Foreclosed Review

If a certain larger game from the cyberpunk subgenre didn't do it for you, or if you're looking to immerse yourself in a similar world with a smaller scale experience, then FORECLOSED may grab your attention. I was immediately drawn to the trailer's visual style and promise of a narrative-driven adventure that combines gunplay, stealth and hacking with a bit of grit. What substance lies beneath the futuristic lights?

This story is simple, but it works. It will appeal to anyone who likes this kind of fiction. FORECLOSED is a story within a time frame where implants are used against you. Shadowy organizations are also involved. The rabbit holes for discovering who is behind this all run deep. As Evan Kapnos, the players take on the role as his stolen identity and the technology that limits his access to the city. The bullets begin to fly as fast as the characters in FORECLOSED can say "ID" or "blockchain".

FORECLOSED quickly gets players involved without any lengthy build-up. The opening minutes show how buttons and sneaking sections work. After that, the hacking portion drops a bit more story and players can finally experience the real meat of the game, which is the third-person shooting segments. The pace is fast, but there are a few moments when everything slows down. This helps players appreciate each new ability and makes unlocking new mechanics more meaningful. Evan finally learned to use a gun, which felt powerful and liberating. However, I was cautious as I moved between various groups of attackers.

It starts out easy and straightforward, but Evan can upgrade his weapon customizations and implant abilities as he gains experience points. He also has the option to purchase personal upgrades and telekinetic powers. It is important to learn how to be stealthy, and how to deal with certain enemy types. But combat is strategic. It was hard to cover myself when I was so close of wiping out my enemies. But, playing with the toys and trying new ways often won the battle.

Foreclosed has two main types of stealth sections. One is the main combat, which flows well, and more to aid the player. The second setup kills Evan once he is spotted -- it's not a fun way for him to die. Although I enjoy sneaking sections, I don’t have to do them over as many times as I need. Although the gunplay is smooth, there are times when it can feel a bit too easy. It's also very satisfying to land headshots. However, some enemies only take so many bullets. You may find it difficult to target enemies, so you might want to adjust the aim assist and the sensitivity settings to make the controls feel more responsive.

Hacking is minimal, mostly in mini-game-style interactions. However, it doesn't take the player too far from the action. Some mechanics, such as the camera hopping and the camera zooming, feel straight out of Watch Dogs. Others just prolong the time spent on puzzles or feel like work. Hacking isn't a bad thing. It's just a simple task to do under pressure.

Evan has the opportunity to ask questions of characters, but it can be repetitive and easy to get lost in a loop of dialogue. There are also some moments that are quite captivating, like when one character told me to "don't go" and I refused, I was immediately shot. To gain the upper hand, I had to turn slowly and hack into the implants of the other person. The developers wanted to make the game more story-driven. Players shouldn't try to get through every scene in a single go, but these scenes don't detract from the overall experience.

There were times when I had to stop to try and figure out what the game was asking me to do. But, some exploration eventually led me to these answers. While FORECLOSED can be very entertaining when it's in full swing, some of the investigation segments might frustrate some players.

This was particularly true for me when I kept mistaking the door in the warehouse puzzle, even after using cranes to move containers around. I am reminded of a washed out Batman Beyond with cel-shading. The futuristic pinks and purples in high-tech cities remind me of Batman Beyond. This style has one problem: I missed a few items due to the mixing of elements in the backgrounds. But that could just be me.

ANTAB Studio loves comic books, which is why the game is almost a interactive graphic novel. It's not hard to see that there is a lot of action and movement, but the camera moves between panels and sometimes covers multiple panels, which the character traverses. These transitions work well but it can be difficult to find your way around when they first appear. These visual elements create a strong cyberpunk funk, giving FORECLOSED its lost identity.

The audio is serviceable with some good music, although it was lacking in others. The background music can be almost impossible to hear even when it is set as default. The soft spoken noir theme for the main character is appreciated, as well as the direct and serious nature of his ally. However, everyone speaks softly and factually to the point where some emotion and urgency seem missing. Please stop making in-game phone calls and whispers through the DualShock 4 speaker. I miss half the conversation.

Unfortunately, FORECLOSED is severely lacking in options. There are very few controls to adjust and virtually nothing that can be used for accessibility. Although this game is smaller, I ask that you reduce the number of text boxes in comic-book style to make them easier to read.

There were small glitches that appeared, mostly visual problems, that made it difficult to play. These were usually caused by crouching behind or trying to align myself to interact with an object. Playing on my base PS4 was the most frustrating thing. I saw areas slowing down or loading larger combat sections. This got me killed quite a few times.

These complaints aside, I would like to see more of FORECLOSED or another game from the studios that brought it to life. They could also revive some of the parts that weren't working. This is not a game that people will skip due to its size or mechanics. But don't let its shortcomings stop you from enjoying what is a solid title.