We continue to acquaint our readers with games news for the increasingly popularity of virtual reality helmet for PlayStation VR. Today we will talk about a very unusual game, a mixture of popular science Thriller and simulation of archery. Apex Construct takes us into the future, when everything to which we are accustomed, will simply cease to exist. And the place of humanity is soulless machines controlled by a powerful artificial intelligence.
Play: Apex Construct
Platform: PlayStation VR
Genre: Adventure, First Person Shooter
Release date: 20 Feb 2018
Developer: Fast Travel Games
Publisher: Fast Travel Games
According to the plot of the game in the middle of the 2020s, humanity has discovered a new form of energy, called Radiance. For the right to become the main supplier of this energy fought two large corporations: Cygnia and Sumitus. In the end the victory was won by Cygnia, whose scientists have begun study of Radiance in their scientific systems. Of course, as often happens in sci-Fi movies and video games, something went wrong. One of the experiments got out of control, and all covered with a copper basin. In the so-called “shift” of humanity was erased from the face of the planet, and ruins of settlements have become superficially resemble a scene from the movie “inception” by Christopher Nolan, the city is literally when we are inside.
The player plays the role of an unnamed protagonist, whose origins are shrouded in mystery. How he managed to survive in the Apocalypse? Why one hand of the human, and the second – cybernetic prosthesis? Answers to questions you no one not give. Guide the main character in the world of the future is artificial intelligence FATHR (short for “father” — eng.). He briefly explains to the protagonist that everything that survived is not entirely successful experiment and the subsequent “shift” may also come to an end. Now the other planet is threatened by a deadly artificial intelligence called MOTHR (mother — eng.). And you must be stopped at all costs before it’s too late.
For the game development Studio responsible Fast Travel Games, founded by immigrants from DICE gave us mirror’s Edge and Battlefield. The world Apex Construct is divided into separate levels connected by a special location-the hub. At their hideout, the player can take a breath, to heal, to improve your gear, get out of the cupboard was found in the course of travel through the ruined world the keys to access new areas, or choose another mission on the interactive map, and then go on the job under the guidance of artificial intelligence FATHR.
The post-apocalyptic world of the future is deserted, but not devoid of life completely. Then, you can hear singing birds, and the extinct humanity was replaced by a robot that looks like metal dogs, cats and spiders. They diligently patrol the territory of former settlements, but especially high concentration of synthetic beings in those places, where are located the scientific base Cygnia. After all, there lurk powerful servers running the artificial intelligence MOTHR that you have to destroy. But how honest with FATHR and why is he so afraid of competing with AI? The answers to these questions you will get only at the very end of the story.
The story is revealed not only in the monologues of the two artificial intelligences, but also through the numerous documents scattered through the game locations. In addition, the game has a lot of computer terminals, access to which the player will be able to learn a lot about what actually happened during the experiment that led to the Apocalypse. Terminals operate under control of operating system CygDOS that takes familiar to many of us commands like “DIR” or “OPEN filename”. From time to time you have to solve small puzzles, for example, activate various mechanisms or to find passwords to the lock terminals. Learn the darkest secrets of the Apex will be able to Construct only the most curious players, because it will have to collect all files and records.
The gameplay is a study of locations with parallel shooting robots, which is a modified bow. This bow is not only the main weapon in your crusade against the AI, but also a means of protection. Because it is built the energy shield covering you from enemy shots. In addition to standard arrows with time you will be available and other ammunition, such as arrows electric, paralyzing robots powerful discharges. To improve the parameters of his arms in the shelter with the help of a special machine, which as a currency takes a drop-down of robot Radiance-energy.
As the main controllers, the game uses two PlayStation Move. To go forward, a system of “teleportation”. You just specify a virtual pointer at a point where you want to be, and push the button. To rotate the character left or right, you have to hold down the button and wave the controller in the desired direction. At first, not very usual, but literally 20 minutes later to this technology move used to and no longer experience discomfort. Archery is in the game “sports Festival”, which was released on the PS3 and also used two Move controllers. You take the arrow, raise the bow and pull the string, as in reality. Aim is quite convenient, because you can tilt your head to the bow and see everything in first person.
The graphics in Apex Construct a nice looking and full of bright colors and the unusual design is pleasing geometric solutions (I wrote about the analogy with “the Beginning” Nolan). PlayStation 4 Pro players will get a more detailed image, but regular PS4 consoles will also be quite pleased with the appearance of the game. Music and sound landscape shooter too make a good impression. Particularly pleased that with the use of high-quality stereo headset will be easy to calculate the location of your opponents in space and time to shoot them with the bow.
The game is not without some drawbacks. Most of them are associated with imperfect tracking and not the most comfortable (or at least unaccustomed to) control. For example, if you dropped something on the floor to raise this subject again is almost impossible. You have to leave the coverage area of the camera. Sometimes teleport gets you in the corner, and then have to turn around and maneuver in order to get where you originally wanted. The game obviously suffers from the monotony, so even the interesting and intricate plot are not able to correct the overall picture. You go somewhere, then shoot waves of attacking your robots, then listen to the two monologues of AI and return to its refuge. And again all repeats on a circle in the next mission.
Pros:
- Interesting story, slowly immersing the player in the gloomy atmosphere of the future.
- Well-implemented mechanics of archery with the Move controller.
- Pleasing to the eye colourful graphics and an unusual design of locations.
- The player has to solve various puzzles and solve puzzles.
Cons:
- Not the usual scheme of motion control in space.
- There are unfortunate problems with the tracking.
- The game sometimes seems too monotonous.
On passing the Apex Construct, it will take approximately 5 hours. If you love shooters and have long dreamed about virtual archery simulator game, this game will be for you a real discovery and a welcome gift. However, if you are shitless afraid to move in space with the infamous teleport and shoot from the monotonous waves similar to each other robots, you can spend the money on something else. For example, on a fabulous VR game Moss that I told you not so long ago. However, the first child Fast Travel Games in any case can not be called a complete failure. This game has a really interesting plot and good signs for the future, in that case, if the light will be a sequel. Put Apex Construct 7 out of 10.
Game overview Apex Construct: Archer vs robots
Sergey Grey