bugs, there’s still ample scope for growth and development at an early stage. Moments of intense combat, where you’re fighting for survival against overwhelming odds while trying to extract as many teammates as possible amidst chaos and imperfections? Despite a proliferation of high-quality cooperative shooters in recent years, it’s still not enough. While Torn Banner may yet find a way to harmoniously integrate the sequel’s approach with that of its predecessor, it is undeniable that significant progress remains to be made in resolving this issue.
