Scars Above Gives Us Massive Returnal and Remnant Vibes
Dec. 19, 2022Scars Above Gives Us Massive Returnal and Remnant Vibes
Scars Above is a new action-adventure game featuring a scientist trapped on an isolated planet.
Coming out from the minds at Mad Head Games is a new action-adventure called Scars Above. The gameplay trailer gives us massive rogueliteReturnaland soulslikeRemnant: From the Ashesvibes. But don’t discount this sci-fi shooter as a mere copycat.
There is more than meets the eye when it comes to this thrilling space adventure.
Our story here in Scars Above follows the journey of a resourceful scientist, Kate. She is part of the SCAR organization, “Sentient Contact Assessment and Response Team”. It is this group that investigates alien life forms and assesses whether or not these organisms are threats to humanity.
SCAR is made up of mostly scientists and engineers. They are by no means a militaristic group and primarily are out on ventures of science (and probably diplomacy, if the aliens could talk).
A new structure has been sighted around the Earth, floating around in our solar system. Scars Above focuses on this monolithic creation, The Metahedron. As with any good space drama, everything goes wrong when SCAR sets out, causing them to be plunged into a mysterious, far-off alien world. For all intents and purposes, Kate is trapped, alone, and in danger.
Kate’s expertise in science and mathematics will come in useful to this new alien world. Due to her various techniques, Scars Above will have a lot of analysis, scanning, and crafting crammed in for good measure.
By scanning and examining creatures and the environment, Kate will gain new knowledge on how to exploit weaknesses or even craft new gear. Speaking of which, you will not have access to your traditional arsenal from other shooters.
Unlike Returnal or Remnant, Scars Above will have Kate hobble together or make use of various tools and items that she will learn about throughout her journey. Think Isaac Clarke in Dead Space where his first (and most reliable) weapon was a plasma cutter and ripper saw. Kate will use various batons, stun guns, and freeze bombs.
Elemental attacks will play a pivotal role as well in combat and exploration. Freeze enemies in place, stun them via electrocution, or even drop them in an ice lake with fire grenades are just some of the viable options in fights.
While it may look exactly like Returnal in some scenes, Scars Above is definitely something different. For starters, Scars Above is not a roguelite where death sets you back into the beginning. There are no time loops to speak of, nor any odd clones and past selves littering the graveyards. Scars Above is a directed experience.
Bosses in Scars Above also have a bit of complexity to them. Some of them are your usual run-of-the-mill alien oddities. Others are massive screen-shattering monstrosities that will definitely intimidate and impose. We have gigantic treant-like creatures, horribly giant spiders, and even a faceless yeti that has more teeth than it would know what to do with.
As Kate goes on her merry way, she will start unlocking more things to craft as well as more skills and abilities. Specifically, there will be skill trees in Xenobiology (for knowing how to kill efficiently) and Engineering (to make new things to kill more efficiently).
The planet that Scars Above takes place in is also truly magical, in a horrifying kind of way. We will be able to explore and analyze a wide variety of biomes, ranging from fetid swamps, frozen tundras, claustrophobic caves, and alien installations.
Some areas will be wide-open spaces that seem like they go on forever, with alien and unnatural structures, flora, and fauna.
Scars Above will also have puzzles in spades, both environmental and logical ones. The game will definitely push Kate’s (and the player’s) analytical skills to the absolute test.
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Auberon
Writer at Fextralife. I really like vanilla ice cream.
