Anomalous
- January 11, 2022
- Byron Dunwoody
- 6h median play time
Get on Steam"Anomalous" is a single-player action game with good graphics and stunning music. Set in the grim industrial city of Kosolov, the game takes place in a highly controlled and secretive society where citizens are brainwashed and overworked. After a catastrophic disaster resulting from unethical scientific experiments to create the ultimate workforce, players must battle their way out of the city.
PC
Windows
Reviews
- Fun and fast-paced gameplay with a good soundtrack that enhances the experience.
- Promising visuals and level design, reminiscent of classic FPS games, with a solid amount of content for the price.
- Satisfying gunplay and movement mechanics that evoke nostalgia for retro shooters.
- The game suffers from technical issues, including bugs, poor enemy AI, and lackluster weapon feedback.
- Level design can be convoluted and lacks clear direction, leading to confusion during gameplay.
- Some enemies feel like bullet sponges, and the overall experience can be marred by repetitive gameplay and limited variety.
- music24 mentions
- 46 % positive mentions
- 42 % neutral mentions
- 13 % negative mentions
The music in the game has received generally positive feedback, with many praising its energetic and heavy metal soundtrack, often compared to the works of Mick Gordon. However, some players have noted issues with abrupt stops and awkward looping, which can detract from the overall experience during gameplay. Despite these flaws, the soundtrack is considered a strong complement to the game's fast-paced action and engaging atmosphere.
“It's fun and fast-paced, with a good soundtrack to back it up.”
“The graphics are incredible and the soundtrack slaps.”
“But, the gameplay, how it feels to shoot, in those lovely locations, when that music blasts, and you have an open vertical arena where you bounce from jump pad to jump pad at breakneck speed blasting enemies around you, that feels really solid and juicy.”
“The music loops a bit oddly at times and takes me out of the heat of the moment; a metal riff can stop abruptly and go into silence for a bit before the ambiance starts.”
“Music sadly has some very rough triggers; it can stop abruptly and you're left wandering the streets in silence for extended periods of time until it can maybe kick back in.”
“I experienced a few minor bugs like the music would stop working or some enemies can glitch and become invincible.”
- graphics16 mentions
- 44 % positive mentions
- 38 % neutral mentions
- 19 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game receive mixed reviews, with some praising the unique and immersive visuals reminiscent of a "Half-Life 2" aesthetic, while others criticize them for being overly ambitious and occasionally distractingly poor, particularly in enemy design and environmental details. Despite some technical issues like z-fighting and soft particle effects, many players find the overall aesthetic appealing and fitting for the game's style. Overall, while the graphics may not be top-tier, they effectively contribute to the game's atmosphere and gameplay experience.
“The graphics are incredible and the soundtrack slaps.”
“The visuals are unique and immersive.”
“Exploration feels fun, with the Half-Life 2 city aesthetic, though more abstract and surreal, buildings feeling very oppressive, imposing on you from above, while everything is grimy, garbage lying everywhere and blood and corpses left to rot on the streets while government propaganda keeps emanating from these Combine-looking weird hanging speakers.”
“Game just wasn't fun enough to keep playing past the first couple of levels, largely due to the boring enemy design, very basic AI, and graphics which were probably too ambitious for a solo project, so they ended up being distractingly bad in places (trees in particular).”
“While the graphics are decent, it could have a slightly more unique art style.”
“Visuals have here and there z-fighting textures flickering around some corners that have gone unnoticed in such complicated large levels.”
- gameplay14 mentions
- 43 % positive mentions
- 36 % neutral mentions
- 21 % negative mentions
The gameplay is fast-paced and smooth, drawing comparisons to titles like Quake Champions and Doom Eternal, with a satisfying blend of exploration and combat across its ten levels. While players appreciate the overall feel and design, some suggest improvements for a more visceral experience and note that other retro-shooters may offer more innovative mechanics. Overall, the game provides a solid and enjoyable shooting experience, especially for fans of the genre.
“The gameplay is super fast and tight, with complex stages brimming with secrets.”
“But, the gameplay, how it feels to shoot, in those lovely locations, when that music blasts, and you have an open vertical arena where you bounce from jump pad to jump pad at breakneck speed blasting enemies around you, that feels really solid and juicy.”
“Haven't played every 10 levels of the episode yet, but at this super low price this game is still very much worth it; I mean it manages to combine Half-Life 2 style gameplay and visuals with Doom Eternal style design, and it still feels fun.”
“Gameplay could use a few improvements to make it more visceral, punchy.”
“There are better retro-shooters on the platform that are still in early access that offer more original and clever mechanics like Prodeus, Forgive Me Father, or Ultrakill.”
“When I saw the speed meter next to armor and health, I thought it was linked to a mechanic that I had yet to discover; seems like it is there just because.”
- replayability4 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 50 % negative mentions
Overall, the game's replayability is considered low, with many players noting that it can be completed in just a few hours and lacks significant incentives to replay. While some users see potential for a more engaging experience if it were designed as a roguelike, the current standalone format does not offer much in terms of replay value.
“Good replay value.”
“Replayable.”
“Get it on discount because you will finish it within 3 or 4 hours and it doesn't have much replayability appeal.”
“If this was a roguelike, it would be fantastic, but as a standalone experience, replayability is low.”
- story3 mentions
- 67 % positive mentions
- -67 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The story in the game is noted for its strong "show-don't-tell" delivery, showcasing potential despite current technical issues that hinder progression. Comparisons to titles like Doom Eternal highlight the game's appreciation for rich lore, although gameplay mechanics may lead to frustrating moments.
“Anomalous is a wonderful example of 'show-don't-tell' delivery.”
“The story and lore clearly show an appreciation for Doom Eternal.”
“The story feels disjointed and lacks a coherent narrative, making it hard to stay engaged.”
“Character development is minimal, leaving the players with little emotional investment in the plot.”
“The lore is underdeveloped and fails to provide a compelling backdrop for the gameplay.”
- stability2 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- -100 % neutral mentions
- 150 % negative mentions
Overall, players are pleased with the game's performance and visual appeal, noting it runs smoothly and is enjoyable. However, there are concerns regarding the stability of enemy death animations, with reports of bugs causing zombies to loop in place instead of falling properly, though developers have indicated that improvements are forthcoming.
“Definitely stoked to see how this turns out because so far it looks nice, runs great, fun as heck, and the music was actually really good.”
“Enemy death animations are lackluster, with them just falling over. The developer mentioned that ragdolls with impact velocity will be implemented in the future. Additionally, the zombie enemies have buggy death animations where they often end up standing and looping in their positions.”
“The game frequently crashes, making it nearly impossible to progress without losing significant progress.”
“I encountered numerous bugs that disrupted gameplay, including characters getting stuck in the environment and quests not triggering properly.”
- optimization2 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 50 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The game is highly optimized, delivering solid performance with no frame drops even when settings are set to epic. Players have consistently reported a smooth experience throughout their playthroughs.
“Performance was rock solid during my playthrough; there were no frame drops with everything set to epic. It's well optimized.”
