Whenever would you associate cute little things and rioting together? You just wouldn’t. Well, Anarteam have recently just released for Xbox One, Anarcute, and that may just be about to change. Are you about to join the side of the rioters, rioting to win back the cities they love, and the culture? Or are you on the side of the corporation, where the media have been brainwashed, as you have? Is it a game that`ll make you pick up and think how good it is, and how unique it is? Yes, yes you will.
You take control of a group of rioters, who are trying to stop the evil corporation taking over the world, who have taken complete control of everything, from policing right to the way to the media, everything is against you and against your side. The story is simplistic, and instead of focusing too much on the narrative, you can see the real focus has been shifted and employed into the gameplay of Anarcute. You start the game off as a single follower/rioter, and while wandering around the streets of several major cities (where the game is set, as the evil incorporation have over-taken and powered several cities such as Paris and Tokyo) and destroying lots of buildings and trees and mores, you gather more and more followers who are on the same side and have the same objection. To take down what sounds like a corrupt government. You simply walk into one, and they become part of the followers. I wish it was that easy in real-life getting people on a side.
The more and more people that join your follow, the more and more powerful you will become. These is extremely important and much needed later in the game, where you`ll need a large group of you in order to get past or knock over a building. However, be warned that you and your followers will need to overcome a group of obstacles and corrupt policeman, who can and will kill your followers. The more you lose, the more you`ll need to pick up, and they are limited throughout a scenario, so you need to watch and mask your movements closely. Missions will involve you getting to an end and defeating a type of boss, or perhaps to raise the flags in certain locations. Each mission is short through, and offers a real short and sweet pick up and play game. You`re graded in each mission too, and you`ll have the option to re-play through the missions in order to pick up that “S” Grade. You`ll also collect several little cute characters within each mission, and you`ll also be able to pick these up as you go back around aiming to get the top grade.
The game may start off nice and easy and you may feel that it`s too easy. But just as you think that, something new comes into play, that`ll turn the gameplay around for you. It offers so much for a ID game, and is actually quite unique and quite fantastic in how it`s been done. I mentioned earlier about starting off solo, and being able to control a group of followers that`ll help you take down and destroy buildings, creating obstacles and using the environment to your advantage. This is added later on within the missions, and is a game-changer in terms of its gameplay.
It`s going to require you to strategize throughout the game. There`s no doubt about that. You have a group of followers caged up that you see will help you get past the mission. But it`s heavily guarded with policing and weapons. How are you going to do it? How are you going to rescue them? It`s a game that offers fun-ness aswell as requiring you to strategically think how you are going to do something. The controls within the game are also very simplistic, and adds to the fun of the game, as you`re not having to learn a complex set of controls. It adds to the idea of being a great pick up and play game.
Graphically the game falls in line with most other ID games, and offers a cartoonistic feel and approach to both the characters and the locations. Characterisation is strong throughout, and aswell as the gameplay, you can`t help but feel some really good work has gone into the characters of the game. Sometimes I find that one area of a game has had so much focus on, that others get left behind or perhaps lack in what I feel should be balanced across the board.
Anarcute is a game that will really get you addicted and is a great pick up and play game. It`s quite unique and I don’t think there`s anything in the ID market, or even the main-stream market for that fact, quite like it. £11.99 may seem a bit steep, but it`s fully worth it. ID wise, perhaps one of the top 3 for me I have played on the One.
