The player character, enemies and NPCs can exhibit an unusual specular sheen that looks a bit out-of-place.Īll the expected eighth-gen visual signatures are here, most notably a reliance on screen-space effects like SSAO, SSR and screen-space shadows. This is par for the course for most games, but no particular effort seems to have been invested into making these areas well-suited for a ninth-generation console. Asset quality, for instance, looks good for the most part but there is slightly chunky geometry and low-resolution textures in places. So what doesn't work? This is clearly a cross-gen project and a keen eye will spot all kinds of concessions to 2013-era hardware. Evil West stands shoulder-to-shoulder with other full-price releases of recent times, with a skilled use of Unreal Engine and a lot of artist-hours invested into this game. Coming from Flying Wild Hog's prior titles, which were mostly budget-priced, more limited game experiences, this feels categorically different and much improved. Really, Evil West's production values are just impressive in general. In motion, the action looks fantastic, particularly when lots of enemies and particles are onscreen. This is all backed up by extensive per-object and camera motion blur, which some may find excessive, but I quite liked. Every hit launches plenty of stylized blood and guts into the air, which feels really satisfying and provides useful visual feedback. All the animation work feels really polished and responsive with seamless transitions. ![]() The game blends melee fighting with fast shooting and a nice variety of special abilities and cooldowns. Evil West offers an impressive variety of beautiful locales, enlivening the campaign.Ĭombat is obviously the highlight and the results don't disappoint. It's a very action-packed game so I was surprised to see this much time and attention put into delivering a compelling narrative experience. There's a surprising amount of high-quality pre-rendered cutscenes, largely based on in-game assets but with improved lighting and animation. That extends to the game's cinematics too. Some of the vistas here look excellent and a lot of effort has clearly gone into making the game feel fresh, without really making any compromises on the quality of each area. Each level takes place in a brand-new area with unique assets and a fresh visual language, which means that every thirty minutes to an hour or so you're transported to a unique location with novel sights and plenty of interesting artwork. ![]() ![]() What truly impresses here is the sheer variety on display. Evil West's visuals impress given its AA roots, but a few smart changes could make it truly shine. This is very much an Unreal Engine 4 game - expect a heavy reliance on baked lighting within fairly static environments - but I love the way the visuals often come together. The question is, if we look past the raw pixel counts, is there an attractive game underneath - and is performance really as straightforward as a simple 30fps/60fps split?īefore we tackle those issues, it's worth mentioning that Evil West does some things well in terms of assets, lighting, environmental design and rendering quality, with beautiful environments that stretch from sandy deserts to snowed-in summits and damp catacombs. Meanwhile, Xbox Series S gets a basic 1080p30 mode. Unfortunately though, the game has garnered controversy prior to release thanks to a pretty unexciting set of resolution options as reported by the game's publisher - a 4K30 quality mode is par for the course, but 1080p60 performance modes for PS5 and Series X have concerned many. The combat system at its core is fast-paced, responsive, and fair, and the B-movie style plot is well-told through a series of high-quality cinematics. Evil West is a remarkably direct take on third-person action, a linear and propulsive combat game with no open-world diversions, no loot, no crafting, and no side quests.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |