FORECLOSED Reviews
A beautiful comic book aesthetic can't save Foreclosed from its mindlessly repetitive combat, poor story and characters, and overly linear levels.
Antab Studio’s ambition has to be applauded. Blending multiple game types with such a bold aesthetic style and an intriguing story premise – and getting so close to pulling it all off – is a remarkable achievement in its own right. As it is, it’s a qualified recommendation from me – the combat could be a little tighter and you should be prepared for some frustration with the instant-fail stealth sections. However, at the price point Foreclosed sits at, you’re getting a lot of bang for your buck, and that’s a difficult value proposition to ignore.
Unfortunately for Foreclosed, the glitches, confusing systems, and undercooked game mechanics overwhelmed my experience with the game. On the surface, Antab Studio present an exciting and engaging future-noir thriller, but look much further and you will see a cyberpunk-by-the-numbers experience that falls flat. Even taking into consideration the well-realised cyberpunk world, and the clever use of comic book aesthetics to present the game’s narrative, Foreclosed fails to impress on most fronts. Gameplay is key, and unfortunately Foreclosed presents and feels like a middling shooter from decades past.
Based on its premise, Foreclosed should be a lot more interesting, but it doesn’t have the balanced gameplay or nuanced story to even crack that conversation.
Once at the end credits the feeling that leaves Foreclosed is that of a missed opportunity, of a good basic idea rendered only half, of the bitter taste in the mouth for what could have been a small, big surprise on the part of the Italian independent scene. Let's be clear, the title signed Antab Studio has arrows to its bow. Using the different cybernetic powers of Evan Kapnos is a pleasure and offer enough variety to the fights, and the cyberpunk atmospheres that you breathe are engaging enough to push you to want to get to the bottom without stopping.
Review in Italian | Read full review
While it has a strong premise and some neat ideas, Foreclosed it let down by rote, subpar third-person shooter action and unimpressive stealth sections during its short runtime.
Finishing the game was difficult, not because it had punishing encounters, but because the experience it provides is far from enjoyable. If I didn’t have to review the game, I would have put it down during the first hour. It brought me no enjoyment despite the interesting premise it stands on. As a comic book fan, even its visuals, which is the best part of the game, ultimately failed to engage me because of its terrible gameplay loop. Games are enjoyed for their stimulating gameplay, or their enticing tales, or in the best cases, for both. Foreclosed has neither of those things.
Foreclosed follows Evan Kapnos’ mission to unravel the mystery surrounding his identity foreclosure, and attempts to inject the style of a graphic novel into a third-person shooter. Does it deliver on its promise of a sleek Cyberpunk adventure?
Foreclosed excels in world-building and presentation. The graphics and stylistic choices of a comic book frame the narrative and its structure. Though the brightness of the neon lights are strewn throughout the city, this dystopian world is rather dark. It’s a shame the game is only a few hours long, making it more of a cinematic experience. Despite its shortcomings with control and narrative, I still had a lot of fun trying to get Evan’s life back from the authority above.
Foreclosed is a stylish title that integrates comics and video games. The use of panels is exemplary and helps to communicate the narrative. With the symbiote revolver and intuitive hacking, the game has implemented many features successfully. Unfortunately, the repetitive gameplay and sparse environments affect the overall experience. That being said, releasing at a budget price, comic book fans may want to check out this intriguing title.
Foreclosed features a masterful comic book art style and pumping sci-fi soundtrack, but its average action and failure to capitalise on its cyberpunk themes make it a hard sell.
Props to the devs for the slick aesthetic and cool comic strip ideas, but one can’t help but feel this game is in need of some serious work to elevate it above mediocrity.
I also wish some narrative sections played out to their end and the choices mattered a bit more, but Foreclosed tells its story and gets out. I can’t fault it for not overstaying. If you want a snappy cyberpunk adventure it might be worth seeing how the story of Evan Kapnos and his fight for his own identity play out. Just be prepared to deal with some average and occasionally frustrating gameplay all along the way.
A simple yet very practical gameplay with mind-blowing visuals and a fearful but very intriguing world building has made Foreclosed a very enjoyable experience and we can’t wait for more stories in this beautiful dangerous world if the developers want to make more.
Review in Persian | Read full review
Foreclosed has some really good ideas and excels in some areas. Sadly the gameplay elements make the experience a little frustrating and tough, and the pacing is uneven. Still, Foreclosed is well worth experiencing.
Antab Studio provides living proof that style should not come before substance in an eye-catching albeit below average shooter which would've felt at home on the PlayStation 2.
Don’t get me wrong, I enjoyed what Foreclosed had to offer, and a circular narrative is always a good way to get on my good side. The game effortlessly makes you feel like you’re in a comic book, and it feels immersive. But while there are some outstanding elements to the game, I just want more of it—more story, more action, more mechanics. Furthermore, I want to see Antab Studio use these same elements to build a longer game with more complexity.
I wouldn’t go as far as to say that Foreclosed is a complete waste of effort to play. It’s clear the developers were trying to make something cool here, but whether you’re looking for a third person shooter, a cyberpunk game, or a story-heavy game, your time would almost assuredly be better spent elsewhere. Every system presented to the player works on a functional level, but their implementation simply isn’t up to par with what’s required to make an engaging video game—even one that’s only about four hours long—and this culminates in an experience that ends up being more half-baked than hard-boiled.
Foreclosed is a good action game that mixes different elements of gameplay, with a very intriguing graphic novel style but which does not offer an adequate longevity.
Review in Italian | Read full review