Starbreak Beta Review

Starbreak

Crunchy Games' browser Roguelike MMORPG that is brutal as it is fun.

PROS:

- 4 unique classes; Shells

- Procedurally generated dungeons

- Stat upgrade system

- Challenging bosses

- Skill based combat

- Permadeath

- Personal loot

CONS:

- Lack of story

- Health packs are scarce

- Some attacks still damage you after their frames end

- Socially awkward environment

GRAPHICS: Elaborately detailed dungeons greatly capture the area in which you're combating in. The first map, Fire Forest, has lush greenery and dangerous flora and fauna. Whereas in the Fungus Mines, the grays and blues and weird puss-filled walls and mutant mushrooms hearken slight discomfort.

MUSIC: The scores used on the map are great. While you explore and eradicate the aliens from the maps you're greeted with music that doesn't deliver a sense of urgency, but once you enter the realm of the Boss, the music picks up to a more dramatic scale that triggers a slight feeling of "on edge" that something seriously dangerous is up ahead.

STORY: The brief introduction tutorial to the game mechanics sadly doesn't tell you much of the story of what the main game's focus is. You just play it, die, and then become a "Spirit" and possess "Shells" to I guess get revenge on the ones who destroyed a planet, possibly your home planet. It's all very vague, which I feel needs to be fleshed out.

CONTENT: Your main sense of content comes from the large array of maps and all the loot you can find on the maps. In terms of items, if you find something truly awesome it's best to just warp back home and stash it, lest you die on the map and lose everything courtesy of the permadeath troll.

GAMEPLAY: Starbreak plays amazingly for a browser game, especially when you happen to join into a dungeon with upwards of 10+ people all hunting for loot. Though I have a few issues with some of the attack animations, it's still a great experience.

RATINGS:

GRAPHICS: 10/10: For a browser based game, the game displays and plays beautifully even with a screen cluttered with 10+ bodies all trying to claim victory.

MUSIC: 9/10: The music is very good, when exploring it's mellow and enjoyable; when it's time to take down the boss, it changes to more intense music.

STORY: 2/10: Aside from the brief "tutorial " when you first begin, the story is nonexistent and leaves quite a bit of unanswered questions behind. I mean leaving the player to craft a story is nice, but I would've loved more substance.

CONTENT: 7/10: In terms of gear there's a lot to gather. The amount of maps gives you something to work towards exploring (granted you don't die too much and reset your progress). Outside loot and maps, you don't have much else aside the social hub.

GAMEPLAY: 10/10: Really enjoyable to play and with a controller it feels even better than keyboard  (granted some keys seem weird, but you can adjust key bindings.) When you get into a map with a large group it can be fun and chaotic for all the right reasons.

OVERALL: 7.6/10: A fun and challenging roguelike. It's biggest flaw is the lack of story and a few technical issues (or could be my lack of skill). The game as a whole is solid and death does make your soul cry especially once you get some good gears.