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REDACTED is wonderfully infuriating! Its core mechanics will drive you insane, and the sense of luck over skill made me bite my lip. However, this brutality makes it brilliantly moreish. Working your way past hordes of enemies is a challenge worth taking on, and you’ll struggle to put it down.
This roguelike was developed by Striking Distance Studios and published by KRAFTON, Inc. It is a single-player title that uses an isometric viewpoint, which is great because you can easily observe every hellish arena. Like its peers, this game has a wonderful RNG base layer and some incredible temporary and permanent buffs to unlock. Consequently, there is plenty of trial and error as you achieve victory.
REDACTED tells a doomed tale.
Infected prisoners, bloodthirsty rivals, and one escape pod are the ingredients for a brutal fight for survival. This is exactly what happens in REDACTED. It tells a wonderful tale of harsh conditions and deadly individuals. What’s more, you only have yourself to blame when it all goes wrong. Consequently, you must master your skills as you explore each randomly generated arena.
You play the role of a lone prison guard. Black Iron has gone to hell and there is only one way off of Callisto. The escape pod is calling but demented prisoners and insane rivals stand in your way. If you are quick and agile, you may avoid their attention. However, this is unlikely as they enjoy causing mischief. Death is all but guaranteed and failure is just around the corner. Therefore, you must put on your big boy/girl/they pants and get on with the job at hand.
Loads of depth but brilliantly simple.
I was impressed by the layers of depth. There are loads of terminals to unlock and plenty of bosses to fight. What’s more, there are unique rooms to explore as you tackle each of the 4 main arenas. As you progress, the monsters get harder and your skills are tested. Additionally, what works for one arena may not in another. Subsequently, you must be fluid in your approach if you wish to succeed.
As you explore every gruesome room, you’ll unlock an array of temporary and permanent resources. However, true progress is hidden behind the escape pod. If you cannot make it to the end goal, you will trudge slowly through the game. Yet, once you get to the turning point, the game becomes much more manageable and your skills, abilities, and power improve exponentially.
This slightly skewed learning curve will annoy newbie gamers. However, veterans will expect this challenging and grindy approach as this isn’t anything new. What was great was the blend of weapons and the ability to get down and dirty with melee or ranged combat. Additionally, the use of environmental tools to kill your foes was spectacular.
REDACTED has a comic book edge.
REDACTED has a unique and clean style that is pleasant to look at. Yes, it is violent and isn’t appropriate for younger gamers, but that matters not. I loved the gore and the brutality. Moreover, the varied monsters and large areas were a joy to explore. I experienced no glitches and the frame rate was pretty consistent throughout. This was important as some of the battles are intense and any gameplay slowdown would have been vomit-inducing.
The audio is exceptionally loud, aggressive, and ideal for the genre. The arcade-punk soundtrack matches the level of sass and sarcasm. The narrator is a dry-witted man who loves to see you fail. His blunt one-liners were incredibly well-timed as they added salt to the wounds. If you then consider the harsh sound effects, you enjoy an uncomfortably loud game that pushes you all of the way.
Responsive controls.
I found the core mechanics to be somewhat confusing at first. Sliding, moving, shooting, and hacking everything in sight was slightly overwhelming. Yet, with some practice and the relentless search for resources, things soon clicked. Once you master the controls, you’ll adore the smooth combat and the exploration elements.
As you’d expect, REDACTED has plenty of replay value and longevity. If you can stomach the sense of loss and the early grind, you won’t want to put this down. If you find this approach to be tedious, this isn’t the genre for you. Once you get to the escape pod, you can push yourself with a hardcore last-ditch run. This extra mode enhances the challenge and is perfect for sadomasochistic gamers.
REDACTED is a great example of the genre.
I used to hate roguelike games. However, it seems that they are everywhere we look. Consequently, the genre has grown on me and REDACTED is a great indie game. The visuals are crisp and the audio is loud and in your face. What’s more, there is plenty to see and do as you experiment repeatedly. Accordingly, I love this game and I recommend buying it here! Can you survive and get to the escape pod? Choose your weapon, unlock new skills, and hope that luck is on your side.
