Conglomerate 451 review: An average cyberpunk dungeon-crawler

Conglomerate 451 Source: Windows Cardinal

Though the cyberpunk genre isn't new past any stretch of the imagination, a lot of eyes are on it thanks to the upcoming Cyberpunk 2077 from CD Projekt Reddish. While we impatiently look for that, other game developers take capitalized on the interest to tell us unlike stories and set u.s. on new adventures. One of my favorites to do this is Observer.

Here comes developer RuneHeads with a new spin on cyberpunk with Conglomerate 451, a — and bear with me here — procedurally-generated grid-style turn-based dungeon-crawler roguelike. Say that five times fast. Anyway, this game looks the part with neon, rain, and cybernetically-enhanced humanoids. But just because you put on the costume doesn't mean you'll human activity the function and that's where Conglomerate 451 fails to grip me.

Average cyberpunk

Conglomerate

Conglomerate 451

Bottom line: While a visually cute game that checks all of the grungy, neon-bathed cyberpunk boxes, Conglomerate 451 fails to go out a lasting impression after the kickoff couple of hours. The premise is interesting, the gameplay is fairly average, merely something is missing.

Pros:

Visually gorgeous
interesting spin on genre
Stiff kickoff couple of hours

Cons:

Boring after some time
Little incentive to endeavour new things
Uninspired gameplay
Plot falls flat

What I liked most Conglomerate 451

Conglomerate 451 Source: Windows Cardinal

Let it be known that I love cyberpunk. From the twenty-four hour period I saw Bract Runner and read Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep to jumping aboard the Cyberpunk 2077 hype train, I've been all for the neon, rainy weather, technological dystopias, and the crushing hopelessness of capitalism gone awry.

Conglomerate 451, with its obvious nod to Fahrenheit 451 past Ray Bradbury, nails the cyberpunk look. Each surround checks every box, looking quite stunning in their brilliant and frequently wet glory. I actually liked exploring these environments, wishing I could have more time to look around instead of post-obit the set paths. When I did take the chance to explore, I had a great time checking out different rooms to find new loot.

Though Conglomerate 451 isn't my genre of game, I had fun for the first trivial while. While I've played other giants similar Legends of Grimrock and XCOM, Conglomerate 451 seemed more appealing to me just for the aesthetic alone. I capeesh what RuneHeads crafted, though I wish in that location was more variety in the environments themselves.

Overall, Conglomerate 451 has a strong first couple of hours. The story takes place over the course of 75 weeks, a mission for each calendar week. Yous play the director of a paramilitary arrangement that'south been tasked with destabilizing the rogue corporations which have taken over the district 451 in the urban center of Conglomerate. Though the setting is a bit heavy-handed, unlike say the original Mirror's Edge, it's not bad, simply no 1 will chalk information technology up as telling a groundbreaking story in the cyberpunk infinite.

What I didn't similar about Conglomerate 451

Although the showtime few hours are fun while you explore all of the game's different systems, once yous settle into the routine, Conglomerate 451 reveals its truly average nature. I'll explain.

Equally the director, you lot're in charge of an impressive facility consummate with extremely advanced technology, including the power to instantly create clone soldiers. Each clone represents a different class with a set face up and gender, and then there'southward no customization beyond changing their names and the outline color around their portrait. Out in the earth, these soldiers tin can suffer injuries that inflict debuffs or die a perma-death.

One time you find the best combination of clone agents to run, in that location's no incentive to endeavour different builds, even when yous gene in the unlike Dna mutations you can research or the cybernetics y'all find. Instead, you get into the pattern of what works all-time, aka your personal meta, and you're not likely to deviate from that. It leads to abject colorlessness, especially since there's petty else besides the set design to keep you interested or entertained.

Conglomerate 451 Source: Windows Central

This leads me to what I disliked most nearly Conglomerate 451. The gameplay is, the best I tin say, uninspired. There are plenty of other grid-manner turn-based games, some of them roguelikes or featuring graphic symbol perma-death. The obvious i that comes to mind is XCOM, and there'due south fifty-fifty Fire Emblem. I realize that the comparisons with the latter are slim at best, but it and XCOM are the kickoff games that come up to heed when y'all mention grid-style turn-based RPGs with perma-decease. I digress.

This isn't to say that Conglomerate 451 plays poorly; in fact, it plays merely fine. The point, however, is that it isn't anything revolutionary or remotely interesting. I suppose in that location are some that will find this to their liking, and y'all already know who you are. For me, Conglomerate 451 lost all of my interest by mission half dozen and started to badger me by mission fourteen.

At that place isn't any incentive to try different builds. You get into a pattern of what works best and yous're non likely to deviate from that.

Finally, whatever cyberpunk story is a commentary on the dangers of letting technology and corporations (and sometimes governments) go too far. Some stories — whether they exist book, flick, or game — embody these elements without the neon and rain, but the cadre meaning remains. Unfortunately, Conglomerate 451 takes a surface-level and quite heavy-handed approach to its story. It constantly beats you over the head with "rogue corporations bad, engineering unsafe," and so even while you're enjoying the very aesthetically pleasing environments, you lot're always enlightened of those two things.

With such storytelling, you'd hope there'southward a payoff at the stop. There isn't hither. 75 weeks of in-game fourth dimension and I can barely retrieve what happened. The missions themselves certainly don't stand out and are just plain tedious. The AI companion bot, whose snark is amusing at showtime, doesn't offer much in the way of world-edifice. Your role as director of this paramilitary organisation feels hollow and inconsequential. Nothing in this game offers yous the take a chance to put in whatsoever kind of personal investment.

Should yous buy Conglomerate 451?

Conglomerate 451 Source: Windows Central

As much as I beloved cyberpunk and almost all things to do with it, I don't think Conglomerate 451 is worth your fourth dimension. It'due south not a bad game, only it'due south boring, average, mediocre, insert-your-own-synonym-here. It wins a few extra points for the aesthetics and overall technical stability. Similar I said, I loved how information technology looks; the fine art squad at RuneHeads did an incredible task. The first few hours of the game pull you into the world, leaving you in awe and excitement for what's to come.

Which is where Conglomerate 451 falls apartment on its face. It picks itself back up somewhat, only information technology never fully recovers. With banal and listless missions, a lack of incentive to effort new team compositions, and a letdown of a story, this game doesn't bear the cyberpunk torch well. Sure, it nails the visual elements, but it lacks any weight.

My lack of involvement in this type of game bated, I wanted to like Conglomerate 451. Not simply am I a firm supporter of indie titles, but I too bask seeing developers try new things or put interesting twists on something we've already seen before. Sadly, I can't say I'd recommend this one to my other cyberpunk-loving friends and acquaintances unless they also actually like this blazon of gameplay. If that sounds like you lot, and then have at it.

Mediocre

Conglomerate

Conglomerate 451

An average experience

Conglomerate 451 promises an heady cyberpunk dungeon-crawling adventure and it sure delivers on the visual front. Merely uninspired gameplay, drab missions, and overall sense of averageness bring information technology downward — it'due south saved simply by its aesthetic appeal and technical stability, both of which are to exist commended.

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