Developer: The Bearded Ladies
Steam Deck Compatibility?: Unknown
Rrp: £15.99 (Epic)
This is the second X-Com like game I’ve played before actually playing X-Com… I probably should get on that. This is also the second squad tactics game created by The Bearded Ladies, which seems oddly fitting. Corruption 2029 is set in the near future and specifically within the United States of America… or the not so United States as events mentioned in the games prologue show that a civil war has occurred between two factions. Doesn’t that sound thrilling? Well, I hate to say it but its all set dressing and really doesn’t amount to much, which is a crying shame because that feels like a setting with a lot of potential.
You control a squad of cybernetically enhanced and controlled humans, these soldiers are little more than drones with no personality at all to them. Unfortunately, I can’t help but compare this game to the last game this developer made, Mutant Year Zero: Road to Eden. As I mentioned the various untis have no personality, the only bit of personality you do get is from someone at command who gives you your marching orders. I miss the various quips and chatter that the characters (for thats what they were) in Mutant Year Zero would come out with, even if they did repeat from time to time. I’m sure there’s some kind of meta commentary going on but I’m afraid it doesn’t make for a compelling game.
Most of the mechanics on display in this game from the ‘Zone of awareness’ through to sneaking and combat work exactly like they did in Mutant Year Zero. However, there are a couple of differences on display, such as the ability to give your units specific loadouts between missions, or even having missions at all. You also completing side objectives gets you additional rewardeds such as new weapons or implants. This reward system replaces the experience system Mutant Year Zero used as your units in this game never level up, you can only improve the gear they have and better implants.
My overall thoughts… if it wasn’t obvious I think Mutant Year Zero: Road to Eden is a better game, however, if you’ve had your fill of both the X-com universe and of Mutant Year Zero this will fill a need. Just don’t go expecting too much from it.
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