Studio Supermassive Games, known primarily by wonderful interactive Thriller Until Dawn for PS4, the recent emphasis on projects for virtual reality. I have already told you about these games like Until Dawn: a Rush of Blood, Inpatient, and experimental PlayLink project Hidden Agenda. Today we will focus on the first-person shooter under the name of Bravo Team, which, thanks to virtual reality technology, takes you straight to the field fighting in urban environments.
Game: Bravo Team
Platform: PlayStation VR
Genre: First Person Shooter, Action
Release date: 6 March 2018
Developer: Supermassive Games
Publisher: Sony Interactive Entertainment
Looking at the impressive number of games that the Studio Supermassive Games released in recent times, a reasonable question arises: will it affect the quality of end-products? Looking ahead, I will answer: Yes, it will be reflected. With each new game the Brits are paying less attention to quality control, the amount of game content and excitement of their games. Yes, Rush of Blood was a very cool shooting gallery in the entourage of hit in 2015, but Inpatient (the game is a prequel Until Dawn) to pass was extremely boring, as all the charm the original game had disappeared. Another Thriller Studio — Hidden Agenda suffered from serious technical flaws, which smeared the picture. So what can we expect in the Bravo Team?
The protagonist of the game in the detachment of special purpose accompanies Elena Toma — President of some fictional European country, reminiscent of the several States, formerly part of Yugoslavia. During the trip something goes wrong, the motorcade is ambushed, and the President is kidnapped by unknown mercenaries. This is most likely the handiwork of the General Mustapich who wants to overthrow the existing regime and set over the country a military dictatorship. The whole future of the game lies in the fact that two of the main characters have to break through crowds of enemies and save the President from the hands of the mad General, until it was too late.
In terms of plot the game doesn’t even reach the fighters in the “B Movie”. It seems that the story for the game is screwed at the last moment, and even then only “for show”. Well, to hell with it, with the plot. That Bravo Team can offer us in terms of gameplay? Here the situation is somewhat better. First, the game makes extensive use of wonderful, in my opinion, a game controller PlayStation Aim, which is ideal for first person shooters in virtual reality. Because this plastic gun is a full analog stick, and other controls, which can not boast of obsolete controllers PlayStation Move. Of course, you can play and with their help, as well as using the DualShock 4 controller, but these methods do not compare with those sensations, which will give you a PlayStation Aim.
When I take Aim PlayStation makes you feel like a real commando, who took up arms. This contributes to the fact that the gun you see with your own eyes inside the game. I already told you about the game Farpoint, which was unfolding on another planet. So, Bravo Team, I once again experienced similar sensations, though, in conditions as close to the earth. To hold a virtual gun, feeling it in their own hands, is unspeakable feeling. Firing it, however, is also very nice. You are pressed to his cheek, trying to aim as you normally do that in reality, looking through the telescopic sight of a sniper rifle, closing the left eye, and even hold their breath, making shots to improve your accuracy. In what other game you come across this?
The gameplay is a first person shooter. Move in Bravo Team realized very unusual. You are able to flit from cover to cover, just picking his crosshairs and pressing the button H. the process of moving the soldier demonstrates to you from a third party to reduce motion sickness while running. The solution, of course, debatable, but, in principle, to that pretty quickly. By default you are in the crouching position, and to rise above the shelter by clicking on the button L1 on PlayStation Aim the gun. You can peek out from behind cover, just leaning in one direction or another in reality. That’s what you have to hide from enemy fire and reload your weapon, not in front of bullets.
A big focus of Bravo Team made to command two fighters (in the game refer to them by code name “Scarecrow” and “tin man”). The role of the partner can take on your friend, who also has a copy of the game, or a random player from the PlayStation Network. To coordinate the actions of the other players available voice chat. You can tell the companion what to do next, to keep in touch in case suddenly split up and went their separate ways, to support the partner in battle, when he’s hurt or ambushed. Even if you are seriously injured, your friend will be able to quickly find you thanks to bug bomb red and patched.
If with fellow gamers you have a sharp struggle, the game will offer to take the partner of a soldier under the control of artificial intelligence. Yes, he is not as smart and nimble as a real person, however, this NPC will fire intermittently at enemies, sometimes even hitting them. He will bind up your wounds, if you catch an enemy bullet, and will even listen carefully to your instructions. You can give the partner a few types of orders, for example, to follow you, move to a specific purpose, to cover you, or can remain in place until further notice. By the way, Bravo Team there are even elements of stealth-action, when you can quietly attack the enemy from behind and quietly strangle it to the rest of the soldiers did not notice.
Control allows you to sharply turn 180 degrees in the case, when suddenly the enemy came from behind. A very useful skill, I tell you. Even if you get shot, a comrade does not rush to you for help, you have the ability to shoot enemies from the pistol. In General, in terms of variety of weapons the game does not Shine. In addition to the same gun you can carry only one additional gun, which the game just three: assault rifle, shotgun and sniper rifle. All. Assault rifle good in combat in open spaces, the shotgun is indispensable if you find yourself in tight buildings, the sniper rifle allows you to shoot enemy archers, who have entrenched themselves on the roofs of buildings. By the way, sniper is implemented in the game just fine – have not had this much fun from aiming.
Visually, the game is unremarkable, despite using the Unreal Engine. The picture in the style of “Sepia”, so it is dominated by yellow and brown shades. The city where the events unfold, gloomy and dull. It does not spoil the player a variety of locations, lots of memorable monuments or brightness of the textures. Yes, the game copes with its main task – driving to the crowd of enemy soldiers from all directions, however, if for a moment to stop shooting and look around, my heart becomes sad. It turns out that you are moving forward by bounds from cover to cover, picking up the ammo. But your eyes are extremely tired from the monotony and questionable color schemes, the selected developers.
Cons of the game for the visual component is not the end. First, there are already endemic problems with the tracking. Sometimes gun Aim tracked by the PlayStation camera is not quite correct and slightly moves down in the direction of what to aim becomes not very convenient. I have to reset the camera position by holding the Options button, during a fierce firefight is not so convenient. Secondly, the game does not possess a variety in terms of game mechanics and situations on the battlefield. Fights are fairly quickly turned into a routine, when you need to shoot, to hide, to run to the next cover and again in a circle. Occasionally you can strangle the enemy from behind or to choose an alternative route, but this does not affect the overall picture. The game clearly suffers from a lack of diversity.
Thirdly, Bravo Team is incredibly short. Go through it if you wish, and skill can be just 2-3 hours. Of course, you can turn the difficulty higher, and then you have to activate all of its hidden reserves in order to survive on the battlefield. However, it is unlikely that the game will become much longer. The situation is saved only by the fact that Bravo Team can be held together with a buddy, but for this you will need two copies of the game and, if possible, two guns PlayStation Aim. And considering the cost of the game at 2,499 rubles (with the controller in the kit even more expensive), purchasing it becomes a rather dubious pleasure.
Pros:
- Fans of fighters and first person shooters will be happy.
- The game is completely absent the effect of VR sickness.
- Well implemented shooting mechanics of weapons.
- Team work makes the game significantly more fun.
- The game can go together with a friend or AI partner.
- Another game for which to buy a PlayStation Aim.
Cons:
- The story is clearly not one of the strengths of the game.
- Visually, the shooter is quite impressive.
- The duration of the Bravo Team is a bad joke.
- Intermittent problems with the tracking.
- General monotony of the gameplay.
- A player has too few weapons.
Bravo Team is a very controversial game that can entertain fans of virtual reality and first-person shooter for one or two nights. However, do not dare to call it really high quality. As an arcade shooting gallery for a couple of hours – yeah, not bad, but as a serious Thriller, claiming the love and respect of the community of gamers, nothing. The developers from Supermassive Games at the time moved the game’s release in the fall of 2017 spring of 2018, to further its sanded. But, I think, is not in any way affected its quality. I want to believe that the British Studio will come to your senses, stop churning out low-quality crafts and instead will return to the development level hits Until Dawn (even if it is for VR!). The game gets a from me only 5 points out of 10.
A review of the game Bravo Team
Sergey Grey