I was browsing Steam the other day, berating myself for missing out on so many games in
the Steam sale, when this popped up.
Stranger Things 3: The Game?
Interesting, I didn't see any releases for the first two seasons, but here we are, what
appears to be an isometric game, mimicking the movie, created by BonusXP... hmm, their
back catalogue isn't the most compelling, but things might have changed.
Now, you're probably aware that I adore isometric games.
There was something about seeing those early isometric titles on the ZX Spectrum that ignited
my brain cells.
Being able to navigate around a seemingly three dimensional world was captivating stuff
which excited my senses and fired my soul.
Over 30 years has passed since then, with each decade offering its own twists on the
isometric perspective, but I still can't shake that original feeling from the 80s.
Isometric games just feel right to me, they feel like a video game should feel, and so
Stranger Things 3, combined with it's systemic 80s vibe was a sure fire purchase.
Rather than the PC, however, I opted for the Switch version, because holding an isometric
world somehow feels more compelling than viewing it at a distance.
From the go we're enveloped in the familiar, yet pixelated version of the Stranger Things
universe.
Although this is closer to a 16 bit game in terms of visuals and sound, than an 8 bit
release.
Let's dive straight in.
We're offered 3 difficulty levels, named Story, Standard and Hard.
Story mode is really just easy mode, they've named it Story because it allows you to appreciate
the story, without really facing any threats, so I'll stick with Standard.
Now I wouldn't say spoilers are coming up, but the game does roughly follow the plot
of the season, however I'll try not to give away anything groundbreaking.
We begin with a cut scene, depicting the events at the start of episode one, just in a more
condensed fashion.
Seriously, I think I'd prefer if it the show took this very short and direct approach.
I could watch the entire season in half an hour.
Mike and Lucas then find themselves in the Starcourt mall, with a baseball bat and a
slingshot.
A large part of the game is just smashing the living crap out of items, in order to
uncover cash or useful commodities.
Apparently policing in this area is slack, and nobody around you has a problem with this
approach.
Our first objective is to get into the cinema screening for Day of the Dead.
We do this by visiting Steve, who unlike the show, has lost his keys.
Smashing some boxes soon reveals them and we can continue to move on, taking a similar
approach of finding people with an issue, solving their issue and then obtaining the
means to continue forth.
It's an RPG lite at it's core.
There are lots of side rooms along the way, where you can smash into lockers for example
and steal everyone's money, or just open all the fridges and cookers, because, apparently
global warming is a giant hoax.
But soon enough we'll complete our goal and move the plot along.
Mike's basement is essentially our base, and from here, we must engage in various quests,
although the order we do this, is often left to you.
I'm easily distracted, so I spend a lot of time smashing objects up, to gain items.
-I mean, I'm literally smashing the crap out of my own house here-
Cash is useful for buying things like -energy replenishing - Cola from vending machines,
whilst other objects can be used to make weapons or essential quest items, so it does pay to
look around.
Most quests involve going from one place to another, and either triggering switches or
collecting items, but it's not as tedious as it sounds.
There's lots of variation along the way, and things to look at.
Like this creepy guy, just staring at the pool, or these guys, who, despite harbouring
a frosty attitude, are completely ambivalent to you smashing the living crap out of their
hedges.
There are also puzzles to solve, like these pressure pads requiring you to switch between
characters and move them into position.
We also need certain skills to unlock certain areas.
Some of these are obtained through unlocking further characters.
Dustin can hack doors for example, whilst also being able to spray people at a distance
with never ending aerosol can, and being the 80s, that's clearly not even CFC free.
-In 1974, the United States banned the use of Flurocarbons in the hopes of solving the problem.
Flurocarbon sprays are still legal in most of Europe.
OK, so maybe if it was set in Europe it wouldn't be. It appears that America was ahead of the curve on this one.
Mannn, what glorious days.
There's certainly enough here to keep you engaged, and what's more, its done in this
detailed and compelling isometric perspective.
This game really reminds me of Escape from the Planet of the Robot Monsters, both in
the light puzzle solving and frantic arcade style fights you can find yourself in.
When you do come up against foes, blocking is essential, as is correct choice of weapon.
Mike's baseball bat is very powerful, but it doesn't have the range of Lucas's slingshot
or Dustin's spray can, so it pays to pick your tactics wisely.
Each character also has special abilities, such as the bombs Lucas can use to blast through
rocks.
It's not mindless, that's the key here.
It also deviates enough from the season plot to keep you interested, whilst not breaking
key plot-line elements.
It feels a lot like the best arcade games of the 90s in that respect...
Robocop springs to mind, as does the Turtles Arcade game.... both incorporating stories
from their originating show, but in a slightly shaken, gamified way, with room for creative
deviance.
-There are some nice superficial points to the game, like Billy's car being parked outside
the swimming pool at opportune moments... or using the computer text adventure in Dustin's
house.
It's very short but still quite fun to interact with-
This could have been a game which was terribly implemented and really put out to make a quick
buck, but I'm honestly enjoying it so far.
I'm only a few hours in, and from what I can tell, there's quite a few hours left to go,
so I feel for the £15 price tag, my money has been well spent.
When you do complete the game, you unlock an extra mode called...
ELIMINATOR.
Mmmmmm, sounds aggressive, what is it?
Well, this is where the entire group is unlocked from the get-go, but if any one happens to
die, then that's it...
PERMADEATH.
This could lead to you being unable to progress past certain points, but then you've already
completed it by now, so what's the biggie.
Also, it's nice touch.
I like it.
Another nice touch, is the local 2 player mode, where your friend (or enemy, if you
prefer) takes control of the 2nd character.
It wasn't immediately obvious that this was a feature, but fire up a second controller
and another player can jump in and out as they please.
Interestingly, rather than both being on the same screen, like Escape from the Planet of
the Robot Monsters, or even the Chaos Engine, BonusXP have gone with a split screen mode.
This allows you to wander off to different areas, but it also makes finding each other
again a nuisance.
It would be nice if there were arrows pointing you back to your co-op friend, but I think
it actually would have been best left as a single screen.
[SHOUTY OCTAV1US HAVOC ENSUES]
Woah, I'm standing in front of the bloody rocks!
-Get out of the way then!
Jesus Christ!
-You're in the way of some "explodey things", expect to get...
If you were in... would you just lob a bomb at your mate's head??
-Yes!
You'd do that would you?
-Well yes, if they're not getting outta my way.
Well you didn't even give a warning.
You just lobbed a bomb!
-I woudn't even hang out with the kind of people who wouldn't know to get out of the
way.
[Domestic gaming banter fades out]
Still, it's a welcome addition, and certainly adds fun to proceedings.
Outside of 2 player mode, I do have some other niggles however... the first are these message
boxes.
They can often interrupt you in the middle of action, or at unfortunate moments.
This would be ok, if they didn't interrupt the game, but they do, and it's annoying.
Often items like hearts actually seem to disappear at these points as well, so not everything
seems to pause.
Also Loading times are by no means long, but having so many of these breaks when moving
from one room to another can interfere with immersion.
It doesn't happen every time, but some areas you presume will be flowing, need to be loaded
in.
Now, this isn't really a niggle, but it's interesting how NPCs are often a bit mindless.
I mean what's this lass doing?
Literally pacing back and forth over and over.
So what do I think overall?
Well, this is a game that's compelling, it's nostalgic, and really, although it closely
follows the season, it's playable in it's own right, especially on the Switch's casual
handheld format.
You could even choose to play this before watching the show, and due to it's arcade
style and rapid, direct story telling, probably wouldn't ruin your viewing experience.
Although, it's probably best if you play it alongside the show.
It gives you that slight immersiveness that you may well be craving, but which TV just
lacks.
It's not all rosy.
If you're seeking that 80s nostalgia hit that the show serves up so effortlessly, then you're
likely to be disappointed.
Although you could place the game graphics in the late 80s, there isn't that much in
the universe itself that screams out your favourite decade.
It's not utterly engrossing or deep, but then, you wouldn't expect that.
For that reason, some may find it pretty boring and repetitive, but I think it's pretty fun,
and lightly engaging, for those moments when you want to dive into something, but can't
really be arsed.
That's my kind of thing, and so, I'm more than happy to sink another handful of hours
into it.
Although, it does upset me having to pulverise these rats so often.
But at least they're "evil" rats, who are soon to meet an even grizzlier fate, and the
baseball bat offers a satisfying solution in any case.