Achilles: Survivor Early Access Impressions
Achilles: Survivor is a survivorslike that fails to inspire.
Achilles: Survivor. Credit: Dark Point Games
Achilles: Survivor is a bullet heaven—survivorslike—game from Polish studio Dark Point Games. The game features some unique mechanics, but it doesn’t feel as good to play as some of its competitors and is visually generic.
From the game’s Steam page:
Achilles: Survivor is a dynamic single-player bullet heaven game. Immerse yourself in quick gameplay sessions where you face waves of enemies, build destructive structures, and develop your character to return as an even more powerful machine of destruction. Each run will end upon completing different tasks. Are you ready for battle?
Achilles: Survivor. Credit: Dark Point Games
You start as Achilles, one of 11 available characters, an impressive number for an Early Access game in this genre. Each has unique starting powers and stats. Likewise, only one location is available at the start, and each is divided into several runs with unique sets of objectives to complete in sequence; meeting objectives earns you currency for upgrades. It was refreshing to have specific, non-randomized things to do in each level.
What makes this game stick out is a focus on building structures. In each level, you mine ore that you use to build things on specific spots, ranging from healing stations to tower defense-style turrets. It becomes crucial to plan how you build because if not placed well, you can quickly be overwhelmed by enemies.
The game needs balancing. I was able to finish almost all the objectives in the first level without dying once before hitting a wall, where I’d nearly scrape by. This makes the experience a bit boring initially, only to become frustrating. Turrets go from surviving well to being quickly demolished by monsters in the following level.
From moment to moment, the gameplay feels sluggish, which isn’t helped by a level timer that runs too long. Attacks that you earn and upgrade are underwhelming, and upgrades aren’t very rewarding; perhaps this is because the power that the structures give you requires normal abilities to be toned down for balance. Certain attack upgrades require you to build a forge; this feels arbitrary at best and more irritating than fun.
Achilles: Survivor. Credit: Dark Point Games
The game’s 3D graphics are decent, but the art direction is boring. The character designs of the heroes and enemies are bland and uninspired. The game’s Greek mythology theme should be a rich well from which to draw more artistically daring things, and the developers have wasted the opportunity. As a point of comparison for other mythology-inspired games, consider how distinctive Hades looks.
The game has only recently hit Early Access, so there’s time and room to grow and improve. Right now, Achilles: Survivor doesn’t hold up well to the competition in this crowded genre. I hope this changes as the game nears its full release.
Achilles: Survivor is available now on Steam Early Access.
Played on: Steam Deck
