FORECLOSED Review
FORECLOSED is a comic book inspired cyberpunk game with several strengths but too many weaknesses.
Release Date: August 12, 2021 - PS4, PS5 , Xbox One and X/S, PC
Developer: Antab Studio
Platform: PlayStation 5
Price: $16.99, Also included with PlayStation Plus Extra and Premium
Bringing comics and graphic novels to life while still making them look and feel authentic is usually best seen in a literal sense with motion comics. Also, the DCAU has faithfully adapted many graphic novels into movie format with them often replicating panels exactly as well as dialogue. Naturally, these shots don’t literally look like panels as they are not rectangular nor do they have a border. Shows like Samurai Jack did this technique excellently but it was still something you watched–not something you played. FORECLOSED is a cyberpunk game that decided to do it themselves with neon soaked visuals and a narrative told through panels and speech bubbles.
FORECLOSED released on August 12, 2021 for PS4, PS5, Xbox One and S and Nintendo Switch. This game is included in PlayStation’s Game Catalog and I was able to try it out in August of 2022. I took interest in it based on the art style alone as well as the plot. Being it was a third person shooter, it wasn’t unfamiliar territory for me and the core elements often seen in this genre are here: duck-and-cover combat, stealth based moments and environmental traversal. Unfortunately, each of these aspects has its flaws and it doesn’t make the game unplayable, but the issues are hard to ignore.
The lights are definitely on. Image via author.
The story follows Evan Kapnos who learns the company he worked for has gone bankrupt and his identity (that includes a brain implant)–which is connected directly to it–has now been foreclosed. Naturally, he must find out why and meet people who want to help and hinder him from finding out what’s really going on. This plot combines something new with something we’ve seen many times but the stylization of FORECLOSED is its biggest draw. Dialogue scenes between characters are done through speech bubbles and Kapnos’ internal monologue pops up as square boxes to indicate they are internal thoughts. The voice acting in the game isn’t the best with his voice actor really playing up the “gritty conflicted male protagonist” tone a little too much. Sometimes the audio differs ever so slightly (a “the” or “of” may be used in a different place or not at all) from what is seen in the speech bubbles and the script itself falls victim to tropes. There are multiple moments throughout the game where the comic book-like panels become part of the gameplay as we see Kapnos walk across a rooftop through the panel itself in a wide or top-down angle. This helps mix up the over-the-shoulder perspective and helps enhance immersion. Comic book-like sound effects pop up on the screen throughout the game too, such as anytime Kapnos shoots we see “Blaam!” and various other onomatopoeia for other happenings. These words are not too large nor distracting from gameplay and tie in well with the PS5’s DualSense controller
The panels and comic book sound effects are all over the game. Image via author.
The mechanics of FORECLOSED are where it unfortunately falls short. Stealth moments are weighed down by inconsistencies of how close you have to be to do a stealth kill and there’s no way of knowing when you’re truly in an enemy’s vision area even with the awareness indicator above their heads. When shooting at enemies, it (usually) takes a lot to take them down but a headshot is fittingly an instant death. “Boom!!” pops up to indicate you’ve landed said headshot. Having unlimited ammo is beneficial but the inconsistencies of the engagements overshadows how convenient this is. Aiming was difficult no matter where my sensitivity was. Combat moments in general started to get repetitive as there is only one pistol that can be used. It does have upgrades and some are mandatory for some enemy variations. As the game progresses, Kapnos also earns upgrades for his brain implant that makes fighting enemies more interesting than duck-and-cover shooting but these can be tricky to manage and balance. To access most new areas, you must find terminals and hack them. Finding these was not hard but it was tedious and it wasn’t fun. Other hacking moments only require the usage of the D-pad which is easy but still time based.
Kapnos wants answers now. Image via author.
FORECLOSED is a game that looks cool but the actual gameplay has its issues. The environments and music fit the cyberpunk style well with neon soaked spaces, rain and an EDM soundtrack that fittingly changes in tone depending on what’s happening. The story may be held back by the technical aspects connected to it, but I still wanted to see it through to the end. For fans of either comic or cyberpunk aesthetics, this title is worth giving a shot for that alone.
PROS:
Cool and consistent aesthetics
Short Playthrough (2-3 hours)
PS5 DualSense controller haptics
CONS:
Clunky gameplay mechanics
Less than stellar story elements
The Artful Escape Review
Unlike most kids I wouldn’t say I grew up on Guitar Hero. Of course, I was aware it existed and played it at friend’s houses but I never had it myself - Rock Band either. I was more interested in DJ Hero which ironically most people didn’t like. Rhythm games became more associated with phones as time went on and “walking simulators” are a genre game that’s very accessible but not always the most stimulating. The Artful Escape combines both with a heavy focus on the former.
Release Date: January 25, 2022 - PS4, PS5 | September 9, 2021 - PC, Xbox One and X/S
Developer: Beethoven and Dinosaur
Platform: PlayStation 5
Price: $19.99, Also included with PlayStation Plus Extra and Premium
Unlike most kids I wouldn’t say I grew up on Guitar Hero. Of course, I was aware it existed and played it at friend’s houses but I never had it myself - Rock Band either. I was more interested in DJ Hero which ironically most people didn’t like. Rhythm games became more associated with phones as time went on and “walking simulators” are a genre game that’s very accessible but not always the most stimulating. The Artful Escape combines both with a heavy focus on the former.
The Artful Escape originally released on Xbox and PC in September 2021 and was ported to PS4 and PS5 in January 2022. I was able to play it when it joined the PlayStation Plus Game Catalog in July 2022. I discovered the game via a recommended article and its premise and the few screenshots in the piece pulled me in right away. “Psychedelic” is a buzzword for many forms of art and it was used in pretty much every article I read about the game– and it is the perfect adjective for it. As I previously stated, it’s a linear walking simulator with specific moments where the rhythm gameplay aspect comes in. Between these are tried and true dialogue bubble segments, but in The Artful Escape the excellent voice cast and stylized tone and humor make these moments entertaining and even thought provoking. Sometimes the dialogue scenes offer a group of three responses and they do have an effect on what happens in the game but only on conversations throughout and it’s nothing directly impactful to the plot or sequence of events–no secret/alternate endings here.
Lightman has a thing for grandiose displays. Screenshot provided by author.
The story follows a character named Francis Vendetti, the nephew of a world renowned folk singer named Johnson Vendetti. His small town of Calypso expects him to carry on his uncle’s legacy but with the help of characters Violetta and Lightman and more, he learns his desires to grow beyond that are possible…he just has to escape. The game begins in his town and takes him to another universe where he meets aliens of various sizes, personalities and looks and visits corresponding planets that are just as colorful and astounding.
Francis realizes how big he has become. Image provided by author.
The rhythm gameplay aspects make use of PlayStation’s triangle, square and circle buttons as well as the L1 and R1 triggers. These sequences are like a game of memory and never are too difficult to copy especially since it repeats if you get it wrong or remain idle. There’s a color coded graphic that appears during these moments and when playing with the various creatures it appears as a natural part of their body/face which is a creative design choice. You can also play your guitar anytime you want while going through a level which will often have an environmental effect that enhances the already awe inspiring visuals. The downside is the riffs for these moments remain the same throughout the entire game. Traversing levels is quite easy with the X/cross button being used to jump and mantle various rocks and ledges. I wouldn’t quite call it a platformer because these elements are present throughout the whole game but they’re about a one on the difficulty scale. This makes just enjoying the environments and music in each level (which are often directly synced) easy to take in and appreciate at your own pace. A dedicated photo mode isn’t included–or needed– as due to the side scrolling angle and environmental design, screenshotting in the moment works out well.
Views that take up the entire screen a large part of the game’s experience. Image provided by author.
The Artful Escape is a single player experience that fans of music and storytelling will enjoy. Trophy hunters will appreciate the grand total of 13 available with seven being based on completion and the others being very easy tasks. Many have called it one the easiest platinum trophies ever and I would agree. It’s a fun game with excellent visuals that is perfect for relaxing after playing more demanding games.
PROS:
Short Playthrough (4 hours)
Accessibility
Unique experience
CONS
No replay value