PositronX Review (PC)

I open a door and immediately start shooting, cursing a little because I forgot to scan first to get a sense of where my enemies are. The first robot, despite its shield, drops quickly. I run in, activating my slow down time power for extra safety while blasting at a few crawlers moving towards me from the left. I switch to the pistol and drop two other walkers as I move to the left, as time speeds up once again. I drop another cluster of rounds into a barrier before realizing that another cluster of foes requires a bit of navigation to get to. I finally take them out, lose some health, get an all-clear message, and pick up my room reward.

PositronX, at its best, can make combat seem like hectic, violent ballet. Developers Scorpius Games deliver a solid first-person shooter foundation on which they build elements from the run based genre. The final result is a varied, acrobatic, fun experience that feels just a little unfinished. After a brief tutorial players will get to explore a variety of rooms occupied by robotic enemies. The pistol is the starting weapon but the array quickly expands to the greatest hits of the genre.

Slowing down time is the initial special power, but that area also rapidly expands to suit more diverse playstyles. Gamers can also choose between perks during and there are new characters to unlock as they move through the levels, die, and restart. There are a lot of combinations to try out and there’s a nice balance between trying out new things and finding one that really suits a certain playstyle.

+6more

I quickly discovered that I loved using abilities and perks that boost health regain. This allows me to get up close and personal with a shotgun, which quickly became the weapon I always take when available. As ammo can become scarce I try to get a rocket launcher and a pistol as a backup. This is the core combination that allowed me to relatively easy progress through two full levels.

At the end of a series of rooms, PositronX delivers bosses, very tough robots that have their own superpowerful weapons and special powers. I died very quickly when facing them for the first time. The trick is to learn moves and adapt, which can be challenging given the frenetic pace but rewarding when one finally goes down. The big baddies drop very good loot and then it’s off to another area, new enemies, more upgrades.

The gameplay loop is satisfying by itself but after around 8 hours I started to feel a little jaded. The biggest issue is the procedurally generated levels, which lack both personality and variety. They are varied enough to sustain cool combat sequences but not to feed the idea that you are actually seeing new levels.

Play Video

The game also lacks the propulsive power of a good narrative. There are hints of story in descriptions and logs that are found in the world but there’s nothing actually interesting there. Finding a new combination of weapons, characters, upgrades, and enemies remains cool, though it cannot sustain the entire edifice of this shooter.

PositronX is bright and colorful, beautiful for those who can stop moving long enough to admire it. It is easy to see enemies and their attacks and to quickly find the best way to move around the environment to engage them. The procedural nature of the levels means that everything is new but it can still feel repetitive. The menus and in-game encyclopedia offer plenty of info that’s easy to find and process. Unfortunately, the soundtrack, while well aligned with the thumping action, quickly becomes boring. I suggest listening to some solid metal or electronic music after the first few hours.

+5more

The Good

The Bad

Conclusion