S.C.A.R
- July 15, 2020
- Savage Studios
Get on Steam"S.C.A.R," a first-person shooter by Savage Studios, pits you against endless hordes of monsters and mutated beasts in a fast-paced, bloody rampage. Utilize a variety of weapons and a grappling hook to traverse levels and defeat enemies, all set to an intense and aggressive soundtrack. Experience a retro-inspired monster killing spree with challenging bosses and multiple stages.
PC
Windows
Reviews
- The game features a fun and fluid movement system with mechanics like double jumping, dashing, and a grappling hook that enhance gameplay.
- The level design is expansive and encourages verticality, providing a variety of environments and secrets to explore.
- For its low price, the game offers a decent amount of content and has the potential to improve significantly with future updates.
- The game appears to be abandoned, with many players expressing disappointment over the lack of updates and content since its early access launch.
- There are numerous bugs and optimization issues, including poor enemy AI and unsatisfying weapon feedback, which detract from the overall experience.
- The graphics and level design have been criticized for being bland and uninteresting, leading to a lack of engagement during gameplay.
- music18 mentions
- 11 % positive mentions
- 72 % neutral mentions
- 17 % negative mentions
The music in the game has received high praise, particularly the menu music, which captivates players from the start. The soundtrack enhances the gameplay experience, especially in intense moments, with a thumping score that elevates the atmosphere. Many reviewers regard the composer as a leading talent in the genre, drawing favorable comparisons to other notable soundtracks.
“The first time I launched the game, I got called away shortly after, but logged six minutes just listening to the menu music and enjoying it massively – so certainly off to a good start.”
“If you, the people credited for the music, are reading this – I think many people would agree he is currently the master of music for this genre. Be proud that I was almost expecting to see his name amongst the credits.”
“If comparing the soundtrack to the man who gave us Bombshell, Dusk, Amid Evil, Rise of the Triad 2013, Brutal Doom, the list continues sounds insulting, you clearly haven’t experienced those games and the standard he produced.”
“But oh boy, you enter that factory, the music thumps, your heart rate raises, before you even figure out where you are.”
“If you, the people credited for the music, are reading this – I think many people would agree he is currently the master of music for this genre, be proud that I was almost expecting to see his name amongst the credits.”
- gameplay12 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 25 % neutral mentions
- 25 % negative mentions
The gameplay is characterized by fast-paced arcade movement, incorporating a variety of mechanics such as a hook for traversal and basic shooting elements, reminiscent of classic titles like Quake and Doom. While the mechanics are generally well-received, some players noted issues with audio distractions during the tutorial, and there is hope for more content in future episodes. Overall, the gameplay offers an engaging experience with a mix of large and small arenas to keep the action dynamic.
“Fast arcade movement including a hook, metal music, sweet but basic guns, and a large map (first episode, hopefully we will get more episodes/maps) with various spaces/arenas both small and large to change the pace of the gameplay.”
“Fast-paced mixture of Quake and Doom with the addition of a hook mechanic that allows for dynamic movement.”
“Mechanics are amazing, shooting and zip-zooming around the level.”
“In the tutorial section, I found the game continued to refill my ability bar and keep it active throughout the whole thing – which in proper gameplay would be fine. However, the continued loud pulsing sound that plays while it is active is a nuisance over what is a gorgeous track.”
“Fast-paced mixture of Quake and Doom, but the gameplay feels unbalanced and lacks depth.”
“The gameplay is chaotic and overwhelming, making it difficult to enjoy the mechanics or strategize effectively.”
- graphics8 mentions
- 25 % positive mentions
- 38 % neutral mentions
- 38 % negative mentions
The graphics have received mixed reviews, with many players criticizing them for being blurry and washed out, leading to discomfort during gameplay. Performance issues, particularly during intense moments like boss fights, further detract from the experience, with frame rates dropping below 50fps. However, some users appreciate the edgy artwork and the option to apply filters, such as a toon style, to enhance the visual appeal.
“The artwork is edgy enough, and by god does it play well.”
“Scar has filters to change your graphics, and my favorite is the toon style, one that makes it look fantastic.”
“The graphics are bad, it looks blurry and washed out, it literally made me feel dizzy while playing, it also runs poorly, with terrible performance (went below 50fps during the boss fights).”
“Problems start with level design, enemy and map art style, and there is also a bit of a problem not finding where to go.”
“The graphics are bad, it looks blurry and washed out, it literally made me feel dizzy while playing, it also runs poorly, with terrible performance (went below 50fps during the boss fights).”
- optimization8 mentions
- 13 % positive mentions
- 50 % neutral mentions
- 38 % negative mentions
The optimization of the game has received mixed reviews; while some players report smooth performance on high settings without noticeable frame drops, others experience significant issues such as low frame rates during intense moments and graphical problems that detract from the overall experience. Additionally, there are complaints about bugs and limitations in control customization, indicating that optimization may not be consistent across all systems.
“Performance-wise, I can run this game perfectly fine on my system (AMD Ryzen 5 3600 6-core, GeForce RTX 2060, on Windows 10) at maximum settings, with no concern of the framerate dropping enough for me to notice.”
“There's way too many problems, optimization issues and bugs, like for some reason I can't rebind the mouse right-click button.”
“The graphics are bad, it looks blurry and washed out, it literally made me feel dizzy while playing, it also runs poorly, with terrible performance (went below 50fps during the boss fights).”
“On the bright side, optimization seems to be okay.”
- story2 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 100 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The story aspect is perceived as lacking depth or resolution, with users indicating a sense of finality or dissatisfaction.
- emotional2 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Users express a strong negative emotional response to the game's graphics and performance, describing them as blurry and washed out, which led to feelings of dizziness and frustration during gameplay. The poor frame rates, especially during critical moments like boss fights, further contributed to a disappointing experience.
