UNYIELDER was marketed to players as an “intense single-player boss-rush movement FPS in the form of an absurd and exploitable rogue-looter”. Having finally gotten my hands on the full release, I think it nails this description and so much more in what it has to offer.
At first glance, the game might seem like an odd mish-mash of ideas. It starts with roguelite elements, packaged in a fast-paced arena-type FPS, with a side of some looter-shooter elements and randomised guns, as well as boss after boss for you to fight. So, how do all of these elements come together?
UNYIELDER was an enjoyable experience from the very moment I started it. The gameplay loop is very straightforward: you go through room after room of bosses, which rewards you with a new gun and perk/abilities upon defeating the enemy, gradually making you stronger. However, if you lose in any of the fights, you have to start all over again, only accompanied by some small permanent buffs obtainable by levelling up as you progress the game.
The fast-paced, non-stop action with unique bosses and guns to explore really give players a sense of mastering the game slowly. The movement options provide a sense of speed and fluidity; however, I found myself defaulting to just simple dodges and slides, which got the job done. The gun feels great to shoot, the sounds are crisp, and overall the game feels really refreshing to play.
The smooth and intuitive gameplay, paired with the crunchy sounds of the guns and the heart-stomping background music, puts you into the “flow” state almost instantly when you start blasting down the boss – so much so I start to ignore most of the HUD elements and find myself dying because I got too careless with my health. Sometimes it feels similar to a rhythm game, as there is a natural rhythm of dodging, shooting and counter-attacking.
All of the game’s genres work together surprisingly really well, making it a breath of fresh air in a sea of similar games. I find myself coming back any time I have some extra time in the day, just to to see if I can push myself further by getting a better score and mastering each boss encounter.
Visually, the style of the game is great, instantly drawing my attention. The game runs on Unreal Engine 5 (UE5), which has been getting some negative attention recently, with users claiming that all UE5 games look too similar due to its photorealism. However, UNYIELDER goes for a more stylised approach, proving that UE5 is not entirely to blame for games looking too ‘samey’.
This unique style of the game really allows the visual cues of the bosses’ attacks to be more clearly conveyed, helping to further bring out the gameplay elements. The use of 2D-style visual effects for things like smoke further makes everything pop just a little more.
If I had to nitpick, I’d say the game is sadly bogged down by some pacing issues. Unskippable cutscenes and extended animation impact the game’s overall flow when transitioning from one segment to the next.
However, these are easily fixable with a ‘skip’ button, which will allow us to get to the best part of the game – the shooting and dodging. The fact that I wish to jump right back into the action, with 3 seconds feeling like too much to wait, is testament to how solid the main gameplay feels.
Verdict
UNYIELDER hits all the right notes for a fast paced action-packed shooter with its own unique flair. The game does a lot right, and it’s easy to find enjoyment from the game, from its style, to the satisfying moments when you hit a counter on a boss, to dodging its barrage of attacks.
Sadly, no games are perfect, and its best parts are bogged down by some pacing issues and repetitiveness, making it hard to play this game for long stretches of time in one sitting. Despite that, I’d say that if you’re a fan of action-packed FPS games, then this title is definitely one to pick up.
Buy UNYIELDER on Steam or the Epic Games Store, and check out the official website for more information.
