Kiborg – 8 hours 48 minutes beat the game. I really got into this one although it is extremely jank. It’s an arena brawler meant for a controller (I used the Series X controller and it worked fine), where you are a prisoner for a game show and you go through the levels in a 3D beat em up rogue lite fashion. You start with a generic set of combos but eventually unlock a large skill tree with VERY EXPENSIVE unlocks after the first few. You can get everything from more combos (useful), unlocking synergies for parts (so important), starting with items (useful), and of course stuff like more health. I recommend early health ones, the synergy ones and the unlocking supers especially the healing one. Every level of this game you generally except for the first part get to choose between two levels according to their icon (you will need to learn them). You will learn the icon for agents quickly (a skull in an orange hue I think) as that’s how you get implants which can replace parts of your body for special skills, passives and such. Stacking same type implants will get you synergy bonuses if you’ve learned that skill. You can also get melee weapons (useful but break over time), sidearms (guns that shoot all bullets and are put on a melee hit countdown), and a primary gun (very janky first person shooting…use only from afar), coins (currency), and you unlock some other rooms (mainly upgrade stuff) and there is a heal room as well. After a few levels on your floor, you face a boss (never changes), and if you beat it you go to the next floor and their levels getting stronger in the game.
I mentioned this was janky and the movement, combat, gun shooting, parrying, blocking and most things are janky, but it’s not the worse controlling game ever. Also, you can use a button to prepare charge attacks (literally charge an opponent), and this is the only way to lock on to enemies. I don’t know why there isn’t a button for pure lock on that can be triggered, but the fights can be very janky and hard when fighting multiple enemies. The game gives a wimpier spin kick that hits more enemies, but when you’re facing strong enemies it’s much harder. The graphics, sound, music are all fine enough if not amazing. I do love the electronic music overall, but not all will. What is kind of off putting is the AI voices used in the game. The AI voices for your helper are boring, but it makes sense. What doesn’t make sense is the really off-putting voice of the villain spewing interesting stuff with an accent. I can’t tell if it is AI, but I’m guessing it is with the way it says some things. The story and characters are a who cares mess. The little cinema I got for a win made no sense at all. This is a gameplay first game.
I feel most people wont like this game a lot at full price cause of the jank and the AI voices. It takes getting used to, and I was addicted for sure. I’m moving on, but I wanted to beat the game fully at least once (you unlock difficulties and an arena). Those last areas were very hard with some very HP spongey enemies. I haven’t played a beat em up I’ve had this fun with in a while. It’s not amazing, but I will vouch that it’s a good game. It needs fine tuning, but there is good stuff here. I’m rating it higher for how it made me addicted for a bit, but for most it’s a 7/10. I’ll put it at a strong 7.5/10
