As both an open-minded video game journalist and gamer, there aren’t many games out there I wouldn’t at least give a chance to. In fact, there are quite a few games I have bought on a whim and have found to be really good. In Case of Emergency, Release Raptor, however, made even me raise an eyebrow of surprise and bewilderment.
It is the latest game currently in development by Arcen Games. You may know them for their previous titles Bionic Dues, Starward Rogue, The Last Federation and Shattered Haven. Their games are a mixed bag of positive and negative receptions. As for In Case of Emergency, Release Raptor, for me, it’s going more in a negative direction than positive, at least in this moment in time.
Destroy the machines as a raptor
Earth is taken over by machines. They are led by a giant computer called Father Brain. The remnants of humanity release a raptor in order to destroy the machines and hopefully return Earth to human control. You take on the role of the raptor, a biologically engineered predator of destruction.
You must make your way through a variety of environments including industrial, apartments, sewers and science, in search of Father Brain. While on your journey, you meet the numerous mechanical patrols. When some of them spot you, you will need to destroy them before being able to attack Father Brain. When alerted, a lot of the patrols will activate their shields.
Once you find Father Brain, you must defeat its guards and, finally, it. While the robots are primarily what you are attempting to destroy, there is nothing stopping you from wrecking the environment at the same time. That is, of course, if you want to.
There isn’t really a story to be found. The game is pretty much a playground for you to traverse as a raptor, whose goal is to destroy a giant machine. While it is fun taking control of a dinosaur and creating carnage, it is short lived due to a play through literally only taking five to ten minutes. The fun soon dwindles with repetition.
A bit early for Early Access
While there is a small bit of fun to be had with In Case of Emergency, Release Raptor, the amount of content available is paltry. At present, the procedural assembly only generates a handful of different rooms. The same can be said for the enemies, which only end up being about six of the intended 30 of the full release.
As for the controls and technical side of things, they still require a lot of work. The controls, while responsive, feel loose and make it difficult to control the raptor. The camera also needs work, as it is a nightmare moving it, especially when using stairs or going up fire escapes. While the amount of attacks for the raptor are numerous, they lack a powerful impact.
I feel like the raptor is rather tame as opposed to being the avatar of destruction it is made out to be. A bit more ferocity in its nature wouldn’t go amiss.
The load times are fairly long and the game tends to stutter from time to time. The generator sometimes places enemies in walls. Overall the game is really lacking currently and needs a lot of technical work. Essentially, In Case of Emergency, Release Raptor is nothing more than a very early development demo.
I did have some fun with it on my first playthrough, though, between being a demolition dino and the humorous quotes of the robots. Personally, I feel the game is too early in development to even be in Early Access. It is currently only in its fifteenth alpha build and not a very polished one at that.
Potentially a fun game in the future
While what I have experienced with the game so far is anything but exhilarating, I can see this being a fun title as it is being developed. If the developer is to deliver on the promises of future content, including new enemies, environments and game modes, this may not be a bad game.
However, do I think it should be up on Steam Early Access for $4.99 right now? No, I don’t. I certainly don’t feel like I am getting my money’s worth. The developer has even stated that the price of the game may increase as it progresses through development. Buying it now for cheap means putting your money and trust into the developer’s hands.
If you feel confident in the developer delivering the promises given and you like this kind of game, it may be worth investing the $4.99 now as opposed to paying an estimated triple that price at a later date. If running around as a dinosaur solely destroying things is not your thing, then this may not be the game for you.
In Case of Emergency, Release Raptor is available on Steam Early Access for $4.99. It is currently on sale with 10 percent off until tomorrow.
Disclaimer: A copy of the game was provided by the publisher for the purpose of this preview.
Published: Aug 26, 2016 10:07 am