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The perpetually rain slick streets of Sundown Metropolis is likely to be the very best surroundings ever rendered in GZDoom—it is uncluttered, atmospheric, and attractive in that classic cyberpunk means. The surface areas evoke yellowed paperback reminiscences of Neuromancer’s Sprawl, with sparsely adorned interiors that really feel proper out of Johnny Mnemonic. Moody synths think of Vangelis’s work on the Blade Runner soundtrack, with somber moments of reprieve after the carnage stops. Past Sundown is, kind of, an FPS constructed out of stuff you’ve got seen earlier than, however organized with such precision and polish that these acquainted tastes really feel all new.
What’s instantly putting about Past Sundown is how each factor of the presentation feels exact, thought of, and deliberate, a technical triumph on condition that it runs in a virtually 20 yr previous open supply engine constructed on the bones of 1993’s Doom. This is not meant to disparage GZDoom—it is simply uncommon to see one thing of this high quality, like discovering a tremendous observe on Soundcloud and be taught it was made on a cracked copy of FruityLoops.
You play as Lucy, a newly unfrozen road samurai within the make use of of unseen mafiosa Yuri. The primary main space is structured round you performing successful on a Yakuza boss, however that itself isn’t any straightforward job, as a result of the bastard has locked his entrance door. Buying and selling contraband with shifty shopkeeps, taking out minor gang bosses, and hacking a web that appears just like the Macintosh Plus Floral Shoppe cowl are the means by which you pry open Sundown’s metropolis little by little.
I actually appreciated the change in context: slicing an arm from a pit boss to open a biometrically sealed door or hacking a terminal to open a safety gate is not that a lot completely different than keycard searching, but it surely makes Sundown Metropolis really feel a hell of much more alive. What additionally retains that power going is a thumping synth & vaporwave soundtrack by Karl Vincent: crisp hi-hats and snare hits, wispy synths, and punchy bass riffs sound real in a means that loads of different soundtracks chasing that ’80s & ’90s sound do not. Simply take heed to Wrath of Apollo‘s gnarly, A.G. Cook dinner-esque bass synth and attempt to inform me it would not get you going.
Although there’s nonetheless a good quantity of backtracking (which GZDoom’s restricted automap would not make any simpler), I used to be impressed by the readability of the extent design, and the way coherently every little thing was laid out, particularly given each the variability and scope of the surroundings in even simply the primary couple hours. There are penthouse shootouts, a zombie-infested quarantine zone guarded by a personal navy firm, and hacking sequences that teleport you right into a CYMK tinged digital backyard of greco-roman statues and low poly impressions.
Each the construction and scale of Sundown Metropolis harken again to a few of the Doom modding scenes’ most spectacular customized .WADs, particularly the bigger maps from legendary megawad Alien Vendetta. As somebody who has some expertise on this little area of interest, it is arduous to not see Past Sundown as a victory lap for the GZDoom neighborhood.
Past Sundown shocked me with its gunplay too—I’ve performed loads of GZDoom complete conversions, and Past Sundown sidesteps the most typical pitfalls (clumsy glory kills mechanics, an overabundance of weapon and enemy variations). The katana-swinging yakuza enforcers that pour in by teleporters achieve this dozens at a time, excellent fodder for a shotgun with an arc so broad that it genuinely clears rooms. Racking up kills fills up your “energy blow” meter, an instakill katana fast draw that returns an honest chunk of well being and ammo. That meter crammed up a bit too quick for my liking–there had been a pair white knuckle shootouts that undoubtedly felt undercut by having prepared entry to a therapeutic deathblow, however the transfer is so satisfying to drag off that it is solely a small criticism.
Past Sundown is a group of concepts and methods pioneered by different video games, books, and movies, however seeing them right here, executed with such a excessive degree of polish on such a compressed scale, is uniquely spectacular and pleasing. These comfy with enjoying on Ultraviolence or Nightmare problem might discover Past Sundown’s problem wanting, however truthfully, half the enjoyable is soaking in these wealthy lo-fi cyberpunk vibes. If that is in any respect interesting to you, undoubtedly keep watch over (and take into account selecting up) Past Sundown because it exits early entry.
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