Umbrella Corps Review (fl0wxz)
Umbrella Corps
The premise doesn't sound bad, with a sort of tense and tactical element that inspires thoughts of Rainbow Six: Siege with the added fear of a hostile environment as well as hostile players, but the game just never holds up. Everything about Umbrella Corps feels like a half completed and completely unloved mess.
The game features customizable characters, but lacks any flare or interest in doing so.
Weapon loadouts feel identical, and the camera is permanently fixed to the shoulder, so you can never reap the pitiful benefits of a new gas mask.
The movement of these characters also feels weirdly artificial.
This is due to the soldiers glide across the floors without any acceleration, like they exist in some strange frictionless world. It's such a simple, standard mechanic that countless games have mastered without any issues, and Capcom couldn't figure it out on this one.
Perhaps the most depressingly lack lust aspect of this game is the level design. Amongst the entire handful of maps available is conceivably about two hundred feet worth of playable terrain! Each map is incredibly tiny. My first match was in the Raccoon City Police Station. I imagined a catastrophic encounter as you slowly pace through corridors and prison cells attempting to kill the other uninfected humans. What I received was a large foyer with a small raised catwalk and some very cluttered cover. It was a singular space where both team's spawn point were yards apart.
Attempting to break into the multiplayer shooter genre was a risk, especially for a series already known for it's failing attempts to move towards a more action oriented type of game. But the developers seemingly admitted defeat part way through production, and limped across the finish line half-heartedly.
Singe player levels tend to be similarly basic - kill zombies and collect their DNA. Shooting them is an option, but why expend round after round when you can instantly kill targets with a melee attack? It's baffling that a single whack from the butt of your gun will kill zombies faster than a stream of bullets, but it does!
What I think it's good in the game :
• Zombies offer a new layer of competitive strategy;
• Playing through iconic Resident Evil locations is a nostalgic treat;
• Maps feature satisfying, layered routes.
What I think it's bad in the game :
• Vapid single-player mode;
• Stilted cover system;
• Characters move fast and sloppy;
• Incongruous death animations disturb competitive advantages;
• Unappealing progress rewards;
• Hugely repetitive.
Rating - 3/10
https://store.steampowered.com/app/390340/Umbrella_Corps/