PLATFORM: PC, PS5, XBOX SERIES (REVIEWED) | RELEASE DATE: OUT NOW
When it was first released in October 2023, it seems like Trepang2 flew under many people’s radars – Starburst included. With the arrival of its latest instalment of DLC, let’s have a look at why you absolutely shouldn’t miss out on this game!
At first glance, Trepang2 might look like an indie Call of Duty, but that couldn’t be further from the truth. Set in 2035, you’re cast as Subject 106, a supersoldier with no memory of his past life. Controlled by the nefarious Horizon organisation, 106 breaks away from his captors early in the game and sets off on a mission to find out exactly what Horizon are up to. The mystery deepens as 106 visits a series of sites that were once under Horizon control but have now been taken over by the victims of the experiments that were secretly being carried out within them… It might not sound like this horror-tinged sci-fi plot is all that different from many other similar games, but T2‘s voice acting elevates it more than one might expect, and the sparsely-worded lore that can be found throughout each level gives just enough information to keep you engaged while still leaving plenty of room for intrigue.
Taking inspiration from the F.E.A.R. series (but surpassing it at pretty much every turn), as 106 you’re given plenty of firepower to take down the soldiers, mutants, cultists and more that stand in your way. You’re also able to use an invisibility cloak for a few seconds at a time, and silenced guns allow you to quietly shoot out lights to create shadows, enabling you to tackle the game stealthily if that’s your sort of thing, while the inclusion of a slow-motion ability adds a nice twist to the all-guns-blazing approach. Enemies are fast and aggressive, but by slowing down time you’re able to dodge around their bullets and blast your foes away in glorious showers of blood. There are several other murder methods too, with sliding and grabbing offering some additional of inventive options, as well as a range of grenades and other throwable weapons. Your arsenal expands as you clear levels at increasingly higher difficulties, giving you plenty to play around with.
In the base game, you get half a dozen levels, each taking around an hour to complete, along with half a dozen side missions which ask you to complete objectives while taking out waves of enemies. The wave-based formula might not be everyone’s cup of tea, and may even sound like it would be too repetitive to spend much time with, but thanks to some fantastic level design and the excellent combat, the side missions prove to be an absolute treat – indeed, a couple of them are some of the best missions in the entire game! Elsewhere, a survival mode is now available as DLC, along with the Bladekisser add-on which brings new weapons to the mix (including a fancy sword for close-up melee attacks) as well as a couple of new missions. Combine the superb gameplay with claustrophobic (yet incredibly atmospheric) environments and a Doom-esque soundtrack which ramps the energy up to ridiculously exhilarating levels, and you end up with a fantastic game that really ought to be in every first-person shooter fan’s library. Made by a team of only four people, too. Incredible!
