For a man who has seen enough war, peace and tranquility are heavens on Earth. However, there’s an old saying: You may be done with the past, but the past isn’t done with you. When armed soldiers and cyborgs storm the Monastery, retired warrior, Vasily, will have to become what he has undone and get his revenge. From Buka Entertainment and Koch Media comes Redeemer: Enhanced Edition, a twin-stick action brawler and shooter that puts players as a retired warrior seeking peace, even if that path to peace is littered with bodies. Coming off of its release on the PC platform, Redeemer: Enhanced Edition is ready to crack skulls on consoles.
Redeemer: Enhanced Edition is an action game that tasks players with slaying their horrible past, and in this case, the past is an army of cyborg soldiers that seek revenge against Vasily, one of their comrades. Through 17 action-packed chapters, players will punch, kick, shoot, and stab their way to peace and salvation against an army out to slag them. From the top-down perspective, players will utilize both joysticks to control Vasily, and the trigger and face buttons to wage war with enemy combatants. Over the course of the experience, players can level up their characters.
Redeemer: Enhanced Edition gets right to the point this is a brutal, bloody action game. From the very beginning, the action hits and doesn’t stop. Throughout a solid opening mission, the player learns how to fight their enemies. Redeemer: Enhanced Edition allows for players to use three methods of attack: close-range combat, stealth attacks, and shooting with a variety of firearms. In close-range combat, players will use a variety of martial arts and melee weapons, as well as the ability to throw their enemies into the environment, such as a pit of fire or a protruding spike. In some instances, if the enemy is damaged enough, they may use a finishing move to smite their foe with impunity. Doing this is essential for healing, as there is neither an auto-heal or health pack to use. Stealth attacks allow the player to get the upper hand and instantly eliminate an enemy soldier. Finally, players will utilize firearms for the quick elimination of enemies. Shotguns, handguns, and rifles are helpful in the tight close-quarters combat players will encounter, but shouldn’t be relied on, as each firearm has limited ammunition. To survive, players will need to kill, especially using finish moves. Using the environment and fast reflexes are essential to play. After the first mission, players will be ready for the challenge ahead of them.
Players will learn other methods, such as using counterattack and parrying, to fight back and get the edge in tight situations. From military bases to caved and temples, players should expect a bitter and intense fight around every corner. Fortunately, players can level up their attributes during the course of gameplay, earning that each enemy downed will get a bit easier.
The action gameplay mechanics are absolutely invigorating in Redeemer: Enhanced Edition. The various combinations of shooting and fighting, coupled with the environment, makes for an absolutely fantastic action experience. Downing cyborgs through martial arts and utilizing the environment make for incredible moments, and the game’s boss fights, albeit few, are a solid challenge. Of course, Redeemer: Enhanced Edition doesn’t hold back on its presentation. Bones crunch, blood is spilled, and the screams of your enemies send chills done any unsuspecting foe hoping to have a chance to take you down. Redeemer: Enhanced Edition is an angry game. It’s visceral, aggressive, and unapologetic.
The biggest drawback hurting Redeemer: Enhanced Edition is length. Redeemer: Enhanced Edition can be beaten in one or two sittings, or inside an afternoon. It’s incredibly unfortunate as the game features an incredible array of action sequences. Redeemer: Enhanced Edition is only 17 chapters, and I made it to chapter 6 in about 2 hours. There are trophies to complete and some replayability, but this could have been a tremendous action experience if the length has been expanded to a solid 10 hours or so. It’s steep, given the price of $14.99 and it feels as if there should have been more length given to the game, or the price adjusted to reflect the games’ length.
Despite this, however, Redeemer: Enhanced Edition is a focused experience. The game sets out what it needs to do and succeeds in doing it. The gameplay mechanics are solid and even the games presentation is sharp, with various effects to the fighting and the environment being displayed. The story is refreshingly different from other games in the genre and the controls are easy to learn. It may be a short experience, but it’s a good one. Redeemer: Enhanced Edition is a short experience, but certainly one not to be missed. The combat is fast and fluid and action is great. It may not exactly achieve greatness, but it does accomplish its mission in being an action-packed good time.