REVIEW : Phoenix Point: Behemoth Edition (PS5)
How many of you have heard of Julian Gallop? Those unfamiliar with the well-known English game designer know that he became famous thanks to X-COM, the tactical series released two generations ago on PC and consoles, thrilling an indefinite number of players. One of them is our Davide Pessach, who reviewed the original version of the latest effort by the British developer on our pages. Thus shaking off the legacy of X-COM, Gallop’s new production path also involved David Kaye, who helped his friend found Snapshot Games.
With Phoenix Point: Behemoth Edition, the team brings this new iteration to consoles, offering the original experience and the additional content released after launch. We’re talking about four expansions, including the new “Corrupted Horizons” DLC, as well as skins for PlayStation 4 and Xbox One owners.
This new supplement introduces the deadly Corruption Effect, which affects our soldiers’ willingness to fight the disgusting Pandora. A new unit, called Mutoid, can counter this threat because it is immune to Pandorian corruption.
Those who have never tried the PC version know that the story of Phoenix Point begins with a catastrophe. Due to the melting of glaciers in Antarctica, a virus that has remained dormant for thousands of years spreads across the entire globe, killing the first guests affected by the infection. Upon coming into contact with water, the virus unexpectedly mutates, transforming people into sea monsters straight out of a Lovecraft book.
We have seen viruses and bacteria in many playful and film productions, such as The Walking Dead. Unlike Robert Kirkman’s masterpiece, there are no dead resurrected but only a cloud capable of killing and transforming our nasty next-door neighbour into an anthropomorphic crab.
There is no definite plot: in this apocalyptic world, our choices matter. After the introduction and learning the notions of the tutorial, the game world opens into a global map full of points of interest to explore and bases to manage.
We come into contact with various communities that are always in conflict, which is best not to antagonize. Some factions see Pandoravirus as an opportunity to be seized for a new human stage, while others are convinced that they must eradicate it at any cost before it fully spreads.
But let’s proceed in order. In this completely ruined world, we take on the role of an elite squadron of soldiers founded just after the Second World War: the Phoenix. We will decide how to move, which activities to follow, and how we will fight. In short, we will be able to choose whether to be the raiders or the new saviours of humanity.
This tactical RPG has managed to propose a stimulating and engaging plot, able to capture fans and accompany them in a vast post-apocalyptic world.
Even if the linearity of the story is felt after ten hours of play, we appreciated the presence of the four DLCs that deepen the various events. But before you think you are faced with full narrative freedom, we have to give you some sad news: the ending doesn’t change.
Moving around the globe is essential to gather resources, forge alliances and explore the automatically generated procedural maps, unfortunately very similar to each other and uninspired. By getting to know the various faction leaders, we can initiate a trade, recruit new soldiers for our team and use the resources to build housing, power generators, and many other small goodies to strengthen our base.
We will be able to manufacture more powerful weapons and means of transport that can take us from one side to the other. When we increase our influence, we will control more than three bases scattered around our planet, which we will have to defend from the incursions of the Pandorians and the presence of the Behemoth, bestiality that will threaten every human settlement.
Combat, inspired by the X-COM series, is the nerve centre of the production. Unlike the original version, an interesting novelty has been added: now we can hit enemy limbs by weakening or destroying them, bleeding them, and thus taking time to organize a different strategy.
We will move our units in the various maps when we carry out rescue, supply, and defence missions and attacks, which is challenging if we face them at a high level. Net of these changes, the combat system remains unchanged.
The real criticality lies in the artificial intelligence of the enemies. In addition to being unrealistic, it does not offer a real degree of challenge that can put us in difficulty.
We have often placed our soldiers right in front of enemy lines, which we defeated in a short time without too much difficulty. By combining the skills we will spend with the will points, we will facilitate offensive or defensive operations.
Enemies will not only find patchy cover, but they will always be within range. A sniper might not miss a shot, but a private armed with an assault rifle would be able to hit the target despite the percentages of chance we would get it full. A choice that we found inconsistent, considering the modest additions of this edition.
The playful structure is still fun if we neglect the obvious structural criticalities. And how not to mention the battles aboard the Manticore? Interesting, sure, but they clash with the tactical nature of the product, not entertaining as we would have hoped.
The artistic direction is enjoyable. We will explore similar maps, visiting agglomerations, bases, and pleasant places controlled by the Pandorians. And despite their charm, death will be around the corner.
Despite simplifying the windows of the various menus, the porting to the console is unfortunately undermined by some bugs that fortunately do not ruin the experience and do not prevent players from advancing in the adventure.
Pad in hand, the game is uncomfortable due to some input lag problems impossible not to mention.
On the playful side, it takes inspiration from X-COM, and how could it be otherwise? Behind the scenes is Julian Gallop, the father of the series and one of the most talented designers on the world videogame scene, who unfortunately failed to show all his potential with this new project.
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