Defragmented Review (PC)

A lot of different independent titles have found success in the gaming scene these last few years, some bringing back older properties or franchises to the present day while others pioneering certain genres or experiences.

Defragmented, coming from Glass Knuckle Games, combines these two pretty different approaches by blending cyberpunk themes and role-playing game progression seen in Shadowrun Returns, with the manic top-down shooting and neon colors of Hotline Miami.

Throw in procedurally generated loot, destructible environments, as well as a pretty complex story, and the game seems like a match made in heaven for those who enjoyed either of the previously mentioned franchises.

Does Defragmented succeed in bridging the gap or should its cyberpunk experience get lost in the mainframe? Let’s find out.

Story

Defragmented takes place in the futuristic cyberpunk city of Entropolis, a neon-colored environment that’s filled with conspiracies and outlandish characters that play bigger or smaller roles in the story of your own character.

A lot of interesting themes are explored by the plot, from large corporations using gangs and mercenaries to do their dirty work, to corrupt government officials and even clones. The story progresses through visual novel-like scenes that can be turned off if you just want to get to the shooting. Some of the character models don’t look all that great, but you’ll mostly have a decent time throughout the campaign.

Gameplay

Defragmented is a pretty complex role-playing experience that allows not only for deep character progression with its three classes and multiple skill trees but also plenty of variation through the procedurally generated loot. You’ll quickly swap out your gear based on what you find during combat, not to mention strategies, depending on the foes you encounter.

Vanquish foes in Defragmented

You pick from various classes, each with advantages and disadvantages. There’s a cyberzerker that wields shotguns and has high health. The Railrunner class is squishy and wields sub-machine guns with blazing speed. Finally, there’s the Ascended class, which starts with an energy-based weapon and can use a variety of abilities.

Actual combat, however, is very similar to the top-down run and gun gameplay seen in Hotline Miami. You need to move fast and think even faster to survive, as health is a precious commodity in the Defragmented world. While you can’t die instantly, receiving a few shots can make your HP vanish quite easily. It’s pretty much recommended to invest points in dodging enemy projectiles, as these odds can certainly help in hectic battles.

Expect a fair amount of trial and error before you manage to go through stages, and experimentation is often necessary in order to find the best skills and gear to complement your play style. You can use three weapons and three skills at the same time, swapping between them depending on the current situation.

The camera angle can be tilted somewhat to get a better picture of your surroundings, and you can shift the orientation to help the actual exploration. Even so, mastering the use of the camera requires a bit of time. You can play the game with a mouse and keyboard, but it feels a bit better with a controller, so bear that in mind too.

The destructible environments mechanic is a bit of a novelty, but in the fast-paced battles, you rarely have time to ponder how blowing up things can help your efforts. Some of the barrels and objects can also get stuck on your character.

Visuals and sound

Defragmented uses the neon colors and the sharp colors to paint a pretty good-looking picture of its action. Firefights are flashy and hectic and might even seem confusing at first. However, once you get through a few missions, you’ll soon be able to spot enemies, their projectiles, as well as objects you can destroy pretty easily.

The soundtrack also embraces the cyberpunk theme by featuring synth beats from an array of musicians who previously worked on games like Hotline Miami 2 or Far Cry 3: Blood Dragon, as well as on Kung Fury, the straight-to-YouTube movie. With such a pedigree, the music doesn’t disappoint and perfectly complements the action on the screen.

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The Good

The Bad

Conclusion