
Although many elements of this game seemed rather mundane to me (to clarify, not bad in themselves, but not particularly impressive), I still enjoyed it very much. The main drawback for me was probably that it turned out to be too short.
Technical Aspects
The performance is amazing; I didn't notice any slowdowns. The game plays great with a keyboard and mouse. The drawbacks are:
- For unknown reasons, the game didn't always launch, and I had to repeat the launch process several times before I could start playing. This was quite strange, but it wasn't a big problem, as it was just a minor delay at the start.
- During the entire game, I encountered 1 crash, got stuck in one place once (I had to exit to fix it), and got stuck in the menu once (exiting helped again).
Otherwise, there were no problems, so I'll rate the port well.
Aesthetics
Initially, I was skeptical of the idea of constantly running around in a gas mask, but I got used to it over time, not least because the plot provided a good explanation for the need for them, and you don't wear a mask in the base anyway. Over time, I even started to find it cool.
There isn't much music, and it's not very memorable; the ambient music even got a bit annoying towards the end of the game.
The characters are mostly stylish and beautiful, which is definitely a plus. However, it should be noted that some outfits are an acquired taste (Mia's hat). The bosses are visually mediocre, but there are some good ones.
The game has a lot of strange weapons, but there are also many cool items, especially since all the animations in this art style look very cool, regardless of what you have in your hands, even if it's just a piece of a pillar. In fact, I spent a significant part of the game with a huge hammer, which I had never done before in games, preferring more elegant weapons. Later, I did change it to this thing and used it for most of the game:
I really enjoyed hacking and slashing mobs with a huge weapon; it also looks so cool during the run when the heroine runs with it effortlessly, slinging it over her shoulder.
Character Generator
I used to love these themes, but I've cooled down a bit over time. Maybe because I've been playing mostly Japanese games, and there the default protagonists are usually already good or at least decent, and they have more actual participation in the plot than a custom character. But! If I have the option of good customization, I will gladly use it, especially if the alternative is something like what was in, for example, Souls, where you quickly cover your face with a helmet and play.
Here, it's good, although not the most detailed. Players with specific preferences or those who want to try different options are unlikely to like it, but it allowed me to create a character with a very pleasing appearance/outfit, so I was very satisfied with it. And in general, I probably spent more time watching the protagonist than the environment.
Gameplay
The difficulty isn't so high that it becomes boring, but it's not so high that you have to sweat. That is, it's very good, although I might have preferred it to be a bit more challenging, but that depends a lot on how it's implemented.
There is a large variety of different classes and weapons, but they don't differ much in principle, except for the classic light/medium/heavy options in terms of mobility, speed/number of attacks, etc. And, as is often the case in similar games, there is almost no need for consumables, and they just gather dust in the inventory, and I didn't really get a feel for the caster classes.
The levels are not very atmospheric and not particularly interesting in themselves, but they are well made, and it's pleasant to run around them, because despite the typical linearity, you often have to use your brain to figure out where to go next; I even got lost in a couple of places, but again, it's not done in a way that causes discomfort; I completed the entire game without any help from the internet, that is, I didn't lose patience.
I liked how the "tracks" on the map, left by the character, are made. It's very convenient.
Plot and Characters
The setting is cool and moderately well-developed; the narrative has intrigue; the plot is interesting, although it doesn't take your breath away. The characters are not very well developed, but they are pleasant types, and almost all of them are good girls and boys. The antagonist is like a weaker version of Eisen, but it's okay.
Overall, I give this game