SEVERED STEEL: Review

Each month, the industry pleases the audience with dozens of various news – sequels, prequels, remasters, rethinking the classics, only manage to read the editorial. And although many premieres look curious, a rare announcement is able to cause a strong response in the soul spoiled by masterpieces: after so many years everything looks familiar, beaten, as if the most interesting is behind. Over time, there is a suspicion that only a miracle can get rid of gaming apathy – but in fact, only one shock trailer is enough no less than a shock action movie.

Nothing superfluous. No CG-vakhanalia instead of real gameplay. Only one and a half minutes of brutal action, spectacular acrobatics and tracting “slow-m”. Who shoots at whom, why, and why the heroine has a blaster instead of a hand – no matter. What is happening is terribly spectacular. And this is the main thing.

Direct the ardor

Some games are born in spite of. Contrary to accessible technologies, budget, common sense-it’s scary to think how many small teams later and blood brought an ambitious idea to the release that she would ever find her spectator. However, hits are born not only from a blind pursuit of a dream.

A few years ago Matt Larrabi (Matt Larrabee) dreamed of going down in history with the help of action in the open world. Founder Greylock Studio I wanted to conquer gamers with the scale, entertainment, voxeles that can be broken by a whole pile of amazing mechanic – but it is difficult to arrange revolutions when the staff of your company consists of one person. Reflecting on the failed debut, Larrabi He wondered with which any novice creator faces sooner or later: “What can I pull in this case?»The answer was not long in coming – the chamber first -person shooter.

The point of reference was the most destroyed environment – at first it was it that was the main “chip” of the newly -minted FPS. However, this turned out to be few. As the project is developed and other important details: inspired by f.E.A.R. and a Superhot effect of time slowing down, now popular with cyberpunk setting, acrobatic manners worthy of Mirror’s Edge . And in the center of everything, a harsh heroine stood up – a one -armed mercenary, who, in the best traditions of John Wick, instead of reloading, prefers to change the weapon right on the go.

Due to the music and appearance of the central character, SEVERED STEEL, sometimes seems to be an unofficial branch of Ghost in the Shell.

This collection of borrowings and the complex background of its creation are the idea that the project is doomed to quickly oblivion. Like, behind a beautiful wrap, an ordinary low -budget dummy, which are so many on Steam, is hidden. But no. With the world on the thread, the small studio GreyLock managed to collect an extremely curious work – if not to say anymore.

To the mercy of fate

SEVERED STEEL tells about … something. It is difficult to clearly outline the synopsis when stories in the action movie are given from the force for five minutes. A girl named Steal wakes up in a mountain of garbage, discovers that she has become a cripple, and goes to the war against the offenders – such is the institute, and until the very last shot, the script will no longer throw food for the mind. No notes and audio days explaining the essence of the conflict were also not brought: the warrior does not have time for such trifles, she should be punished in impudent corporate.

The avenger is not able to recharge – having shot all the bullets, she sends an empty barrel to the face of the nearest opponent and automatically selects a replacement if she is lying nearby.

Fortunately, the loss of the limb practically did not affect the militancy of the main character – even without the second five she is fast, cold -blooded and deadly if a pistol is in her right hand or that is worse. However, her main weapon is not at all taken from the floor or someone’s belt, but an incredible, almost supernatural dexterity: running along the walls, making crazy somersaults and pirouettes, the mercenar is absolutely invulnerable-the warriors standing in her path, fortunately, about this almost about thisdid not hear magical convention.

On this, perhaps, everything that can be said in the part of the gameplay: the Style is worn on office buildings and penthouses, jumps, mows a variety of soldiers, like grass and slowly picks up to the main villain while the bullets whistle past her head. The scenery alternate, new types of opponents arise on the way to the finale, and over time, a blaster appears in the spirit of Megamen at the place of the stump of the mercenary, but the essence remains unchanged. Straightforwardly, you can’t say anything. And this, if that, is only a plus, because local shootings are miracle how good.

Each murdered enemy restores the girl’s health (which is called success here) – so designers motivate to climb into the very bake and struggle, as if neo.

For nothing SEVERED STEEL It is very concise conceptual (run-fly-fir-pinay), and the vast majority of levels are easy to defeat literally in a minute, any action scene is infinitely re-played. Yes, each segment has points of entry and output, but what happens between them, in what order the corpses fall and where, solve only the gamer-director. To break the door, fly into the room of Aki Max Payne and cross the bastards in flight, until they even managed to turn around? Or blow up the wall and carry past the formed hole, pouring everything and everything in the room with lead? And what about lure the reptiles into a large hall and recreate the scene in the lobby from “Matrices”? Do what you want – this is not so much a linear fps as a sandbox, in which instead of shovels and a leash you need to have fun with the help of rifles and machine guns of different stripes.

Interestingly, however, something else. Although the shooter does not have a clear system of ranks (sad omission), and glasses are taken into account only in the side mode of the “shootout”, the authors skillfully motivate to experiment with the environment and opponents, to go at risk, even if it is pointless. This is partly the merit of the heroine’s incredible abilities, but in fact the reason for all the competent design of each level – countless windows, loopholes and balconies excite their imagination, inspire acrobatic exploits. You can, of course, sit in the corner and wait for every villain to come for his portion of lead, but how attractive that inconspicuous ventilation hatch looks-the soldiers were surprised when the Valkyrie with a shotgun in his right hand will slip out of it at full speed!

After especially hot battles, locations begin to resemble Swiss cheese – the destruction sometimes dictates the course of the battles very much.

, Oddly enough, makes his contribution to the fascination on the screen, oddly enough, budget. SEVERED STEEL constructed on the basis of Unreal Engine 4, it does not slow down, does not fly out, but outside the special effects and stylistics it looks well -deep, and the physical model resembles the European trash of the end of the zero. The doors are falling apart, as if made of cardboard, corpses are ridiculously flying away after hits, the heroine’s head now and then stucks in the window frames … But here is a paradox: all these crazy, not amenable to explan the flight, her talent to change the direction of the jump directly in the air and instantly slow down downhead (yes, it happens and such) make the Cyberpankovsky fps only better. They add to him a flalor of unpredictability and adopt him with the Hong Kong action films of the 80s, whose madness (coupled with contempt for the laws of physics) has long been included in legends. Even when the mercenary dies due to the fact that she accidentally flew into the abyss between two trains rushing along an endless tunnel, this only amuses. There would be something to be annoyed-the levels are short.

All this good is plenty of in the story campaign, but it is felt more likely to be warmed up-in its own way delightful, but a little rustic. The entire genius of the novelty is concentrated in a “shootout”, where on already familiar maps they give not only to polish their skills in killing hostile warriors, but also to turn on a dozen modifiers of one another brighter. “Big heads”, “low gravity”, “triple threat” .. Larrabi Even provided frank perversions like the Mutator “Paul is Lava”, which serves as an excellent occasion to practice virtual parking. Nothing can compare with the rush of adrenaline, which you experience, jumping by the grasshopper on the weapons and maneuvering between bullets, grenades and missiles in search of a not yet used barrel.

Smumble through a soldier with a shield, steal a spare gun from him and put a headshot upside down in a slowdown – even F.E.A.R. This was not dreamed of.

And against the background of the above, the claim “besides shooting is there is nothing more”, which arises at first, after an hour or two, it seems frankly sucked from the finger. Yes, theoretically team Greylock Studio I could throw in the campaign of mini-games, collection objects, stealth segments, other Mishura, familiar by the standards of the industry, but all these, without a doubt, would inevitably begin to pull the blanket over, distract from the main attractions of the futuristic action movie. The variety is simply not brought to good variety – and Larrabi I understood this perfectly.

Burning steel

Naturally, SEVERED STEEL Far from the ideal – a rare budget FPS from a little -known team does without annoying misses. However, here with the novelty is not so simple: bugs bugs, but really serious shortcomings are surprisingly small.

Among them, for example, the script is or rather, its almost complete absence. The heroine got up from the mountain of garbage, the heroine went, the heroine nailed and left – even the original doom at least offered the walls of the text describing what was happening in hell and head in the course of his incredible adventure. Yes, high art did not smell there either, but you can’t argue with some kind. And here even the tie outside the battered “they wanted to kill her, now she goes to take revenge” as if it were shrouded in a fog of war. Who is she at all, this styl? What kind of corporation threw it to their fate? Who helps her and what a mysterious wall through which the heroine breaks through in the finale?

On the other hand, unexpected barnpuncticity has a kind of plus: like the rest of the “b-hide” militants, here the story never rises across the main thing-action and acrobatics. There are concentrations, there are conditional villains, but more for immersion and it is not necessary: ​​if desired, plot threads can be weaved in your head. In this regard SEVERED STEEL Easily superior, say, Superhot with her strange claims to the narrative – indeed, let the designers concentrate on battles better.

In the separation of context, many personnel seem completely unreadable. Where is the floor, where is the ceiling? What is happening and why the staircase looks so comical? In motion, fortunately, there are no problems: no one even prevents you from removing/adjusting many visual effects if distracted.

But what the shooter really lacks is additional modes. “Single” passes in two hours, all the content of the “shootout” opens in three – and nothing else is the creation GreyLock unable to offer. What, I admit, is a little surprising: only the regime with the endless hordes of the villains would be enough for the eyes. Over time, the problem will surely go far into the background (talented craftsmen will find the use of levels to a very sensible editor), but so far the content is slightly disappointed. Everything that is is fine, but I want more. More!

As for the gameplay, it is completely perfect – mechanics complement each other perfectly, nothing more, amenities just right. It only draws to find fault with the arsenal: there are a lot of guns, but many of them are felt as “repetitions”. Automatic machines shoot plus or minus the same, two types of heavy pistols finish almost any enemy from a pair, a maximum of three hits and differ only in the design. Here would be absorbed from F.E.A.R.

In a word, the game with disadvantages. SEVERED STEEL It works well (the frequency of frames sags only during battles with the hordes of opponents and monstrous destruction), looks good, offers a lot of settings of everything – if you find fault, then to real trifles. It’s not bad, especially since this is not a blockbuster-longstroke, but “just” someone’s ticket to the Premier League.

There are many games with a unique or at least entertaining concept in Steam (and on any platform). Their pages are full of beautiful screenshots, descriptions promise an unprecedented gameplay, but in fact, alas, they turn out to be a zilch, a curious, but unsuccessful experiment. Many novice teams fall into a trap of their own ambitions – fortunately, Greylock Studio I managed to avoid it with brilliance.

Spectacular, exciting, simple in development and stylistically verified – SEVERED STEEL Absolutely stunning: this is the same shooter about which fans of Max Payne, F.E.A.R. and Vanquish dreamed for many years. Yes, technically he was far from perfect, and the plot with the script was written as if on a napkin on lunchtime, however Matt Larrabi the main thing was to catch the spirit “Cool cooked”, “John Wick”, “Raid” and carefully reproduce it in the format of cyberpunk-FPS. Dozens of much more experienced designers tried to achieve this – but by no means everyone succeeded so much.

Pros: magnificent gameplay;good visual style;excellent and complementary mechanics;a variety of game situations and scenery;Solidly balanced complexity levels;sensible soundtrack;accessible management;abundance of settings;built -in levels of levels with great potential;translation into Russian.

Cons: missing plot;light lack of content;budgets;Small technical roughness.

SEVERED STEEL

The best comments

I understand the claim.
I only note that different genres have different criteria. The action is valued in the militants, how harmoniously the mechanics work, the presence/absence of something superfluous, reiglable. In RPG-a scenario plot, characters, wins, role-playing system and variability.
I did not play in the full version of Wrath of the Righteous, and I am ready to believe that this is a wonderful game (I played Kingmaker and it is cool, I even took the console version in the box to put on the shelf), but I will not undertake to discuss the opinion of my colleague, especially sinceI didn’t even read his material. Specifically, my task was to assess the shooter as a shooter, just all. At the same time, I even painted in the text why the absent plot is, although a minus, but not categorical, and the lack of content can be fixed by modders, the benefit of the game in the game for this is. Set out his point of view why the gameplay is beautiful and deserves the highest praise.
My opinion is not absolutely, it is just a guideline for those who are interested in the genre, they say, this game, you need to look at it first, in it (it seems to me) everything is done absolutely correctly.
You can disagree with this, I do not pretend to be absolute truth.

And when the developers work minimally on the plot, just so that it is, players begin to begun that the plot in the game is bad, and it was already possible to do without it.

Pathfinder: Wrath of the Righteous is one of the best RPGs developed by our Russian studio. Booking!

It turns out, the passer with the reviewer was simply unlucky. There would be someone else, would put amazing. Like, for example, a black book that received amazing only because Catherine really liked the game.

I really did not think that the review of this game can be written without mentioning Ghostrunner: 3

I will not undertake to discuss the opinion of my colleague, especially since I did not even read his material

In RPG-a scenario plot, characters, wins, role-playing system and variability.

But then you dig him. : D

Just one reviewer, first of all, evaluates the main components of the genre, turning a blind eye to the mediocrity of secondary ones, and the other decides to catch on secondary and side.

And so, SG he is more about jrpg, they forgive them more.

Well, assessment, tin.
The whole concept:

We run along the walls, use sliding in the tackle and “Jerking with a shift”. This is our protection. Enemy shells do not cause damage to the player, even if they fall at the moment when he is in one of these three states.

to kill enemies in the framework of this Uber of a quick shooter, we use Slow Mo. The player can have a limited time in the MO SLOU, but the murder of the enemies is replenished. Each murder is also restored by HP.

You can also grab the weapon from the enemy from the holster and other little things.

Conceptually non -proceeding. But the variety of game situations built on this concept is minimal. In 90% of cases, these are a battle with ordinary enemies, against which we act the same way – we try to be in three protected conditions and a strip of Mo Slop (do not spend in vain, but try to activate it at the time of the skirmish with enemies). The remaining 10% is a battle with the only boss, a little level with flamethrowers, pain points of a pair of types of rare enemies that can be ignored, level for a while, maybe something else … everything else … everything. This is precisely “amazing”? I did not play a shootout, since after the first hour the campaign was eaten and played out to stupidly pass.

Come on obvious examples. It turns out you put this game in a row, for example, with Katana Zero (also a short indie conceptual with mechanics of Slood MO). Need a shooter? You her, let even one or two rows below, you can put DOOM Eternal outlet? Even the recent not-sinful, but still complex Deathloop is “commendable”, and this concept on the knees “amazing”? Ghostrunner also stands “commendable”. Well, let’s even more than a little more objective.

SEVEDED STEEL SEVTRACE FLOOTING DOOR, really suitable. For true lovers of directions such as IDM, Drum’n’bass, Techno, Lowfi, Ambient, this set of music in the amount of 42 tracks, perhaps it will be a “breath of fresh bit”.

Well, so everyone liked Pathfinder who was in the subject, but about subjectivity … Why give a person a genre into a burden and he whines about the “complexity”? Hence the righteous anger)

And if Diflop with Catsius seeds?

But the variety of game situations built on this concept is minimal.

In part, therefore, the relatively short duration of the game is a plus. The levels are fast, in their own way open to experiments (not always imposed by designers, which is important), with different entrances-outputs and the ability to make holes in the walls (which is why lingering in one place is dangerous, the enemies or the player himself could perfume the walls).

There are several types of ordinary opponents – ordinary soldiers, soldiers flying and with missiles (who break obstacles faster), soldiers with grenade launchers and armor, who must be sawed for a long time. Plus, flamethrower, who can only be sheated in the back + 1 boss with the same principle, but every now and then includes a force field and even faster the collapsing environment.
Although there are not many situations themselves (as I said, everything comes down to “kill everyone”, minus a couple of moments, when you need to run away or run away for a while), all the variety of gameplay make locations and the use of enemies on them. Some vertical and open, some with hymims like lifting the heroine of fans into the air, in the episode with the train it is necessary to take into account the abysses and enemies (including flying people who can fall from anywhere), the scene with the flamethrower gives an unusual weapon and the flamethrower andexercise.
The “shootout” has the same locations, but the enemies on them are remicked, and the challengi force them to use some mechanics that you do not pay attention to the course of a single campaign (plus you can include restrictions or simplify life as you like).

To be an excellent game, you do not need to sculpt cheap diversity and thousands of a mechanic, some of which, like the bone, hit the throat, and part for a checkmark, just take a handful and mix them well to achieve an integrated effect. The author wanted (according to him) to ensure that his player feels like John Wick. He succeeded. And the author wanted the player to have fun as it was convenient for him in the framework of almost movie scenarios. What he also managed to do.

And “in 90% of cases, these are battles with ordinary enemies, against which we act the same way” – this is how you can describe almost any shooter, any action, from the first doom to Titanfall 2. Even without exaggeration like “you walk and shoot everywhere”, I’m talking about tactics of handling enemies and rhythm/structure. Although I guarantee that in response I’ll get an explanation that there is no, “you can do it like that, such as a setting, here are the setpings, and these enemies do this, and the design of the locations dictates the dynamics of the battles”-approximately as I described the alignment withenemies, locations and their purpose in SEVERED STEEL.

Is there something frankly superfluous in the game? Somehow, everything in it is in the field, from the flashing of the weapon, when the cartridges end, to the doors that can even be quietly opened, and not just knock out with your foot (which helps in some scenes at the highest level of complexity). Is there anything that frankly does not work in these mechanics, something that interferes with the idea? In my opinion, no (even the brokenness of physics helps the player rather than interferes with my observations, although the mistakes occur). You can even say that the stunting works too well, because of what to walk on foot, on the floor, there is no need at all. And this is the main thing. These two factors.

Minimalism and conceptuality have the right to life and have the right to high estimates, if they are made, although on the knee, but with straight hands where it matters.

The concentrated minimalism of the SEVERED STEEL, which simply does not have time to get bored or something more complex, but with unsuccessful solutions (not in the most basic concept), leaving the sediment on the impression of the same conditional player.

I am strictly for the first option, although not quite against the second. Just if you choose, it is better to concentrated minimalism in the spirit of Portal (it is in this regard as an unsuitable ideal – short, ideological, not complicated, not simple, memorable and without a single extra detail at all).
In between, I play many different old “conceptual” games, forgotten and not very. Recently, for example, was FRACTURE, an old shooter, in which the main feature is the ability to control the ground. She is pleasant. But she is surrounded by a banal, protracted, boring game that harnesses for too long and in which there is a lot of superfluous (but the necessary genre at that time), like a segment with riding. I liked the idea, I liked the moments where this idea is played, but the abundance of unsuccessful solutions sunk it in my eyes.
And I have seen this many times, in different variations, with different extra elements. I really love Superhot, but when, after the hot action scene, the authors begin to drive the plot (with not just in katsen, you have to walk there, do something, “interactive”), this spoils the impression of the whole game. It was as if the authors were ashamed to release just a laconic concept-concept and somehow raised a narrative in the worst traditions of the Internet cryptipast.
SEVERED STEEL is more advantageous in this regard: yes, I am shouting the plot, but it does not distract and does not pull the blanket over himself, and mechanically the game motivates me to “break away”, take risks. Here is a scene in a hospital with a bunk, just like John Wu, here are two trains, here is the classic “reflect the waves”, here is a flamethrower, here is a scene in a club with a dance floor, as in any self-respecting action movie. As a result, I remember almost every level, and not only because there are few of them (20+ pieces, normal), but because there is something in each, whether it is the first appearance of some kind of enemy or a feature of the decoration.
I liked how GreyLock ultimately did not abuse anything, delighted either with vertical levels, then large areas with snipers, or invisible enemies in narrow spaces, then a sudden boss in which mobs were felt not so much an annoying dancer, but a source of weapons and health (although II can’t imagine how to pass it at the highest level of complexity, where they kill from one hit).
It is clear that I speak only for myself: I did not have time to get tired of the game and her wisen, and then he willingly asked everything in bonus mode until I opened everything that could.

If anything, I am aware that the assessment may seem controversial, especially against the background of “commendably” much more loud releases of autumn. I would prefer to do without assessments at all, they do not like them, because they only distract people from the main and the dispute in the end moves in absentia from “this is a really cool game” to “why this game received a cooler one than that otherIt is also cool, but cool otherwise and can be somewhat losing, who knows, game. “.
As I said, I do not claim the truth in the last instance, each person has his own coordinate system and someone’s objectively “objectively” for another person is absolutely “subjective”. My case is to note the merits of the authors (and in this case I believe that this is a very strong debut), to state my point of view and justify the assessment, and, finally, direct the views of the genre lovers towards the game, which deserves attention 100%.
Whether it will like it or not (and whether a person agrees with my argument) – who knows, but everyone should look at it. Laconically, briskly, moderately beautifully, with great potential for development from the community, for their money (and on your budget) impressive. Hence the “amazing”.

I have one question – what are you still doing on SG, if you don’t like the reviews so here? I would go to the DFF, or what did you praise there if there is much better there than here.

I will translate to the language of food so that my claim to the commentary is clear.

This parf is amazing?

Bifstek is one of the best meat dishes, and even cooked by our cooks! And he is commendable!

It turns out that Bifstez was lucky with a critic. If someone else would have been-I would definitely put the Bifstes amazingly, and Parfa would be commendable.

I now ran and I have the feeling that the subject is a sour ghostrunner)

Until it comes in.

On the other hand, Kena was bought on my curling iron. So if the Siew Steel does not go on the second attempt, she will go to the refund and go to Ken.

In this case, you just don’t go)

Yes, it is still ridiculous there that no matter what side the heroine slides, she always slides forward (even if it slides back), looks very nice.

No, it’s just my view of the main thing in the genre, I am without rear thoughts) I will get to Wotr in many years, when DLC and Enhanced Edition Plus will be there already.
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