Strike Suit Zero: Director's Cut
Overview -
Initially released for the PC in January 2013 after a successful Kickstarter effort, Born Ready Games' 'Strike Suit Zero' was developed with the focus being as an arcade-style space shooter. Now, with the recent release of the Xbox One and PlayStation 4, Born Ready Games' efforts shifted to bring the same level of intense space combat to the current generation of home consoles. Boasting a more structured campaign, an adapted story with greater attention to dialogue, and a graphical overhaul, 'Strike Suit Zero: Directors Cut' is the culmination of a year's worth of fan comments, criticisms, and suggestions. 'Strike Suit Zero: Directors Cut' even has the distinction of being the first ID@Xbox title to make release. 'Strike Suit Zero: Directors Cut' then, is full of promise and (hopefully) on a mission to deliver.
Video Review
For me, the clear standout feature of 'Strike Suit Zero: Director's Cut' is with the art direction. This is one of the most beautiful games available on current gen platforms. The backdrops of nebulas or planets are mesmerizing. Honestly, some of the images you will experience could be framed, matted, and hung over your fireplace (if you're into space art hanging on your walls).
Unfortunately, the beauty of 'Strike Suit Zero' is somewhat of a double-edged sword. While new missions generally provide new vistas to be in awe of, breathing in their beauty is short lived. Moments after starting a new mission you are unfailing going to be attacked from all directions. Although the backdrop remains mostly in place, frantically dodging laser fire and locking on targets blurs out the art you were previously incapable of looking away from.
With dozens of ships engaged in combat, I was impressed that the frame-rate never took a hit. I was certain this level of on-screen chaos would have yielded some less-than-desirable visuals. Kudos to Born Ready Games for delivering a game that is both visually impressive and incredibly stable to play.
Audio Review
Experiencing 'Strike Suit Zero' in 7.1 audio surround sound was very much hit or miss. On the one hand, the frantic nature was ratcheted up based on the high level of on-screen combat. As it should be, it was difficult to pinpoint your targets based solely on directional sound. On the other hand, the dialogue your allies delivered - either pertinent to the mission at hand or to further develop the story – was often shared during combat. The result was often a jumbled mess. Add to this an inconsistent use of the DualShock 4's built-in speaker and I found myself missing the majority of what was said.
Further reminiscent of 'Battlestar Galactica', the soundtrack during both serene moments and frantic combat helped to create feelings of tranquility and desperation. Unfortunately, the soundtrack editing wasn't always applicable to specific moments of the game and was often intermixed, resulting in a confused sense of drama and action.
Final Thoughts
Space shooters like 'Strike Suit Zero' fit a specific niche genre. They can be tedious and simulation-like, or a straight up arcade action experience. 'Strike Suit Zero: Director's Cut' fits nicely somewhere in the middle. The controls translate well from PC to console and are generally approachable very early on in the game. While I have never experienced the original version of the game, it does seem apparent that the developers at Born Ready Games put a significant amount of effort into the port. The visuals are simply stunning, but the repetitive nature of the gameplay as a whole has a tendency to dilute the overall experience. Given the option to replay 'Strike Suit Zero' with some form of co-op or multiplayer may certainly change my opinion and make the game a must-play. In its current, revised form, the game is diverting to play and better to look upon, but stops short of full engagement.
