Beyond Sunset [Review]
Image: Movie Games S.A. / Metacorp / Vaporware
Beyond Sunset is a first person shooter RPG taking place in the cyberpunk dystopia of Sunset City. The player is Lucy, a street samurai searching for her memories. The game has an engaging story and blazing fast action where the player fights hordes of yakuza, mutant zombies, robots, and bosses. There are also VR hacking puzzle levels which are a nice change of pace.
The game plays like Doom — it’s made in GZDoom — and reminds me of Deus Ex with its cyberpunk dystopia and RPG elements. Your base weapon is a katana, which you can use to slash, deflect bullets, or execute a super move that refills health and ammo. The combat with the katana is speedy and chaotic; I enjoyed using the katana far more than any of the other weapons.
Image: Movie Games S.A. / Metacorp / Vaporware
That brings us to the RPG side of things. The player can upgrade themselves, doing things like increasing max health and more. There are also NPCs inhabiting the world that you must talk to for sidequests and information. This is what really brings life to the game, making it far more than just a throwback shooter.
The game’s ‘90s shooter look is fantastic and the devs did wonders with the GZDoom engine; the levels are full of character and feel lived in, and the map design is complex and varied. It’s fun to explore, especially since there’s danger around every corner. However, it’s very easy to get lost and this can be frustrating at times. Last but not least, the synthwave soundtrack by Karl Vincent really brings it all together, cementing the game’s vibe.
Image: Movie Games S.A. / Metacorp / Vaporware
Beyond Sunset, developed by Metacorp/Vaporware and published by Movie Games S.A., is available on Steam now in Early Access. Currently there are three episodes, with two more upcoming. The developers also have a very active Discord server where you can share your feedback on the game. If you’re into fast-paced classic shooters and are a cyberpunk fan, this is a must play.
