DeadCore Review

DeadCore is a game that behind its fantastic presentation, sound, and graphics hides a frustrating gameplay experience only for the most hardcore gamers. It starts off challenging but rewarding but unfortunately devolves quickly into a game that tries too hard to be difficult just so it can say it is. If you're a hardcore gamer this isn't a problem but for anyone else it creates an unenjoyable game.

Gameplay

For the first level or two, this game is wholeheartedly a fast-paced platformer with some challenging segments. During this time, casual players will actually find the game enjoyable, despite being a little hard if anything. Sure, checkpoints are a little sparse and enemies get in your way sometimes, but it isn't anything too frustrating or annoying. Sadly for anyone who isn't hardcore gamer this feeling just doesn't stay as the game rapidly increases in difficulty to the point where it is nearly impossible for anyone other than hardcore gamers.

At its core, the game is a platformer with added shooter mechanics. Your main goal is to run and jump through the levels of course, but you often have to solve small puzzles or perform tricky movements with your gun. Enemies are rampant in the game, and they can launch you in a random direction, freeze you, and even shoot deadly lasers at you. The game is littered with collectibles, some of which will unlock harder but also faster routes through each level.

Sadly as fantastic as the premise sounds it is brought down by gameplay that is too hard even in the main routes and some major technical issues. The lack of checkpoints and annoying enemies get much worse in later levels. Throughout the five levels entirely new and much harder perform concepts such as switching gravity and activating generators with your gun while in the air. The checkpoints just get even more sparse, and the enemies begin to be placed in more and more random spots throughout the game. If the enemies were entirely removed from the game, personally I don't think it would even hurt the game. The enemies seem to be placed in random spots, and when you add enemies that act randomly to already hard platforming sections it doesn't make a fun game.

The game suffers from some glitchy hitboxes as well. More than once I fell through a platform I was supposed to land on, and over five times I got stuck in a box. I also had to restart level three because I hopped on a checkpoint that I wasn't supposed to and got stuck in a death loop. You can't go back any checkpoints besides the one you most recently hit, so there is no way to fix problems like that. There were multiple technical issues here, to the point where my experience was hindered.

Story

The story is not a high point in this game. It is given through cryptic messages for the most part; that and collectible "logs" that mostly contain tips and cryptic conversation. None of it really makes any sense, creating a story that just doesn't keep the player wanting to keep going.

Graphics and Sound

Graphics are a huge standout area for DeadCore as they are better than just about every comparable game for the price range. Obviously you won't find anything AAA but you'll be seeing a pretty, fluid floating skyscape throughout your playthrough. None of the textures feel muddy except when viewed from the top of the tower to the to bottom, which is another thing to mention. As you climb the tower featured in the game, you can see your progress throughout. It is a nice touch of polish you wouldn't find in many other games (that aren't open world of course.) This game graphically could pass for a twenty dollar game. For only eight dollars you get really nice graphics here.

This game offers a great soundtrack, but the actual sound is not memorable. At first the soundtrack is only a few songs but you can fairly easily collect more as collectibles throughout the game. The soundtrack feels very fitting and fast-paced, and it was a ton of fun. The sound isn't really memorable, but it isn't grating on your ears either so there really isn't much to say. In the sound department, this game offers up a nice soundtrack and that is about it.

Achievements

DeadCore has 29 achievements for 1000 Gamerscore. For those looking for an easy completion, it isn't found here. Not only do you have to complete the game in less than one hour (I'm up to six on the final level of my playthrough), you also have to find every collectible, beat the developers time on every level and spark (the unlockable "hard" paths) and power through various grinds. The list as a whole is a mix of achievements that are incredibly hard, incredibly grindy, and achievements that will need a guide. It won't be a fun completion for most.

All in all, DeadCore is a mixed bag. There are lots of enjoyable moments and good ideas, but glitchy hitboxes and gameplay that is hard just to be hard makes it hard to recommend. The graphics and sound are pretty great, but the story isn't. I'd say I would only recommend it to hardcore gamers who are willing to stick with it no matter how hard it gets. It won't be easy, and gamers without incredible skill will quickly be deferred by the game.


Game: DeadCore Developer: 5 Bits Games Publisher: Grip Digital Price: $7.99 Size: 4.77 GB Release date: July 14th 2017 For more info: http://www.grip-digital.com/games/deadcore.html
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