A return to the licensed games of old, Gemini: Heroes Reborn provides players with a condensed combination of Bioshock and Portal that does more than just rehash, at least where gameplay is concerned.
"Gemini: Heroes Reborn" is a first-person action adventure game that serves as a prequel to the Heroes Reborn series. Players take on the role of Cassandra, a young woman with telekinetic abilities, as she uncovers her past and the truth about her powers. The game shares an overarching story with the "Enigma" game and is overseen by Heroes creator Tim Kring, allowing players to delve deeper into the Heroes Reborn universe.
Time Manipulation Powers: The ability to manipulate time adds a strategic layer to gameplay, allowing for creative puzzle-solving and combat.
Solid Graphics: The game boasts impressive visuals powered by Unreal Engine 4, enhancing the overall experience.
Fun Gameplay: Engaging mechanics such as jumping between time points and using telekinesis to defeat enemies provide a unique and enjoyable experience.
Short Playtime: The game can be completed in approximately 4-5 hours, leaving players wanting more.
Rough Animations: Character animations can appear stiff and unrealistic, detracting from immersion.
Predictable Story: The narrative lacks originality and depth, making it feel cliché and unmemorable.
story
272 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
29%
60%
11%
The story of "Gemini: Heroes Reborn" is largely criticized for being predictable, clichéd, and poorly executed, with many reviewers noting its rushed pacing and lack of depth. While some players found the narrative engaging enough to keep them interested, others described it as generic and forgettable, often feeling disconnected from the gameplay. Overall, the story is seen as a weak point in the game, failing to elevate the experience despite some interesting mechanics.
“Good story with good voice acting.”
“The story is great enough to make you indulge in siblings searching for the truth, in addition to stopping the irresponsible company which uses those grand powers for its own merits.”
“Fun little escape of a game, introduces some really cool mechanics, cool story, hoping for a sequel with open world features, more polished movement, and other quality of life fixes.”
“I hate this game, I hate the cheesy story and characters; I am glad I am never going to play this game again in my whole life.”
“The story about Gemini: Heroes Reborn is designed large, but especially at the beginning it seems very rushed and you are simply thrown into a story and you have to accept what the story writers have come up with.”
“The plot was so throw-away, and the dialog was cliché and cringe-worthy - more than you might even imagine.”
gameplay
245 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
33%
59%
8%
The gameplay of "Gemini: Heroes Reborn" is characterized by its innovative time manipulation and telekinesis mechanics, which add strategic depth to combat and puzzle-solving. While many players find the core mechanics engaging and fun, the overall execution suffers from clunky controls, simplistic AI, and a lack of polish, leading to a mixed reception. Despite its shortcomings, the unique gameplay elements provide a satisfying experience for those who prioritize mechanics over narrative depth.
“The time manipulation powers: the ability to manipulate time adds a strategic layer to gameplay, allowing you to solve puzzles and defeat enemies in creative ways.”
“The time travel mechanics and telekinesis powers are fun to use and you will enjoy all the creative ways you can use to kill enemies.”
“Gemini adds time powers to the mix, namely jumping between time periods and slowing down time – all of this is implemented really well and means the gameplay is just super fun.”
“Story is childish, writing embarrassing, twists are obvious, gameplay and physics wonky, music forgettable, everything apart from the inventive time traveling mechanic is basic and uninspired.”
“The controls are so bad, at least with keyboard and mouse, and the gameplay as a whole is pretty bad.”
“Unfortunately, these brilliant powers and gameplay ideas are wasted on a buggy, frustrating, limited game with a mediocre story and incredibly short run time.”
graphics
85 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
45%
46%
9%
The graphics of "Gemini: Heroes Reborn," powered by Unreal Engine 4, are generally described as solid and impressive for a low-budget game, with some locations showcasing beautiful visuals. However, many reviewers note that the graphics feel dated, often comparing them to titles from the early 2000s, and cite issues like aliasing and long loading screens. Overall, while the game has its visually appealing moments, it struggles to meet modern standards consistently.
“The graphics actually hold up pretty well; the game looks quite amazing at some locations.”
“The story may be short, but it's rather nice; the abilities you get are pretty cool, and the graphics are amazing on high.”
“Graphics are great, voice acting is pretty good, and the frequent use of the time shift mechanic makes this a must-have game for your collection.”
“Turns out it's a spin-off from some obscure TV show (I think you have to watch it to find out what's going on?), with 2000-era graphics (really, Half-Life 2 looks better despite this being an Unreal Engine 4 game), buggy cutscenes, clunky game mechanics...”
“To get the bad out of the way first: the game's graphics look far more dated than its 2016 release date would imply, the voice acting is nothing much, the plot is pretty dumb and the loading screens are obnoxiously long.”
“The graphics are mediocre and dated.”
stability
30 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game is plagued by numerous bugs and glitches, including mission failures, crashes, and odd physics issues, which significantly detract from the overall experience. While some players find the gameplay enjoyable despite these issues, many report frequent restarts and frustrating moments due to the lack of polish. Overall, the stability of the game is considered poor, making it a challenging experience for players.
“Full of bugs, and I mean full. More than half of the game is plagued with lags, glitches, and bugs. Soldiers walk through walls and get stuck, and invisible soldiers shoot you while you can't do anything about it. All of that aside, the last boss fight is terrible!”
“Unfortunately, these brilliant powers and gameplay ideas are wasted on a buggy, frustrating, limited game with a mediocre story and incredibly short run time.”
“I needed 5 hours to complete the game and had to restart often because of glitches, which took a long time with the more tanky enemies.”
music
16 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
25%
50%
25%
The music in the game is largely described as forgettable and repetitive, failing to enhance the overall experience. Reviewers noted that the soundtrack lacks variety and does not significantly contribute to the game's atmosphere, with many considering it an unmemorable aspect of the title. Despite these criticisms, some players felt that the game still had redeeming qualities beyond its music.
“The soundtrack is good.”
“The soundtrack doesn’t do much and is pretty repetitive with its electro tone as I could’ve used for some more variety, but just like the music, the levels are pretty repetitive.”
“The OST is... forgettable, but I don't think that was the main focus of this game.”
“The soundtrack doesn’t do much and is pretty repetitive with its electro tone; I could’ve used some more variety, but just like the music, the levels are pretty repetitive. While Cassandra jumps through time to see the huge modern buildings of 2008 to the ruined old buildings covered with moss of 2014, it still isn’t enough variety.”
“The soundtrack doesn’t do much and is pretty repetitive with its electro tone; I could’ve used some more variety, but just like the music, the levels are pretty repetitive. While Cassandra jumps through time to see the huge modern buildings of 2008 to the ruined old buildings covered with moss of 2014, it still isn’t enough variety.”
“The OST is forgettable, but I don't think that was the main focus of this game.”
humor
14 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is largely derived from its quirky physics and amusing glitches, such as ragdoll effects and unexpected enemy deaths. Players find the comedic potential in the game's mechanics, with moments like tossing bosses into explosives and humorous in-game messages adding to the overall fun. Despite some bugs, the lighthearted design encourages players to create entertaining content from their experiences.
“Ragdolling the boss of the game around into explosives (and having an easier time of it than with half of his henchmen) was pretty funny.”
“Towards the end, you get to use your abilities in some pretty cool and hilarious ways.”
“Funny design that as soon as you clear a room of the enemies, you get a message 'you've obtained the key to whatever.'”
replayability
14 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
14%
57%
29%
Overall, "Gemini: Heroes Reborn" has limited replayability, with many players noting that the game can be completed quickly (within 2-3 hours) and lacks substantial content to encourage multiple playthroughs. While some appreciate the opportunity to experiment with powers and level design, the consensus is that the game does not offer enough value to justify its price, especially given its clunky controls and early cutscene issues that hinder replay potential.
“With the powers you control and the great level design, there is lots of replay value if you just want to experiment or kill time/enemies.”
“Gemini: Heroes Reborn is not a content-rich and well-executed game and lacks replayability.”
“You can finish it within 3 hours, 2 if you're blitzing it, and the replay value is very little.”
“Tl;dr - great game but not worth the price, had to fight a bit with an early cutscene that'll break replayability, controls are a little clunky as well, buy it on sale.”
optimization
10 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
30%
40%
30%
The game's optimization has received mixed reviews; while some players report smooth performance and beautiful visuals, others criticize the lack of support for 21:9 resolutions and a restrictive 60-degree FOV. Developers have acknowledged these issues but have not yet implemented fixes, leading to frustration among users seeking a more polished experience. Overall, the game's graphics are praised, but optimization remains a significant concern for many players.
“The graphics though, are done very well and look amazing. This is the first game I’ve played on Unreal Engine 4, and while I have heard that other people have had a couple of issues with the game, I have had none performance-wise.”
“Interesting story, smooth remappable controls, beautiful visuals, and great performance.”
“Story is so-so, graphics could use less glitter and more optimization, but in terms of gameplay overall, it's quite decent.”
“This game is poorly optimized, it has a 60 degree FOV that is impossible to properly adjust, 21:9 resolutions are not supported and developers were 'looking into' all these issues about 4-6 months ago.”
“Story is so-so, graphics could use less glitter and more optimization, but in terms of gameplay overall it's quite decent.”
“Let's be honest, you don't get this game for the narrative performance, despite the raw basics in order to keep going.”
monetization
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The monetization strategy of the game appears to be ineffective, as it fails to engage players who are unfamiliar with the original series or its reboot, suggesting that it does not adequately attract or retain a broader audience.
atmosphere
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Reviews indicate that some players feel the atmosphere of the game is negatively impacted by the portrayal of strong, independent female characters, which they perceive as aggressive and detracting from the overall experience. This sentiment suggests a divide in player expectations regarding character representation and its influence on the game's ambiance.
grinding
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players find the grinding aspect of traveling between two times to be tedious, detracting from the overall experience. While the concept is intriguing, the execution leads to repetitive and monotonous gameplay.
“Traveling between two times sounds like a good idea but becomes rather tedious in this installment.”