Mechajammer, developed by Whalenought Studios, is a surprise RPG announced during the PC Gaming Show 2021. We are facing an independent project that proposes a cyberpunk world developed by only two people and that draws from the hat themes already treated in video games of this genre.
No third-person shootouts like Cyberpunk 2077 with its crazy runs around Night City. No FPS-style shooting, and not even the usual story-driven adventure. Mechajammer is set in a devastated and warring colony, in an inhospitable and dangerous setting.
Gangs and raiders unconditionally kill anyone with enough money to survive an extra day. Inspired by the apocalyptic atmospheres of the first Fallout and Westeland, Mechajammer seems to have all the credentials to offer an incredible storyline.
The story, contrary to what we would have expected, is however rather linear, thanks to an uninspired in-depth study of the game world. Today’s standards, raised by more cumbersome productions of the same genre, require more pressing narratives, which know how to keep players glued to the screen.
Here, however, we do not find any main story mission capable of striking us as we would have hoped. Rather, Mechajammer concentrates its forces in a derivative and devoid of originality gameplay, implemented in a modest way.
Once we have created our character with an unintuitive editor, what opens in front of us is a video game with an isometric view that we can move at will using the arrow keys.
To move the character just click on an area of the map, performing the actions we want. As we progress through the experience and pass an exhaustive tutorial on the main mechanics, which evolve as we advance by fitting together intelligently, we discover different ways to approach combat.
Nothing revolutionary, of course, but what is proposed would be pleasant, if it were not struck by the most multifaceted bugs and by an overly aggressive artificial intelligence. The movements of the enemies, in fact, are fast and complex to be interpreted in turn-based combat, which are so fast as to be confusing.
We cannot escape from struggles or even avoid them. We are forced to face the enemy, including bosses, with the impossibility of escaping to lick our wounds and return better prepared and more aggressive. Before a fight, to avoid biting the mouse, we therefore recommend saving the game.
Who we face will often be armed with daggers and ranged weapons. We can predict an enemy attack by moving or counterattacking, using our acolytes as extra supports to get the better of it. The characteristics of the character, which we modify during the creation, also influence the events in the game world.
We can set his age and the work done, what preferences he has and what he is strong in. Nothing complex and, considering the many alternatives on the market, the result is approximate. What is taken care of, compared to the rest, is how this affects the relationship with the non-player characters.
However, there is no system of choices broad enough to make your protagonist evolve and the actions are repeated endlessly, never giving depth to a plot that offers few interesting ideas.
While the combat system barely shines, the driving one is uncomfortable. If to move on foot we have to click with the mouse on an area, on board a means of transport we are forced to use the arrow keys on the keyboard. And even on these occasions we will not be able to avoid the fighting.
Among the many abilities of our character is hacking, a well implemented mechanic. In addition to representing a great challenge for anyone who loves to try their hand at the most disparate passwords, it forces you to explore the areas in search of the right combinations. To unlock a door or a bridge, we just have to insert them in the terminals scattered around the locations, unlocking the area we intend to reach.
With stealth, however, we can hide at will in the tall grass. Although it is a nice addition to vary the gameplay, as a whole it loses its bite due to the enemy artificial intelligence, all too severe and unfair. It represents a reason why someone might stray from the title, preferring something more balanced.
Its usefulness, albeit marginal in excited moments, is relevant when we are surrounded by enemies. Alarming them and forcing them to call for reinforcements is simple, and the only wise move is to crouch in the dark, waiting for the threat to pass. Despite the good ideas introduced, the final result is not enough, especially if dying is so simple.
The art direction is inspired by Blade Runner, the famous Ridley Scott film. We visited infamous places, decaying cities and ruins of a glorious past. It is certainly the most successful part of the title together with the sound, which offers good musical compositions. In addition to pixel art and its colorful polygons, there is little else entirely positive in a work that had excellent conditions on paper.
Although the latest updates have managed to fix the situation on the technical side, the game still suffers from many bugs. Input lag, which has remained unchanged since the game’s launch, leads to some inaccuracy. And the dramatic drops in frame rates in the most hectic moments slow down the game action.
Ultimately, Mechajammer is a wasted opportunity. We wrote about it in July with a lot of interest, praising some really interesting ideas that didn’t materialize to the best of their ability.
The longevity is still generous, good news for anyone who intends to buy it at the price of 19.99 euros, high given the final result and the absence of the localization in Italian.
5
/ 10
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