Sublevel Zero gamescom Preview

Being the first game that I saw at gamescom, I approached it with a level of uncertainty; I wasn’t able to look up anything about the game prior to the event so I wasn’t looking forward to it too much. My worries evidently appeared to be pointless, as I was introduced to a game that I got on with far too well.

The first thing I was told, and could see clearly right from the start, was that this is a throwback to Descent, a video game released back in 1994. While I never played this game, my father often spoke of it and from looking at gameplay of it, I was always intrigued by its design, and Sigtrap Games have given a new era of gamers the chance to try it out.

For those that are unaware, Descent was an FPS with a Six Degrees of Freedom mechanic that allowed for a great ease of movement. A more recent example of this kind of movement is that found in Shattered Horizon, with no gravity affecting you and full control of where and how you move and look.

Taking this flag and running with it, Sublevel Zero is a roguelike that uses the style of Descent to make its mark upon the gaming industry. Using your ship and a selection of weapons, you fight through a procedurally generated underground facility and even further, venturing to mining caverns and complex cave systems. Find the keys, navigate safely through the environment and escape.

Upon starting, you have a machine gun and a rocket launcher. Other weapons, such as plasma rifles or shotguns, can be collected throughout the levels. Not only this, but crafting is present as well, and weapons and parts can be combined together to make even more tools for destruction. Oh, I found out the hard way that careless use of the rockets can result in a violent mishap involving killing yourself.

On the subject of dying, it can be pretty easy. You can keep track of your health and heal yourself using health packs, but getting hit is quite easy and, especially when you’re deep in combat, losing track of your health is not difficult. Plus you could do what I did and fire a rocket at point-blank range like a goddamn idiot.

The game features permadeath, so dying at all means a total restart. This, coupled with the addictiveness of the game and the easy ability to get killed, means this game is looking to keep you occupied for a while, especially if you’re new to the concept of Six-Degree control.

The game features an upbeat 8-bit soundtrack that is guaranteed to follow you around even once you close the game down. Virtual Reality support is also enabled, meaning that you can fully immerse yourself into the zero-gravity environment of Sublevel Zero.

Overall, Sublevel Zero is definitely one that I’m keeping a close eye on. With an appealing soundtrack, a great replayability value and gameplay that is right up my alley, I’m certainly getting hold of it as soon as I can. If you’re a fan of roguelikes or want to get into them, Sublevel Zero is a brilliant title to pick up once it comes out in October.