Despite a lackluster inaugural performance in 2022, which saw an unengaging beta and underwhelming early adopter metrics, Harmony’s potential for success remains uncertain.
Due to a lack of available participants who had reached the required level to access the game’s round-based mode, this evaluation was not prepared last week. The market has been incredibly challenging lately. While participant numbers are one factor, the real question is: Can this game hold its own as an engaging and thrilling online shooter experience, regardless of player counts? Effectively, form of. And that’s its largest problem. Typically, everything converges on a singular pursuit that may ultimately yield the desired outcome, but fleeting moments of genuine satisfaction remain an infrequent occurrence.
Initially, there was a prevailing perception that the development of Harmony required an astonishing eight years, which seems inconceivable at first glance. Despite boasting impressive manufacturing values, Harmony remains a modest endeavour. Upon initial release, the game features a robust array of content, including 16 playable characters, 12 meticulously crafted maps, and six distinct modes, which are further divided into three unique playlists. In solo mode, the ‘expertise’ is restricted to a set observation range, a standard tutorial, and five relatively straightforward time trials, all built on the same principles as the main multiplayer experience?
The assertion starkly contrasts with the sports game we acquired, which is no more substantial than a few free-to-play titles we’ve encountered over the years, sharing similar characteristics. While there’s also the consideration of the considerable effort, time, and resources invested in developing the richly detailed characters, complex lore, and intricate world-building within the Harmony universe. Intricately crafted Galactic Information provides seamless updates as you progress, boasting an astonishing array of scientifically informed details and meticulously organized text that will delight science fiction aficionados. My private idea? As time passed, Harmony gradually evolved to become something entirely different, ultimately transforming into a straightforward, numbers-driven PvP shooter. The decision to produce weekly high-quality cutscenes explicitly underscores this notion.
In all likelihood, Harmony proves itself to be a capable and proficient hero shooter. While my enthusiasm for the game’s mechanics has waned somewhat since its beta days, eight years of iteration and internal testing are evident. Each playable character is thoroughly defined, and the innovative concept of stacking team-wide passives offers exciting possibilities for strategic team-building – a feature that Marvel Rivals is already capitalizing on with greater boldness.
Despite this, I concur that certain characters touted for their agility often feel cumbersome or hindered, which is unfortunate, as gunplay remains robust across the board. I envision the sport feeling superior to play with the DualSense controller; PlayStation’s first-party PS5/PC releases indeed excel at capitalizing on the hardware, and Harmony isn’t any exception, showcasing a seamless integration that elevates the overall gaming experience. While haptic feedback was a pleasant addition, I found myself appreciating its subtlety rather than feeling overwhelmed, unlike some recent games where the feature was more intrusive.
While eliminating skill-based play can create a thrilling team-focused atmosphere in the game, this approach also allows snowballing effects to become overwhelmingly powerful unless the opposing team experiences internal collapse. In TDM-like modes, certain characters’ inclusion is jarringly problematic, as they can be game-breakers; without an exceptional team composition or early-match momentum, it’s hard to recover from their impact.
While maps often boast visual appeal, they also pose a mixed bag of advantages and drawbacks. While some 5v5 battle modes feel well-suited to their arena-like layouts, functioning smoothly and providing a satisfying experience, others appear to be rehashed co-op maps repurposed for PvP, resulting in overly large environments where stray allies and enemies meander aimlessly. Despite its polish, Harmony often falls flat, its disconnected elements failing to cohere seamlessly.
The potentially decisive strike may have stemmed from the characters’ own shortcomings, as they perform adequately but lack visual appeal overall, posing a significant obstacle when promoting a hero shooter in 2024, a daunting task in itself? Regardless of the irrelevant chatter from some individuals, this conversation revolves around something more substantial than petty nonsense. While most games in this genre boast vibrant visuals, nearly 90 percent of them lack distinct visible designs and often appear to be the result of overemphasizing focus testing. Here are the results:
Most Freegunners discover themselves drawn to eclectic, unconventional styles, often stumbling upon hidden gems in thrift stores and emerging with a unique sense of flair. While having a rich Galactic Information background can be intriguing, the average person may not find it relevant or engaging.
During the intensity of a live match, the intricacies of motion capture and realistic lighting are rendered irrelevant. You gained’t even discover them. Despite the initial excitement, you’ll soon stumble upon the uninspired and lacking visual appeal of the character designs. While evident effort and dedication were invested in these documents, their overall impact appears to have been overshadowed by external influences and market research rooted in outdated information dating back to 2019.
The PlayStation 5’s efficiency and graphics capabilities continue to raise eyebrows. Given the game’s fast-paced and aggressive shooter mechanics, one might expect a frame rate that prioritizes smoothness over visual fidelity, rather than focusing solely on 4K/60. Given the constraints of a web-based game, focusing on 120 FPS in 2K or upscaled 1080p seemed a reasonable compromise, but we’re currently limited by the platform’s inability to maintain a smooth frame rate, resulting in occasional dips under specific conditions. With the imminent shift to a free-to-play model, I’m highly expecting the reintroduction of an Efficiency Mode in the near future.
As minor imperfections accumulate, they ultimately detract from your performance in Harmony? Why settle for a lackluster experience amidst the ruins of poor decision-making, such as withholding it from PS Plus subscribers, when the game lacks a unique identity and better free alternatives exist right now?
While Harmony’s premium mannequin initially sounds appealing, its bundle lacks the necessary allure to justify the purchase, ultimately falling short of delivering satisfying value. Part of me yearns for its audience, craving enhancement; yet, this echoes another failed Suicide Squad scenario.
The following evaluation was conducted using the unique code provided by the developer for the PlayStation 5 version of the game.
