Scars Above Reviews
Scars Above is a game that will help you turn off for a few hours, without needing to be challenged by gameplay while being entertained by the visuals and storyline - if your eyes haven't glazed over by then.
Despite a tedious beginning and many generic traits, Scars Above comes alive near the end with decent third-person shooting set in an intriguing alien world that is oddly familiar in more ways than one.
Although Scars Above will not become a gaming icon and you will quickly forget the name of the main character, we have a good feeling about the sci-fi adventure. Especially the first phase of the game is imaginative, then the level drops a bit and the gameplay is more austere, but finally everything ends successfully.
Review in Slovak | Read full review
Combining classic sci-fi elements with an intriguing story, Scars Above presents a great combat and exploration experience, where the satisfaction of overcoming its challenges represents very well the feeling of surviving on a hostile alien planet.
Review in Portuguese | Read full review
Overall this game surprised me completely. A great tactical third-person shooter with exploration and epic boss battles. Apart from the graphics, which did let me down, Scars Above is a game you should buy if you are into sci-fi exploration or looking for a different take on the Soul's Bourne games.
Scars Above is an ambitious game that tries to balance action, exploration, and storytelling into a cohesive experience. While it’s not perfect, it manages to deliver an engaging adventure that stands out for its intelligent protagonist and creative use of scientific elements. For fans of science fiction and action games with a touch of strategy, Scars Above is a great recommendation. It may not revolutionize the genre or go down in history, but it offers a satisfying experience. If you’re willing to accept its flaws and immerse yourself in its story, there’s a lot to be enjoyed in this alien world full of mysteries.
Review in Portuguese | Read full review
Scars Above has been a pleasant surprise that has cemented an already fantastic year in gaming. While it has its shortcomings with it’s uninspired story and weak world-building, it redeems itself with its fun and engaging gameplay.
Scars Above is an interesting title, especially given its launch price (about half of a typical AAA title). Mad Head Games' title offers ambitious gameplay concepts, combining shooting, RPG, and adventure elements. Though not groundbreaking, it presents a good mix that falters under the weight of unrealized ambition. Despite some technical and conceptual limitations, it's a solid "double A" game that could potentially lay the groundwork for a future series. We can only wait!
Review in Italian | Read full review
Scars Above is an incredibly challenging and satisfying third-person shooter that mixes and matches elements from some of the most popular video game franchises in history. It doesn't fully flesh out elements from any of these franchises though its addictive gameplay loop, fueled by some diligent boss encounters, is enough incentive to finish its campaign. However, its bland writing and underwhelming vocal performance mean you won't remember this one for a very long time.
Scars Above can at times come across as fairly generic, it’s still however a decent enough sci-fi mystery and I think at the right value point you can have an enjoyable time working through it.
There is some promise in Scars Above. The game presents solid foundations to build upon, and the fact that this is the maiden title from Mad Head Games is an achievement on its own. On the visual side, the game is a looker and performed admirably on PC. However it is hard to overlook its game design and technical shortcomings. While its use of repeated sci-fi tropes doesn’t do it any favors. Perhaps Scars Above will be the necessary learning experience that will likely enhance the studio’s future projects.
Scars Above is a game that have a lot of ideas but the execution leaves a lot to be desired. The game feels like a lesser version of Returnal with pacing and animation problems, that being said the game does have some neat concepts (specially the combined damage), but it doesn't get the time it deserves and feels a little bit undercooked.
Review in Spanish | Read full review
Scars Above comes across as an average title. The developers had a lot of good ideas that fell flat due to mediocre execution. The game can be recommended to fans of the Alien movie franchise, but we recommend not to have too high expectations.
Review in Czech | Read full review
If you are okay with spending $39.99 for roughly a 6 to 8-hour sci-fi experience then I think Scars Above would be worth your time and money. However, if it was more than $39.99 then absolutely not, but thankfully that isn’t the case here. Scars Above is a decent game for its price point, but it isn’t your next big-budget sci-fi blockbuster.
Scars Above is a competent enough game that efficiently gets you through its six-hour runtime. It won't make you forget its influences, but if you can find this one on sale, you could definitely do a lot worse.
Scars Above really embraces its sci-fi and soulslike themes, offering an atmospheric game with a good balance between exploration, puzzle-solving and battles. It's a bit janky but palatable when you consider the game comes at a budget price. If you're looking for something different than the mainstream cooker cutter offering, Scars Above is worth the time and effort.
It is hard to say that Scars Above is a bad game, but rather, it feels like something that was not made for the modern gaming audience. There is some merit to how it approaches some of its systems, but they never ever go far enough to make a significant difference as a whole. Interesting ideas are only half the battle, and with its mixed visuals and wonky controls, it turns a potentially complex alien journey into a road of forgettable crashes.
Scars Above doesn’t rewrite the rule book, nor does it break any new ground, but it plays mostly well and remains enjoyable through to its end through combat variety, environments, movement and storytelling. Ropey graphics, bugs, light-feeling weapons, as well as frustrating sections, environments and some unfulfilled mechanics mean this also lacks the polish and quality to match up to other diamonds in the genre.
Scars Above is not your average shooter, but it will pleasantly surprise you. This is because you don't play a soldier, but a scientist. Because of this you will have to rely more on science instead of combat training. Despite the repetitive elements, due to the Souls-like touch, you will be faced with enough challenge. Scars Above has many layers, which makes for a unique experience.
Review in Dutch | Read full review
Despite Scars Above’s stellar visual presentation and challenging combat, it suffers from lackluster story-telling and repetitive gameplay. Thankfully it does manage to redeem itself to some extent by effectively blending its exploration with combat and puzzle-solving even though it may get frustrating at times. If you like titles like Dead Space, Returnal, or Control, it may be worth checking out. But considering its inconsistent animations and glitches, it’s best to wait for a sale on this one.