We are happiest when playing a game set in space. For some reason it all feels comforting, with all the tech and the clean corridors, the spectacular views to the outside. The realm of possibilities seems endless.
But we’re long enough in the tooth to know that the tranquillity never lasts for long; the ship you frequent gets hit by something, leaving you to run to safety as aliens arrive and all hell breaks loose.
In Scars Above that space travel does go wrong, of course it does, but the reasons are more complex and unusual than what we are used to.
The story, sense of atmosphere, and intrigue are strong in Scars Above, pretty much right from the beginning. You start the game in the space shoes of Kate Ward, an astronaut/scientist working for NASA, currently in orbit around the world. But she and her team are not alone. A strange huge alien object has appeared in Earth’s orbit and the team has been sent to investigate. This item has been named the Metahedron and as the investigation begins the whole team is transported into an alien world. It is here, in this world, that you travel around trying to work out what has happened to your crew and how you have been transported into this strange place. Soon strange creatures come to try and kill you, as others try to tell you something…
The narrative and world-building is the strongest part of Scars Above, as the game delivers a meaty, well-paced adventure that can feel different at times from the usual affair. The adventure is a good one with some interesting lore and a good central character to centre its story around.
Played in the third person, you’ll find that Kate is a scientist rather than a marine which makes sense in the gameplay loop that plays out. But let’s not beat around the bush, Scars Above is challenging, even on the lowest of the three difficulty settings. However, it’s not like Dark Souls and Elden Ring in the way that they are unforgiving at times – it just needs some thought and scientific intelligence.
You have a weapon that has several different attacks on it and you can also add elemental attacks to complement. When faced with a range of enemies you – as a scientist – get the opportunity to scan your enemies, hunting down the weakest spots and checking out the environment around you in order to take a creature down. There are also structures dotted around, like monoliths that when activated save your progress at that point, resetting your ammo and health. These are like the bonfires in Dark Souls and will reset some of the enemies on your next run.
Ammo is short of supply in Scars Above though and you’ll constantly find yourself in tight situations, utilising your dodges and other skills wisely. I enjoyed the fights and once the rhythm clicks and you understand the arsenal you have on offer, there is a lot of fun to be had.
Scars Above comes with some puzzle solving and exploration too; enjoyable without breaking the brain. There are moments when you have to follow holograms like a detective to understand what has happened to other scientists, working the path they went along. In other moments you scan a strange creature to discover the properties of its powers, using them as your own. There are enough different diversions and encounters to keep your interest topped up in the gameplay throughout.
However, whilst Scars Above isn’t a triple-A game, I do think the visuals do a good job with some lovely breath-taking moments found in the backdrops and some fascinating creature designs playing out. Perhaps the colour palette gets a bit samey throughout, but you’ll not care too much as the game finds something else to surprise you with. The characters are well-drawn and I enjoyed the world-building in terms of visuals.
The soundtrack boasts an impressive sci-fi set, full of tension and wonder. There are some great effects throughout, from the bleep of a machine to the growl of one of the alien beasts. The voice-over work is good too – there are some solid performances that play out.
Scars Above is a challenging game that has a lot to offer, with a price that fits its ambition. The story is original and there’s some good space drama going on. I like the scientific slant of the narrative, rather than tackling things as a gruff marine. The exploration and detective modes on offer are highlights too. That said, the fights are tricky and might put some off, what with a lack of ammo and some repetition. But overall there is a very good game to be found in Scars Above, with some lovely ideas and good execution.
Scars Above is on the Xbox Store
