The SCARS Above team is not prepared for what they have to experience
There are many questions that still remain to be deciphered about space. The phenomena that happen millions of light years away, the miracle of life beyond planet Earth and metaphysical phenomena that we are unable to conceive have given rise to a multitude of theories, novels, and of course, video games. SCARS Above is one of them, and together with its protagonist we will live an adventure outside of planet Earth, in a hostile environment that holds secrets that should never be revealed.
sidereal phenomena
Prime Matter y Mad Head Games They are in charge of giving us this space adventure. we will embody Kate Ward, an astronaut and scientist who investigates a paranormal phenomenon that has happened next to our planet. Overnight, an alien structure has appeared out of nowhere, bringing confusion and chaos to every corner of the Earth. We, with our research team, will have to look for answers to this sudden appearance of the metahedron, although things do not go as planned.
without knowing how, we will end up on a planet far from the Solar system. There, we will have to survive all the dangers that lurk around every corner while we look for a way to escape. Fortunately or unfortunately, our investigative facet will prevent us from fleeing without knowing what is going on in this new place, and for that very reason We will continue to observe, analyze and make sense of our presence in this dystopian environment.
The bullet is our friend
SCARS Above it is a challenging adventure that Drink from the iconic From Software saga. Yes, we are before another souls-like, although this time there are tangible differences in its playable section that make it different. Our protagonist will be able to use melee weapons, but His main trump card will be firearms. that we will collect as we go along. A kind of Remnant from the Ashesbut without that frenzy that the Gunfire Games game gave us.
The power of natural elements
At the beginning of the adventure we will have a gun that emits electrical impulses called VERA, although later we will get other weapons like the thermal chargerspecialized in fire bullets, or a cryogenic Missile Launcher, with the ability to freeze anything it touches. These virtues that each weapon has will be very important, since the game will force us to constantly change attack to do as much damage as possible.
For example, there are giant enemies that we will have to freeze and then attack their weak point located on their back. We can also use the scenario in our favor. If a creature is in the water, nothing beats an electric shock so that it feels the electrodes on the surface of the skin. Or if we are on a layer of ice, a good shot of fire can make the enemy fall into a death trap by breaking the ground where he walks.
the soul of the astronaut
Throughout our journey we will find some pillars that will do the same function as the bonfires of any Dark Souls. If we activate them, all the enemies in the area will reappear. Fortunately, in SCARS Above if we die our soul will not remain anchored in the place of our death, so the pillars serve solely as checkpoints to use, without that fear of losing everything we have achieved if we die.
That does not lower the level of difficulty, far from it. We will have to be alert at all times, be precise with our shots and shoot at the right time so as not to be hit by enemies. All these actions are magnified in the confrontations with the final enemies, where everything learned will have to be put into practice. And don’t trust… Although most creatures have their weak points pointed out, it will not be easy to defeat them.
As a secondary weapon: the magnifying glass
Kate Ward will be able to level up, and with it improve your attributes or unlock new abilities. It should be noted that the use of tools and injections will also be very practical on our way, and there will be many times that we will use these secondary aids. Flammable grenades, decoys, antidotes, and other consumables They will be very important for us to arrive safely at the next checkpoint.
Not all be shots. We have already pointed out the scientific facet that our protagonist has, and this will be accentuated at various moments of the adventure where certain riddles will have to be solved. As if it were the detective mode of the last Batman games, We will be able to look for clues on the stage in search of evidence that will allow us to reconstruct the facts. A very good way to stop the rhythm between combat and combat, which helps us to better soak up the story.
I see black holes…
All of this named makes SCARS Above a very enjoyable venture, and with a story that unfolds little by little. What’s more, the adventure has a very narrative facet, without lore stranger in the middle and with an argument sci-fi very well argued. There are a lot of dialogues, the protagonist talks a lot and we will have a lot of additional video sequences. Although this brings with it several problems that we will tell you about below…
In the audiovisual section, unfortunately we have to say that SCARS Above does not achieve the excellence that we contemplate in a triple AAA. The environments are somewhat generic, and although the first bars of the adventure in our spaceship can make us understand that the game is rich and varied, the locations in its open world are simpler.
This is not worrisome if we compare it with the expressions of the protagonists, especially those that concern Kate Ward herself. It is noticeable that they have not delved into their expressions, and they will always have a very generic face, It doesn’t convey much. The same can be said of its dubbing. We greatly appreciate the effort of having the language in Spanish, although it lacks emphasis and some feeling in the most intense scenes.
SCARS Above Conclusion
Those who played Remant From the Ashes may find some resemblance to the work brought to us by Prime Matter and Mad Head Games. We are facing an adventure with the essence of souls-like, although here the frenzy of the shots is replaced by a more strategic factor where we will have to exchange weapons as the rival requests.
And even if it’s slower, it doesn’t mean it’s easy. SCARS Above is one of those games where we will have to use all the arsenal we have in our inventory, and it does so in a very fluid and natural way. From injectables to artifacts such as lures or flammable liquid. We will have to put all our reflexes into operation, as well as our precision when pulling the trigger.
It could be a rounder adventure if its audiovisual facet weren’t so austere. The expressions of our scientific protagonist are not her forte, and the stages are sometimes too empty. If we add a simple dubbing to that, they make the game not fully immerse you in the story they want to tell you. Of course, despite its failures, this is a very challenging job, which in its own way is detached from other titles of the same genre and which can be enjoyed from start to finish. Willing to know the secrets that the metahedron hides?
SCARS Above
Pros
- Good use of weapons and their elemental powers
- A well-spun story with interesting narrative moments
- Dubbed and translated into Spanish
Cons
- Its visual aspect is weak a bit…
- The video sequences look worse than the game itself
- There are combats where the difficulty peak is triggered too much