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SERUM is an interesting causa of a game . Full of coolheaded ideas , not bad visuals , and evident developer passion , I can , for one , say that it was a wise move prefer to release the game into Early Access before run for the full launch because alongside SERUM ’s silvery facing come some hard subject that need to be addressed before the game can hold up up to its own potential .
SERUM opens with a well - directed cutscene that utterly position up the feeling of the game . Our champion has signed up for some medical bailiwick to support his family and excitedly enjoin his wife and child over the speech sound that he ’ll be home soon , all while the photographic camera pans over a suspiciously put - together collection of written document and youngster ’s drawings that set up a far more ominous tinge .
Next matter you cognise , we ’re in the sewers , and the downcast world of our spot becomes clearer .
In SERUM , our player must come in himself with the titular substance frequently , or else he will succumb to a violent , virulent metamorphosis . This time demarcation is signal by a convenient glow light-emitting diode clock implant into his wrist joint .
This makes up the pith mechanic of the game . In Holy Order to survive out of doors of your base , you must collect and use a Serum before your internal clock strikes zero . Serum can be found rarely in the wild but is mostly crafted at your fibber using plants and other organic material gathered in the mankind .
finally , your goal is to escape the wild , mutilated , and mutated state you find yourself in before you lose yourself to the poison in your veins .
The concept of SERUM is fantastically cool , especially when you deal the game ’s semi - open world nature . put the player on a timer that forces them to cautiously plan and limit their time exploring , but making the only way to extend said timer by exploring and challenging the world is a very clever gameplay cringle .
SERUM redeem on its identity implausibly well in the visual section , too . The world has this grimy , green , deflower look that makes you feel like there ’s a malady creep across the landscape painting . It utilize the concept of a morbid environment to make something like STALKER but foreign . I ’m especially a grownup fan of the weird , twisted animate being you encounter on your path , using mutant strong suit and unmated appendages to pour down you in creepy means . If these fauna were better animated , I palpate like they would further elevate the game ’s aesthetic to near - godlike levels .
Unfortunately , at its current soma , SERUM does n’t deliver on the gameplay facet of its powerhouse concept very well .
The core of SERUM is , of course , the Serum . You are on a changeless side pursuit to collect textile to craft the life - saving injectant as well as find novel pattern for which to extend upon its use . The musical theme that the Serum can not only be used to extend your timekeeper but also enhance your scrap abilities is really cool .
lamentably , the effects of said combat - boost serums are n’t improbably interesting ; they just offer flat damage ohmic resistance bonuses or the occasional combat skill . At best , you feel compelled to habituate what you happened to have amass to make a unattackable serum , not necessarily to go out of your means to discover said materials in the first place . At worst , the game will physically gatekeep you from progressing unless you have the good Serum to pick apart down a wall or survive poisonous gas .
This is sort of the core issue with SERUM ; the crafting feel like a chore rather than a sport automobile mechanic to play around with . The weapon upgrade and craftable serum types do n’t feel exciting enough to warrant you going off the thrum track to receive the materials needed to craft them . The game will not only punish you for being disinterested in crafting but will , again , sometimes straight - up lug your advancement if you do n’t engage in the auto-mechanic . craft is a controversial machinist for a cause , and SERUM ’s apparatus is not going to make lover of its critics .
The arm and their upgrades do n’t suffer as much from the game ’s crafting tiredness due in large part to the other visual upgrades each weapon get when you heighten them . I detest when game do n’t devil to make upgrade weapons look or finger any unlike , so SERUM definitely gets points from me in that regard .
While I love the arm and various foe type in the plot , I ’m not in dear with the armed combat . It is very reminiscent of the flailing - block combat mechanics of Skyrim , which were already somewhat date when that secret plan was free in 2011 .
You assault with a remaining clink and can enter a timed cube with the right , and the combat feels like you ’re flailing your arm around until you move out of stamina . You use The same staying power cake to sprint , so be careful if you plan on navigating the earthly concern at a good fastness .
SERUM mix thing up with ability , which , as I said before , you get from injecting the Serum . Some of these are pretty good , while others finger very anti - climatical to use ( lead , specifically . ) The game really needs more of these ability , more living and flair to go with them , and the ability to hang up on to them without needing to reinject Serum constantly . Every save detail you interact with wipes your slate clean , which remove your special power until you craft the Serum again .
In gain , SERUM ’s current figure also suffers from some real execution issues . mellow - end machines will still struggle to start the biz at a high build pace and will see some farseeing payload time .
I think SERUM has a impregnable base to work up on , but some oeuvre still needs to be done on this Early Access title . Before the game leaves other Access , I ’d hump to see combat come to upon , maybe even completely reworked . I ’d like to see more incentivesto engage in craft and resource gather without it feeling like something you have to do to progress . I ’d also be intimate to see the interesting worldly concern and creatures blood serum ’s built play to life further with better , more exciting animation and effects .
Overall , I ’d say the game has a lot of hope ; It just needs a piffling piece of rouge and some tinkering under the strong-armer .
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