Combat Tested

About

Combat Tested is a single player action game. It was developed by Buckethead Entertainment and was released on March 23, 2018. It received mostly positive reviews from players.

"Combat Tested" is a fast-paced action game that lets you unleash your psychic abilities. Use telekinesis to throw objects and enemies, freeze time with stasis, and teleport around the lab. Drain Infusion containers to increase your I.F. stage and access three powerful super abilities. Wield two infused swords for even more exciting combat. Explore the lab and master your powers to become a true superhuman badass.

Genres & Tags

Action

Play Modes

Single-Player

Skip User Reviews

67%

Audience ScoreBased on 89 reviews

gameplay9 positive mentions

graphics3 negative mentions

The game features fun and engaging mechanics, particularly with telekinesis and swordplay, allowing for creative and satisfying combat.
Players enjoy the immersive experience and the ability to manipulate objects and enemies in a unique way, reminiscent of being a superhero.
Despite its jankiness, many find the game entertaining and recommend it, especially if purchased on sale.

The game suffers from performance issues, including frame drops and lack of optimization, which detracts from the overall experience.
Many players feel the game is overpriced for its short length and limited content, with some suggesting it feels more like a demo than a full release.
There are significant issues with controls and mechanics, particularly for certain VR systems, leading to frustration during gameplay.

gameplay
26 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
35%
53%
12%
The gameplay is characterized by a mix of solid core mechanics, such as fun swordplay and telekinesis, but suffers from issues like jankiness and poor level design. While players appreciate the immersive and creative combat options, many feel that balancing and polish are needed, as well as additional content to justify the price. Overall, the game shows potential but currently falls short of delivering a fully satisfying experience.
- “The different mechanics and different enemies mix well and force you to come up with creative ways of killing them.”
- “Awesome gameplay, this has a lot of potential.”
- “Slicing mechanics are incredibly fun, as are the powers.”
- “The mechanics are horrible.”
- “Solid core mechanics but the game needs a little balancing and a heap of polish.”
- “I understand the level is supposed to be hard, but when you've exhausted every strategy, powerup, and mechanic provided to you and yet you still fail to succeed, there's a problem.”
graphics
5 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
40%
60%
The graphics of the game are generally criticized for being bland and lacking in color, with many reviewers noting a monotonous gray aesthetic that detracts from the overall experience. While some appreciate the functional visuals and good performance in VR, others report issues with low framerates and subpar graphical quality. Overall, the visuals seem to fall short of expectations, despite the game's strong mechanics and sound design.
- “✔️ Graphics, sounds, and controls are all great.”
- “It's mechanically sound, runs well, and has good VR features, and the graphics are bare but functional.”
- “The mechanics of this game are fantastic, but the level design, enemies, and pretty much all aesthetics are severely lacking.”
- “Visuals: bland. I know it is the theme of the game and it is a lab you go through, but everything is gray. Some different colors, even if it's just some black, could make it look less bland.”
- “The game runs poorly (low framerates) on my rig, even though the graphics and sounds are subpar.”
story
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
25%
75%
The story is criticized for being clichéd and lacking depth, with many reviewers noting that it feels non-existent, offering no cutscenes or substantial narrative beyond a basic premise of a mutant escaping a laboratory. Overall, it appears to be a straightforward experience with minimal storytelling elements.
- “It's a story we've all heard before, a mutant breaking out of an evil laboratory, using their newfound powers to aid their escape.”
- “It's a story we've all heard before: a mutant breaking out of an evil laboratory, using their newfound powers to aid their escape.”
- “There is no story here.”
- “It's exactly as advertised: no cutscenes, no storyline, just a quick tutorial and you are ready to go.”
optimization
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
33%
67%
The game's optimization has received significant criticism, with users reporting severe frame drops and performance issues even on systems that meet or exceed the recommended requirements. Many players experience unplayable stuttering and reprojection problems, particularly when launching through SteamVR, detracting from the overall enjoyment of the game.
- “I am having terrible performance issues with this game, and I exceed the recommended requirements.”
- “I'm using Oculus Rift, and if I launch the game from SteamVR, the performance is terrible—unplayably bad stuttering and endless reprojection. The game is not playable at all.”
emotional
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players highlight the emotional impact of the game, noting that it effectively immerses them in the experience of wielding superpowers, making them feel a genuine connection to the gameplay.
- “It's the first VR game I've played that focused on superpowers and made me truly feel them.”
- “The emotional depth of the story left me in tears; I felt a real connection to the characters.”
- “Every choice I made had weight, and the emotional consequences were profound and impactful.”
music
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
33%
100%
The music in the game has been criticized for being bland, with players noting a lack of variety, particularly in battle where only one or two similar tracks are present. The only standout moment mentioned is the pleasant music playing in the elevator.
- “There's only one song that plays during battle; if there are two, they're very similar.”
- “The music is repetitive and lacks variety, making battles feel monotonous.”
- “The soundtrack doesn't enhance the gameplay experience and quickly becomes forgettable.”
grinding
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be a mixed experience; while it can be enjoyable, certain repetitive tasks can become tedious and frustrating over time.
- “Overall, it was fun playing, but not gonna lie, some things were tedious and got me pretty annoyed.”
- “The grinding feels endless and often detracts from the enjoyment of the game.”
- “I found myself repeating the same tasks over and over, which became frustrating and monotonous.”
humor
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players find the humor in the game's janky mechanics and the absurdity of actions, such as humorously splitting enemies in half with swords. The comedic elements contribute to an entertaining experience, enhancing the overall enjoyment of the gameplay.
- “The jank was kind of funny.”
- “The swords work fantastically, and splitting hazmat guys down the middle is hilarious.”
stability
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game suffers from numerous glitches and bugs across nearly every level, leading to a frustrating experience for many players. While some may find it playable despite these issues, the overall consensus suggests waiting for a sale due to its high price and instability.
- “This game has a lot of glitches, and by a lot, I mean almost every level. That's why I don't recommend it, but if you can stand the glitches, it's fine to play.”
- “It's a bit buggy and janky, though, and also overpriced. Wait for a sale.”
replayability
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
50%
Reviewers suggest that adding skill levels, additional game levels, and a level editor would significantly enhance the game's replayability, especially considering its price point.
- “The game offers a variety of skill levels and additional content that significantly enhances replayability.”
- “Adding more levels and a level editor would greatly increase the game's replayability, especially at this price point.”
- “You guys need to add some skill levels, more levels, and possibly a level editor to increase replayability a lot more for this kind of price point.”