The concept behind Scourge: Outbreak is an interesting one, a squad based tactical shooter where each character has a unique set of abilities and skills that determine how well he or she performs in different situations and with different weapons. On paper it seems a great idea for those summer time gaming sessions with friends, encouraging co-op and communication between all the squad members.
It's because of those promising features that the final product feels so disappointing, the developer Tragnarion certainly bit off more than they could chew, still you have to admire their courage.
Story
You are one of the members of echo squad (you choose which), a group of badass mercenaries hired by a company named Tarn to infiltrate a secret research facility and expose the truth about what really gives life to Ambrosia, the fuel-like substance that powers the world of Scourge: Outbreak.
While the game has some interesting ideas, the "evil" company that has power over everything being my favorite, it fails when it's time to give any kind of depth to them. Unfortunately that also extends to the main characters, being able to know Mass, Shade, Amp and Stonewall a little bit better could encourage players to repeat the campaign, even if only to see the world through the eyes of a different person.
Gameplay
Here is where Scourge: Outbreak could have been great, the idea behind the different characters with distinct abilities while not completely original, would make co-op really interesting to play and eventually replay with another character. Unfortunately those special abilities are not enough to make each character feel totally unique in terms of gameplay. When you add the fact that each skill, either a shield or shockwave, can only be cast two or three times before you have to recharge your energy does not help either, the game simply does not encourage the player to use them.
In terms of weapon selection you have the usual stuff, shotguns, assault rifles, pistols and even a gatling gun. Selecting the right weapon for the job can really be the difference between life and death, personally I always tried to carry with me a close quarters weapon and another one for more precise shots. Approaching each situation keeping in mind the type of guns you are carrying, as well as which character you have selected, can effectively make all the difference when it comes to bringing the pain to your enemies.
The biggest problem with the gunplay is that enemies are extremely tough, too much in fact, they just feel like "bullet sponges" most of the time, that combined with the use of cover make some fights take longer than they should.
There is also an XP system in place, as you level up, you will get some upgrades that will make you a more effective killing machine, it's actually a pretty interesting system, it rewards you with more or less XP depending on how you dispose of your enemies, headshots and explosive kills are some of the most effective ways to level up. One thing that could make it better would be the inclusion of talent trees, letting you customize your character even more would be awesome.
Graphics and Sound
The world of Scourge: Outbreak could be better to look at, it certainly has some problems with texture quality and animations.
The graphics themselves don't affect the gameplay in any negative way, they can actually look interesting in the middle of a firefight, when everything is going fast you don't have time to look at the details, so the character models, scenarios and explosions can look intense and exciting during those scenes. Unfortunately the same cannot be said for the animations, they are just too stiff and make the process of getting a headshot or any other kind of precision shot much harder than it should be.
Soundwise the musical score and voice work, while not great, do their job. Actually the biggest problem I had were the weapon sounds, they lack the "punch" that make weapons feel more powerful, this makes it harder for the player to feel like a true killing machine while firing them.
Final Thoughts
In my reviews I always try to be positive, hating on a game will get us a nowhere, some constructive criticism is the best way to go.
Scourge: Outbreak is a game with fantastic ideas, the problem being the technical execution, it's flawed. It is not a terrible game by any means, it is a fun experience, but it could be a true gem, a title that could have been featured in best games lists for the XBLA, in it's current state though, it's just average.
Keep in mind that this game at release is only 800 points, if it was released as a 60$ game, my grade would have been way lower. (cough cough Mindjack)
Year of Release: 2013
Platform: Xbox 360, PS3, PC, Mac
Developer: Tragnarion Studios
6 out of 10
NRLB would like to thank Traganarion Studios for providing a review copy of the game
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