The formula utilised in the first Hades is starting to become ubiquitous across the action-roguelite genre, if such a thing truly exists. I’m not saying that Supergiant came up with the setup because I know that there are games that preceded the studio’s genre-defining action-RPG. But it was Zagreus and his chthonic friends that resonated so universally. That, in turn, inspired a host of studios to follow suit and explore roguish gameplay design. As a consequence, we’re starting to see more and more studios that are taking this formula and running with it in different directions, and [REDACTED] is one such game.
[REDACTED] and The Callisto Protocol
If you don’t already know, [REDACTED] is set in the same universe as The Callisto Protocol, a particularly interesting, often exhilarating, but ultimately flawed third-person action-horror game from Striking Distance Studios. The project was led by Glen Schofield, who was also the chief creative behind one of the greatest third-person action-horror games of all time: Dead Space. Both games feature variations of space zombies – also the villains here – but in TCP’s case the setting was a prison base on Jupiter’s second-largest moon, Callisto.
I don’t think it’s unfair to say that The Callisto Protocol just missed the mark; it didn’t quite cement itself next to its spiritual predecessor in the hearts and minds of genre fans. I think it’s also fair to say that TCP boasts a rich and enthralling setting, a wonderfully grim premise, and technical excellence across many facets of its design. What I’m taking an age to say is: [REDACTED] is set in a bleak yet enticing world and it has been made by a capable group of people.
It’s not a sequel to The Callisto Protocol, however. [REDACTED] is a top-down twin-stick shooter that’s more like a cross between Hades and (excellent) sci-fi horror spin-off Prey: Mooncrash (you can read more about that right here). This new entry in the franchise takes the setting of TCP but instead of delivering another twisted third-person action-adventure set in a dark and dingy prison, Striking Distance has flipped the script and instead delivered a bold and vibrant action-RPG with a playful sense of humour and a big dash of comic book colour.
What is [REDACTED] all about then?
Each run in [REDACTED] casts you in the role of a different guard working at Black Iron Prison on Callisto. You start at home base, where you’ll level up all your abilities and gear, and from there advance into a run through different parts of the prison in pursuit of your ultimate goal: the last remaining escape pod.
There’s a huge outbreak of space zombies between you and the exit, but somehow that’s almost the least of your problems. Along the way you’re going to encounter huge mutated bosses, rival characters who hurl both insults and attacks, and even the zombified remains of your past selves. Some of these challenges are opt-in, but the rival system is rather integral and you’re always racing the game’s quirky cast to the last pod. Usually the rival encounters are quick-time events (which you can adjust in the options) but there are boss battles, too.
Nearly each room you move through on your desperate attempt to escape is filled with zombies that must be dispatched. There is an array of enemy types, but this element of the game’s design has also been slightly restricted by the source material. The creativity comes from the abilities that you can unlock over the course of your run. These can add fire and ice to shooting, dashing, and melee attacks, and if you encounter a favourable combination then you’ll really be cooking.
Comic Book Special
From an audio-visual standpoint, I think [REDACTED] is great. The graphics are smart, slick, and detailed, and the character and enemy animations are good, too. There’s a comic book vibe running through the whole thing. Overall, I’m really impressed with how Striking Distance’s design team took the comic panel aesthetic and made it work within the context of a zombies game set in deepest, darkest space.
At times the “feel” of the mission structure and the knowingly tongue-in-cheek dialogue from NPCs had me reminiscing about Keiji Inafune’s original Dead Rising. The comparison doesn’t bear much weight when scrutinised in detail as, ultimately, they’re very different games. However, both Dead Rising and [REDACTED] explore the juxtaposition between extreme violence and action-comedy, and they both do it pretty well.
While Dead Rising was a romp through a mall, [REDACTED] is a prison break in deep space. To that end, there are loads of systems to interact with between runs, and this kept me engaged as I always knew how I wanted to improve my chances. The meta-progression systems include new suits, guns, and stat boosts, all unlocked at base using resources acquired in-game. Having posters of your rivals on display is another motivating factor. As I felt myself getting stronger with every attempt (thanks to my investments) the urge to go for just one more run grew too.
Getting the hell out of Dodge
Throughout your attempts to escape Black Iron Prison you are guided by a mysterious narrator who chides you and your best efforts. This voice in your ear delivers the context for the game’s loop and, all told, Striking Distance almost manages to deliver a cohesive narrative wrapper for all that repetition. Those pesky recurring rival characters are the only part of the loop that creates an unfortunate narrative dissonance, but that side of the game is rather well implemented so I’m more than happy to let that one slide and just go with the flow.
In the headline, I mentioned a similarity between this and Prey: Mooncrash, Arkane Austin’s action-roguelite turned immersive sim set on the Moon. Therein, players were trying to escape shapeshifting aliens, and their progress criss-crossed the same base. I got a similar sense here; that despite the fact much of the experience was remixed by its procedural systems, and therefore different every time, I was still working towards something bigger and somehow cohesive.
To that end, I really liked the mechanic that lets you battle your past self. I died at my own hand, so to speak, on more than one occasion, but I thought it was a really neat twist that served the overall experience well by connecting your actions, past and present. I was reminded a little of another mechanic in another vaguely relevant game by the name of ZombiU by Straight Right, an old Wii U game (since ported and rebranded as Zombi) where your dead character remained in the game, waiting for you. The similarities end there, but I think it speaks well for Striking Distance and [REDACTED] that so many different elements have been woven together into a coherent experience. The end result is a really good action-roguelite and a great option for anyone who enjoyed Hades but is looking for something with guns and space zombies.
[REDACTED] is out on PC, PlayStation, and Xbox on October 31st. I played the game via code provided by Striking Distance, Krafton, and their PR friends, so thanks for that!
