At one time, the XCOM series set the standard for all turn-based tactics and practically gave the name to the entire genre.

At one time, the XCOM series set the standard for all turn-based tactics and practically gave the name to the entire genre. However, this does not mean that other developers are not trying to stagger the pedestal. At the end of 2018, The Bearded Ladies indie studio did it especially sensitively with the intriguing Mutant Year Zero. After just a year, the team tried to repeat success with Corruption 2029, but was it worth it in a hurry?

Describing games through comparisons with predecessors is very convenient, but often incorrect. Each author invariably strives to bring to his creation something distinctive and capable of distinguishing it among a series of “classmates”. Therefore, it’s wrong to call Sleeping Dogs “Chinese GTA”, and Forza series – “Gran Turismo for Xbox”. You always need to look for something unique, but not in this case.

The history of Corruption 2029 does not pamper. From the description in the store and a short screen saver before the game, we know that the action takes place in the United States in the near future, where two groups are fighting for power. We are fighting for one of them, for which it doesn’t matter.

For a while, screenwriters have been trying to build the image of the “Orwellian” states of total control and propaganda through eerie scenery, newspaper snippets, and briefings. However, this line does not come to something meaningful, and it stalls pretty much because only one side of the conflict is told.

The only thing that animates the story is the plot twist in the third act, which was supposed to create a “wow effect” and put everything upside down. Unfortunately, by this time you completely forget that the game has a plot. Yes, and it looks somehow inappropriate – there were just dystopian political games, and suddenly a variation on the zombie apocalypse theme began.

Interesting characters could brighten up the lack of history, but with this, everything here is completely sad. We manage three augmented super-soldiers whose personality is erased by lore. That is, they do not communicate, do not react to anything, and in general are not much different from robots. Even to attach to them because of fear of loss will not work – they are resurrected after the battle.

The battles in Corruption 2029 take place in two stages, and this is perhaps the best that is in the game. First, we can wander covertly on the map in real time. At this stage, it is worth exploring the opponents – their number, weapons and location. You can also freely select consumables like first-aid kits and grenades, as well as eliminate gape enemies.

In order not to make noise, you need to kill enemies in one turn and use weapons with a silencer. One should not forget to catch only soldiers who fought off from the allies or to independently distract them and lure them. Otherwise, the victims will sound the alarm.

After finding your fighters, the turn-based stage of the battle begins. It is almost completely identical to the mechanics of the XCOM series – two phases of two action points. Each player’s soldier can perform one or two actions per turn: move and shoot, reload and throw a grenade, etc. After that, the AI ​​turn comes.

There is also a system of full and incomplete shelters, a similar set of weapons and patrol-overwatch. What distinguishes Corruption 2029 is that the hit odds calculation system. Instead of a scale from 1 to 99%, there are sharper 0/25/50/75/100%. At 100%, a miss is impossible; at zero, the game will not even let you shoot.

How honest the remaining percentages are is difficult to figure out. Apparently, the system to combat the abuse of conservation (anti-save) pre-determines whether there will be a hit when a fighter gets on the cage. In other words, if you missed once with a 75% chance of hitting, it makes no sense to restart – at least try a hundred times, the result will be one (though I personally tried it only 15 times).

Fights at a high level of difficulty by the end of the game are a real challenge. There are many opponents, they have more health, similar weapons and even have grenades. In appearance, they, unfortunately, are almost the same, just someone “fatter”. Plus there are drones that resurrect allies or paralyze enemies.

Only the preparatory stage, during which you can set mines, break open turrets and choose a more comfortable position, helps to equalize chances. From case to case, the player also has AI. Sometimes he, of course, acts perfectly, but sometimes it is frankly astounding: soldiers can lose their way to the target or stop attacking and patiently catch bullets.

Destruction of the environment can significantly affect the outcome of the battle. Most of the shelters – fences, trees, and even whole buildings – easily shatters into pieces. For some reason, cars are invulnerable. Usually the best strategy is to sit higher and shoot anyone who comes close. That’s just the opponents can blow up the shelter or even the floor on which the soldiers stand. In the best case, after this you will have to urgently change the position, in the worst – start all over again, since damage from a grenade and a fall will most likely kill the operative.

Despite the fact that increasing complexity quite successfully maintains interest in the game, the incredible monotony almost completely kills him. Nine out of ten missions are clearing locations. And in the remaining cases, one way or another it comes down to the destruction of the NPC.

The levels look pretty, even beautiful, if you don’t look too much. You can notice the various consequences of the war – executed civilians, places of torture, mass graves and more. However, all locations are similar to each other – autumn surroundings, destroyed buildings, abandoned equipment and futuristic military buildings. In addition, they are also constantly repeated, because there are only seven of them, and 18 missions.

A little variety makes pumping. Successful completion of the quest rewards the player with weapons or upgrades for the fighters. Since, as noted above, the soldiers do not have an individuality, then you can upgrade them as you like. Each has two slots for weapons and three for passive or active modifications. The latter, unfortunately, are not very many, and they do not differ in particular fiction – super jump, freezing, ram and a couple of absolutely uninteresting ones.

The Corruption 2029 combat system could be praised for the interesting development of the XCOM ideas, the expansion of the tactical component due to the preparatory stealth stage and, on the whole, sound mechanics, if it weren’t for one thing – it was all to the point in the Mutant Year Zero. Although not, some elements in the previous The Bearded Ladies game were much better done.

Combat mechanics, principles, weapons, and even animations are completely copied. However, the “mutants” still had an interesting setting with anthropomorphic animals, character characters, customization with progression, a solid story, in the end. The new game is completely devoid of this.

Corruption 2029 is an unconditional step backward for The Bearded Ladies. In isolation from Mutant Year Zero, she could be praised for her clever and sometimes skillful tactics, as well as scolded for her small variety and lack of history. But in real conditions, the game looks like a soulless stuck together in haste.