NeverDead

February 4th, 2012

The hero of NeverDead is a bit different to most in the fact that he can’t be killed. Co developed by Shinta Nojiri of Konami (one of the designers of the Metal Gear series) and Rebellion software (makers of Alien Vs Predator among others), NeverDead’s immortal hero is named Bryce Boltzmann, a demon hunter who has been cursed with immortality after a run in with a particularly nasty demon, during which his wife was killed. Having been kicking around a few years now, his youthful exuberance and good looks have been replaced by a surly attitude (no doubt enhanced by his drinking) and a scarred face, all topped off with a receding hairline.

Immortality, it seems, isn’t all it’s cracked up to be. Not only is he racked with guilt over his dead wife, but as the various demons attack him, Bryce constantly has to deal with the trauma of losing his limbs – sometimes just a leg, making him hop around as he tries to walk, and sometimes an arm, which hampers his ability to shoot. Take enough damage and he’ll even lose his head. But even then not all is lost, as you can roll your head back over to your body to reattach it and continue blasting demons. In fact, as gameplay progresses, it’s actually beneficial to lose a limb or two; for example throw your arm into a group of enemies and shoot them, all while your body is safely on the other side of the room, or perhaps there’s a locked door with only a little vent to access the room, allowing you to simply roll you head through and regrow your body on the other side of the door.

The catch is, however, that certain enemies can suck up your head and will digest Bryce if you fail a button prompt. You will also ‘die’ if your partner dies and it’s possible to fall off some bits of the stage, killing you instantly, which seems a little at odds with the game’s premise. Backing Bryce up is female government agent Arcadia, who as well as providing supporting fire is also an excellent foil for Bryce to play off. Indeed the back and forth banter between the two is an early highlight of NeverDead.

In spite of a good premise and likable characters NeverDead, however, starts to feel a little like a budget title. The aiming system is simplistic (the sword controls are, however, quite innovative and feel like they may have been a leftover from the canceled Metal Gear Solid Rising) and there are few set pieces in the game, which instead throws wave after wave of respawing enemies at you, requiring you to destroy the spawn points or literally spend eternity fighting them. Meanwhile, whilst the dismemberment system is funny at first, it’s all too easy to become just a head rolling around and building your body back up, only to have it frustratingly destroyed again in mere seconds.

Despite this Neverdead is to be commended for daring to be different and its flaws actually add to its charm somewhat, much like last year’s Deadly Premonition, giving it a straight to video charm.

Words > Jason Potter

Tags: Konami, Neverdead, Ps3, Rebellion software, Xbox 360