The rogue-like genre has never been more vital than in recent years. On the other hand, it is a type of video game that adapts well to different interpretations and bastardizations, as well as to all types of pockets. There are those with great production values and those developed by a few willing programmers, those that are three-dimensional and those adorned with a wonderful two-dimensional style.
This ferment has given rise to various excellences such as Hades, but also to an even greater number of good games which, however, always lack something that does not elevate them to the category of masterpieces. This does not mean that they are not fun or valid productions, only that they will hardly be remembered in the years to come, except by a small group of enthusiasts who for some reason have fallen madly in love with that way of interpreting the film. gender. Then there are the failures, but fortunately that is not the case. Anvil.
Anvil, also known over the years by the suffix Vault Breaker, falls into the second category. It is a game that entertained and amazed us, but as soon as you turn off your PC or console it disappears from your mind, giving way to the great productions of this delicious 2023 or the problems of life. From a certain point of view it is also a strong point, we are talking about a carefree classic, but there was very little left to make Action Square's production something more. In our Anvil Review Let's try to understand what.
How Anvil?
Anvil is a video game adventure and action Set in a post-apocalyptic world, where players must explore the ruins of an ancient civilization and fight the creatures that infest it. The title is available on Steam and on Xbox consoles in definitive format starting July 27, 2023, after spending several months in early access. During these months, the developers have perfected the gameplay that acts as glue for the weak, yet fascinating and well-presented plot.
In the not-too-distant future, humanity has found a way not to die in action and thanks to this discovery it has begun to explore mysterious ruins spread throughout the universe without too much hesitation. HE Chamber Breaker, that is what the warrior-explorers are called, they launch into action, collect relics, shoot down enemies, die and try again strengthened by new discoveries. In this way they become progressively more powerful and resilient, allowing them to go further and further, deeper and deeper, collecting increasingly powerful treasures.
With these premises ACTION SQUARE has created a cooperative roguelike Futuristic style that controls like a shooter with two controllers. In other words, you'll be watching the action from above and using the left analog stick to move the Vault Breakers, while the right to fire 360 degrees around them. To these basic actions, each character adds a series of very specific shots that define their style: there are those who love melee, those who love ranged, those who love long-range weapons and those who have a specific rate of fire. infernal. Furthermore, as is tradition, during each attempt it will be possible to enhance and improve some characteristics at random, an element that makes each game potentially different from the next.
The final objective will be to reach the end of the short sequence of levels proposed, but above all to collect a sufficient amount of resources to unlock the other Vault Breakers and improve the favorites. All quite classic, if it weren't for the fact that the possibility of playing in cooperative mode and the gameplay of the twin stick shooter make each game quite fun and spectacular, especially the gigantic final bosses.
Technique without art
You can have fun without compromise and without flashes of originality in Anvil, but the real original sin is the lack of personality of the graphic sector. The levels, made with Unreal Engine 4 and easily adaptable to a large number of hardware configurations, are too dark and without major changes from planet to planet to impress. The same can be said for the audio, well done and with a good English dub, but certainly nothing memorable.
The game is very fun if you manage to find someone to share the game with, it is a shame that after a while you feel like you have seen everything, or almost everything, and the desire to start a new session just happens. for gameplay layered enough to keep you entertained for a long time. Good support from the developers, who will not only have to fill it with content, but also soften some more critical elements (such as bosses that are too static, certain problems with the balance of weapons and enemies), could give space to Anvil. you need it you deserve it. Otherwise, as mentioned at the beginning, you run the risk of quickly forgetting the work of Action Square.
Conclusions
Tested version PC with Windows digital delivery Steam Price 20,99 € Holygamerz.com 7.0 Readers (7) 7.3 your voteAnvil is a good, fun, fairly deep and structured game, especially if played in cooperative mode. A certain lack of variety in levels and progression, as well as some improvements still missing, do not allow Action Square's work to take a leap in quality and runs the risk of making the game disappear within a highly competitive genre such as roguelikes. .
PRO
- Fun and deep gameplay
- In cooperative he gives his best
AGAINST
- Anonymous environments
- Little variety
