A Brutal Blend Of Strategy And Survival
If you have read any of my reviews over the years, you’ll know that I am partial to a turn based strategy game, and even if this is the first time you’ve come across anything I have scribbled, it is still true!
So, when I heard that Shardpunk was coming to the big black box under my telly, I was there with my hand up for the chance to review it. Coming from Retrovibe and Clockwork Pile, it promises to mix a Victorian era and Steampunk vibes into something that further combines strategy, RPG and a resource management sim. What could be better? Not much, so let’s lock and load – these rats aren’t going to shoot themselves.
A Grim Steampunk World
Shardpunk is a bit of a pixel art extravaganza. It must be about 20 minutes since I last saw a game in this style, so I’m not going to be awarding maximum points for originality. However, the vibe of the game is pretty new, with a proper end of the world vibe. That world is ripe for exploration too, pretty apocalyptic, with dead bodies strewn around the place. Luckily, a lot of these corpses may hold secrets that we can use, so swings and roundabouts I guess!
The levels that we plod our way through are quite large, with multiple paths to explore, and a variety of encounters to experience. The way the game looks is like that of a proper old school grid based tactical RPG, so everything here is good.
The audio is a bit more simple to describe, as Shardpunk features a full range of combat sound effects, from scuttling rats to a clanking automaton: exploding grenades, gunshots and squeaks from dying rats all are present and correct. However, any exposition is done via the media of text boxes, and in the middle of a busy screen, the tiny bits of writing can sometimes get lost, so I’m not always absolutely sure of what is going on. However, with a bit of concentration, and by sitting a bit closer to the telly, I made my peace with the system.
Tactical Battles And Bunker Management
The gameplay here is split into two distinct sections, with a battle phase (for want of a better description) and a hub phase. Kicking off with the battle section, these begin by us choosing what level we go to next, and in a nice touch, these are randomised each time we start a run, after the first level. Some stages feature better loot but tougher enemies, whilst others do the flip, featuring weaker enemies but less loot. You pays your money and takes your choice!
Whichever, we get to utilise the power of a maximum squad size of four: three human protagonists and an automaton. Each character comes with their own unique set of skills, and balancing these out is a good way to start to think about your strategy. Even the automaton can make a difference: there are cool ones to unlock later on, but the default robot allows us to support our other teammates by providing weapon support. Let me explain.
As we fight, our weapons generate heat, and unless they are vented, they have an increasingly high chance of causing damage should we fire them. Venting a weapon costs an action point (I’ll assume we are familiar with the basics of these games, where AP means things we can do, be it move or fight), and obviously a point spent venting is a point spent not shooting. Our default mech can exude a field that prevents the heat from accumulating in the guns, making us able to keep firing almost infinitely. Automaton support plus some Overwatch all means a killing field for any rat entering vision. This is a tactic that comes in handy when we are attempting to break open a bunker door, our ultimate objective.
Between Missions
Once we have managed to exfiltrate to the bunker, this is where the preparation and resource management phase begins. Wandering through the levels, allows the opportunity to stumble upon things lying about: medical supplies, food, scrap, even upgrade parts. It is in the bunker that we can use these, upgrading weapons, or adding new functionality to the automaton, for instance. Healing wounds, crafting things to use in the upcoming levels, resting and recuperating any stress that we picked up: time spent in the bunker is time well spent. And then it is on to the next level, and so on and so forth. Just so you are aware, death in Shardpunk really is forever, and if someone dies and isn’t revived, they are gone for good.
Challenging Gameplay With One Major Issue
But why are we crawling through these rat infested areas, I hear you ask? Well, the story of the game is an interesting one, in that basically we have already lost the war with the rats. And these aren’t standard rats either – these are man sized and carrying guns, a bit like the rats in London. We have been given a mission to escort the automaton to the Capital, and that is what we are going to do, by Jove!
Overall, Shardpunk is a very challenging game, and there is a genuine sense of achievement when you finish a level with the team intact. However, there is a caveat: it isn’t a game that seems to like the Quick Resume function on Xbox Series X|S, or any form of extended play. You see, if either of those situations arises, when you get to the end of the level, the bunker door opens but we are unable to exit; effectively the level becomes unfinishable. It’s nothing that a swift restart won’t fix, but it is annoying when you’ve fought your way to the exit to be denied at the final step. I’d happily chuck an extra half point onto the end of this review should that issue be fixed.
Worth Joining The Resistance?
Other than that (fairly major) issue, Shardpunk is extremely enjoyable. For turn-based fans, this is an easy sell, and for the rest of you, the fact that there are difficulty levels makes it a bit more accessible. A tiny bit, mind…
Important Links
Shardpunk Throws You Into A City Overrun By Rats – And There’s No Easy Way Out! – https://www.thexboxhub.com/shardpunk-throws-you-into-a-city-overrun-by-rats/
Buy from the Xbox Store – https://www.xbox.com/en-gb/games/store/shardpunk/9pdrv4j01989
