Scar-Lead Salvation (PS5)

Live. Die. Repeat. In a world full of rogue-like games, this is no longer a particularly novel concept, moving through levels, powering up and retaining your upgrades so that you can try again with new options and more powerful weapons. In many ways Scar-Lead Salvation (great name!) mirrors Returnal in form and function - our protagonist Willow finds herself in a dedicated testing facility, devoid of memories and guided by an AI companion as she makes her way through hordes of machines in a bid to secure her freedom. Each death increases the number tattooed to her face, but what does this mean for Willow? Who and what is she?

Idea Factory, best known for their RPG-based fare like Neptunia and Agarest, aren't beyond playing with their IP in different genres - the recent Neptunia Riders vs Doggoos, wherein the cast ride bikes to take on their enemies in a fun but limited format, is a classic example. To my knowledge, this anime-styled rogue-like is a first for them and Willow is a new creation, but it seems the dev team decided that this was the next new ground for breaking.

The game eases you in with its introductions, taking Willow clad in her neon anime-armour (with a cape no less!) through rooms that could best be described as minimalist. The facility is a pretty bland place, each room being patrolled by different floaty robot things that will fire at you - your task is to dodge, return fire and then move on to the next room, which curiously requires you to almost always run down a featureless, enemy-free corridor with a right-angle in it. Occasionally you might get some dialogue between Willow and her AI "helper" who seems to dodge more questions than it answers, but really it seems little more than a way for the game to load the next room in the background.

When you are fighting, Willow is a great character to control - she's nimble, able to switch her weapons quickly, jump high and even utilise a punch that can absorb the power of bullets and grant her invulnerability - it's an empowering experience as you bounce around the screen taking out the lifeless hordes. There's solid design and mechanics at play here which results in a fun and intuitive character.

Willow is lots of fun to control, her moves are fluid and easy to master

The game's first issue is the pacing in the early stages, which is pretty lethargic - the enemies don't pose any real threat for at least the first two areas. Your enemies are slow, easily predictable and underpowered, so the idea of dying and replaying a level is almost laughable. The upgrades to weapons are easy to acquire - pick up the shiny things dropped by enemies, find a machine and pop your weapon in for upgrading, or else just pick up one of the many guns scattered around the level if you explore a bit (hint: they're usually on a raised block somewhere). You also have teleporters that will take you to bonus rooms full of upgrades. 

The problem is that upgrades never really feel like they make much difference - there weren't noticeably fewer shots needed to take down a floaty robot between a level 1 gun and a level 5. I never really felt "powered up" in a way that had me rushing into rooms amped-up to spew neon death. It all just felt a bit mechanical - I upgraded guns because I could, not because I felt I needed to.

Likewise, the game's soundtrack is far too sedate. I'm fighting for my life here, and I'm offered a very quiet and uninspiring score, to the point that I had to check there was anything playing at all. It picks up a bit later on, but when the early levels feel flat and lifeless, you're in real danger of people just putting it down and walking away.

That's a shame too, because the game does have its moments - the boss fights are entertaining and provide more of a challenge, with bullets aplenty to dodge and some actual tactical thinking required. No surprise that the game released a boss fight trailer at launch, because this is really what you're playing for, a chance to take on gargantuan baddies by flipping around the screen and unleashing your arsenal. In these moments the game looks and feels fantastic, Willow's aforementioned excellent controls just work beautifully with the on-screen carnage, it's just a shame the game feels so sluggish between these main courses. Honestly a boss-rush mode would be the best way to play.

The boss fights are fantastic and where the game absolutely sings - sadly getting to them isn't anywhere near as exciting.

So it's a mixed bag - it feels undercooked, as if the developers looked at Returnal and said "hold my beer", having unfortunately already imbibed a bit too much and drunkenly putting out a game that really required a second look with some asprin for the hangover. If the levels were tighter, the atmosphere more urgent and the upgrades more impressive when upgraded, you'd really have something special here.

I like the game's ideas, controls and bosses so I really, really hope they take a good long look at this game and return with a sequel. As it is, this is a game that will likely sell on its anime appeal, because in terms of gameplay, this is lost in a crowded market of rogue-like games that just do it better.

With thanks to the developer for our review copy.