Scars Above Reviews
Scars Above may be a little on the repetitive side, and sure it’s not perfect. I wouldn’t say it’s not worth trying out, but I would also classify it somewhere between a quick fix to expect nothing too lofty. The characters are forgettable, the story is not important, and its mission statement is worthless to its protagonist in the sense that there’s no goal to attain, rather a moral standard to which in a dire situation as this would be a judgement call, rather than any level headedness applied.
In years to come, Scars Above may be the sort of game you find in a “games you missed” list, or ones that deserve more attention. It’s rough around the edge, isn’t the prettiest, and doesn’t reinvent the gaming wheel, but what it does deliver is an enjoyable sci-fi romp that may gain a cult classic status one day.
Scars Above will seek inspiration from many other works, but it does not emerge at any of the points it has carried. Poor quality of kinematics and dialogues, rudimentary and frustrating gameplay that reveals almost no motion capture, and dubious visual quality. A project that has to be looked at outside the most demanding levels of a high-profile, budgeted title below. You don't ask for a full price, nor could you, but even with a more desirable price I can't recommend it, fail the most important, reward the player for the hours you play it, and that Scars Above can't do it.
Review in Portuguese | Read full review
Overall Scars Above shows large promise in being a story that will be remembered and enjoyed by various types of gamers. For the price it is going for on the PlayStation Store (£36.97 at the time of writing this), it is a steal for an immersive and beautiful experience with plenty to shoot, investigate, and discover.
Scars Above provokes bittersweet feelings. It contains all the elements to be a very complete work, but some of its mechanics cause too much frustration.
Review in Spanish | Read full review
Apart from some cutscene jank, Scars Above is still a fantastic new release that delivers a really great gaming experience.
Scars Above is an interesting toe in the water for many different genres but as you start to descend, you realise how shallow that puddle really is. An interesting world and decent elemental mechanics are held back by poor exploration and an unwillingness to push the boat out.
Scars Above has some promising ideas for a much deeper sci-fi action game, but not all were fully utilized. While it aims to be a Souls game, it ultimately comes out mostly as a decent third-person shooter. It's true that the game isn't perfect and has its share of drawbacks; still, it manages to differentiate itself from the crowd of soulslike games by introducing some fresh concepts.
Scars Above is a valiant attempt at providing a fresh spin on the souls-like genre. Its elemental-based third-person shooting feels genuinely fresh, with its reliance on environmental debuffs and stacking combos representing a genuine innovation within a space that isn’t exactly known for innovating, so it’s just a shame that the progression system feels so at odds with the efforts gone to by the developers in order to make Scars Above stand out. Despite that, the combat is still strong and is supplemented greatly by an atmosphere that, at times, feels truly out of this world. With that in mind, I definitely think souls-like fans and sci-fi fans alike should strap in and prepare for lift-off and join Kate on her journey into the unknown.
Scars Above's premise and storyline are the best parts but poorly balanced combat and lack of extra content make this sci-fi tale one that is over far too quickly to be memorable.
Scars Above is a decent game that fans of sci-fi can appreciate. It does suffer from jankiness and some issues, but it feels like Mad Head Games did put a lot of effort into making the elements in this game work properly.
Scars Above is a very interesting and challenging game, in which you will move based on critical thinking, reflexes and multiple attempts.
Review in Greek | Read full review
Scars Above takes some time to unfold ist true potential, both in the story and its gameplay. The exploration of this unknown planet in the role of a stranded researcher is unforgiving and refuses to compromise on the almost puzzle-like combat, even if some encounters early on can be frustrating as you get to grips with how the game wants you to play. Scars Above isn't for everyone, as it demands a lot more thought and strategy during combat than it lets on, but if you're willing to learn and be patient, this one's definitely worth your time.
Review in German | Read full review
A decent but not amazing game with few surprises.
Scars Above offers a bold introduction that devolves into repetitiveness.
Scars Above has its ups and downs but offers fun gameplay with interesting mechanics in an alien world that is equal parts beautiful and dangerous. There’s a good mystery to be solved, even if it’s a bit too straightforward. And while there are a few snags regarding the script, I very much appreciate the scientific approach with Kate.
A game suitable for those who loves Sci-Fi creatures. It delivers the concept of facing various life forms during an adventure throughout an unknown planet quite well. A shooting action which requires puzzle-solving brain work is also quite interesting. However, you need to endure the unnatural modeling, stiff animation and unreasonable level designs before all these charms.
Review in Korean | Read full review
Scars Above impressed me and it left me satisfied in the end. I’m glad it didn’t just try to be Returnal or a straight roguelite, and instead had its own unique ideas on how to take on bosses and puzzles. There are some flaws here, but I think that is due mostly to a smaller team and it being an AA game.
With its enjoyable combat, compelling storytelling, and slick world design, Scars Above has been a really pleasant surprise. I didn’t go in with hefty expectations given the game’s budget release, but I found myself gripped into the narrative, whilst the exciting action kept me on my toes. Don’t get me wrong, it won’t win any points for originality as far as its gameplay is concerned whilst some aspects of the visuals and dialogue can be a little lacking, but nothing in the game is bad at all. It can just be a bit by the numbers, but, given the short length, that isn’t necessarily a bad thing.
By building the experience around its main protagonist, Scars Above creates impressive symmetry between its story, combat and systems. This results in a standout sci-fi soulslike that’ll accommodate genre aficionados and newcomers alike. It has a few blemishes but they do little to sour the experience.