La Quimera Review - Investment Policy

Back in February, it piqued my interest when reports surfaced that the Ukrainian arm of 4A Games was splitting off from the Metro universe and rebranding. After all, Metro Exodus is among my all-time favorite games, and their Kyiv office played a significant role in its triumph.

Initially, La Quimera was intended to be a significant shift away from the dismal post-nuclear landscapes of Metro, opening up a realm of creative potentialities. I had high hopes that, under its new moniker Reburn, they would successfully deliver on this promise.

In the year 2064, the game takes place in a world where traditional nations have disintegrated, replaced by powerful city-states and corporations that compete fiercely over resources. They utilize their own private armed forces to accomplish this.

Born in Colombia, the backdrop of La Quimera seemed comfortably familiar as it began by depicting a fictional Ukrainian portrayal of a troubled Venezuela’s future.

A False Start

In general, while Reburn’s initial attempt with La Quimera shows courage, it falls short of expectations. Discussing the game’s release is incomplete without acknowledging its rocky start.

Initially slated for release on April 25th, Reburn officially postponed the launch of La Quimera indefinitely, following the initial media reviews. With this delay, I chose to pause my review of the game, considering that if the final version differs significantly from the one I had played, my early review would hold little relevance.

Considering the size of problems I encountered with the game, I had anticipated that Reburn might need a few extra months to bake it properly. Frankly, I was taken aback when it turned out to be released less than three weeks following the delay announcement.

Working as a private military contractor, your day-to-day tasks revolve around acquiring contracts at the terminal and completing them to receive compensation. The money you make can be used to purchase new weapons and enhancements. Unfortunately, this intriguing concept doesn’t fully materialize in La Quimera.

Essentially, the contracts page functions as a “choose difficulty” screen, masked under a different name. It offers an opportunity for players to reattempt earlier stages at various challenges, with the goal of earning additional coins.

Every contract is meticulously written out, an advantage and a disadvantage. Initially, going through it feels exciting with numerous distinct scenarios that generally function well. However, there is minimal incentive for repeated playthroughs.

In La Quimera, I played the game all by myself, but you have the option to play with multiple friends. However, despite playing alone, the levels seemed quite compact, making it challenging to envision how an entire team would manage within them.

Although the idea behind the game appears captivating at first glance, the overall storyline seems somewhat hazy or unclear. The game concludes just as swiftly as it began, giving off an impression that La Quimera serves more as a prototype or demonstration of concept rather than a fully-fledged game.

Bot-Bashing Bonanza

In the city of La Quimera, combat is split between humans and robots. The humans, if you’re familiar with first-person shooter games, are quite recognizable as they resemble us in form – flesh, bone, and all. Occasionally, they wear armor to add a touch of strategy to the battlefield.

Although humans share many common traits with varying specialties, robots present an entirely unique challenge.

You’ll encounter various types of robots including small, large, airborne, agile, and a few commanding ones that might challenge your perseverance.

I found it enjoyable when La Quimera combined various enemy types within the same encounter, yet this advantage was often negated by its ammo system.

In the game, there are two types of ammunition: electromagnetic (EM) and standard bullets. EM ammo incapacitates robots and causes significant damage to them, however, it requires 3 to 5 shots to defeat a human. On the other hand, regular bullets prove lethal to humans almost instantly but aren’t effective against metallic creatures or robots (referred to as ‘clankers’).

During my gameplay of La Quimera, I found myself becoming increasingly agitated as most battle sequences combined both human and robotic opponents. However, switching ammunition required changing weapons entirely, which meant constantly toggling between my main and secondary weapons became tiresome almost immediately.

Among all aspects of the game, the arsenal in La Quimera undoubtedly steals the show. With its nearly futuristic backdrop, Reburn had ample opportunity to let their imagination run wild when designing the firearms, drawing inspiration from genuine world weaponry along the way.

Beneath every advanced, futuristic firearm lies a recognizable design, such as the AK-203 or an AR-15-inspired model. The idea that we’re engaged in mercenary conflicts in 2064 with slightly altered Kalashnikovs seems ominously prescient.

In La Quimera, there isn’t extensive weapon customization, yet it rarely feels like an issue because the majority of the firearms are skillfully designed and balanced.

Experiencing a shift when you don your exoskeleton, you now have the freedom to customize its helmet, torso, arms, and legs – essentially, your new exterior skin. It was intriguing to observe how these modifications directly impacted my gameplay style. However, the tight layout of La Quimera often made it difficult for these changes to truly showcase their benefits.

In La Quimera, there are levels designed in a fast-paced, progressive manner that I really enjoy when executed skillfully, and it was just that occasionally. The experience of blasting my way through the corporate headquarters was particularly unforgettable due to the impressive balance throughout the entire encounter.

In many cases, the intended objectives aren’t quite where they should be, making it relatively simple to identify which areas seem neglected during the level design process.

In the game, your low health and ammo supply enhances the difficulty levels, causing frustration when you run out of bullets and are forced to fight humans with the EM gun, which makes me question my past decisions about using too much ammo earlier in the level. The scarcity of medkits means every time I use one, it’s a significant decision.

A Beautiful World With Strange People

I find myself having a blend of positive and negative impressions regarding the graphics in La Quimera. On one hand, I’m thoroughly impressed by certain aspects such as the stunning maps, captivating indoor sections, and intricately designed weapon models. On the other, some character models tend to disrupt the fantasy experience for me.

On your AK-203, the flash hider has each tiny detail meticulously sculpted. But when you glance up, a look reminiscent of the PlayStation 3’s gaze is directed at you. You remind yourself not to meet its eyes, and everything should be alright.

The artistic choices for La Quimera are well thought out, particularly in its portrayal of Nueva Caracas (correct spelling: Nueva Caracas, but we’ll discuss that later). Your personal apartment within your PMC is a charming blend of South American shanty town and high-tech.

In urban regions, you’ll quickly spot crumbling brick structures with grime-covered tiles, as well as scattered plastic buckets and stoves directly connected to LPG bottles. These sights often evoke nostalgic memories of questioning, “Is that gas I smell too, or am I imagining things?” at least once a month.

One issue I have with the artistic presentation is L.U.C.I., who in her own description is an “anthropomorphic representation of the combat interface.” She moves around your living space, offering unwanted comments in a gratingly cheerful manner.

The holographic model, with its striking resemblance to Cortana from Halo and Joi from Blade Runner 2077, seems quite incongruous, and unfortunately, it fails to resonate. A significant factor contributing to this is the lack of an engaging persona in L.U.C.I., which pales in comparison to the captivating combat interface she emulates. If I feel mildly frustrated by her during battle, why would my feelings change when we’re at home?

Nails On Chalkboard

Let’s tackle the less problematic aspects first, as it seems the audio quality is causing you trouble. The music is acceptable and functional, although it may not stand out too much, which can be subjective.

In comparison to modern titles such as STALKER 2, weapons possess a distinct sound that packs a punch. However, other aspects fall somewhat short. The robots’ mechanical movements, accompanied by audio cues, were effectively implemented, providing an essential aid in navigating the chaotic combat zone and detecting their attempts on my life.

For a brief moment, let’s discuss voice acting. I must admit I have high standards, yet La Quimera surpasses even the most lenient expectations.

The game takes place in Venezuela, featuring primarily local characters. Consequently, it’s not surprising that many of the voice actors are… from Ukraine.

As an enthusiast, I find myself somewhat perplexed by the main characters who converse in English with a peculiar, non-Venezuelan or even Spanish-like accent that seems oddly contrived. The dialogue, unfortunately, lacks polish and refinement, which detracts from the overall experience.

In combat scenes, La Quimera noticeably struggles. This is something I can attest to, as I’m familiar with how Ukrainian speech sounds in broken Spanish due to my parents. For those who aren’t acquainted with this, simply launch La Quimera and engage in a battle with human characters.

In many instances, the dialogue seems rough and has translation inconsistencies, making it evident that most of the actors aren’t fluent Spanish speakers but are instead using transliterations. Additionally, it can be noticed that some actors’ voices resemble those from well-known Ukrainian or Russian games if you choose to play in those languages.

It’s understandable if you prefer working with people you know, but occasionally it’s necessary to venture beyond your comfort zone for the good of the project, or else we might find ourselves in a less favorable situation.

Private Military Confusion

It’s not trying to make a big deal out of it, but analyzing a game like La Quimera leaves me with a sense of regret. There are numerous games out there that seem half-hearted and lacking soul, often produced by AAA studios who prioritize shareholder earnings over artistic value. However, this isn’t the story with La Quimera.

Every detail in La Quimera seems carefully planned, and it’s evident that Reburn’s team put a great deal of time and energy into creating the game. Regrettably, it doesn’t quite hit the mark to make it successful.

In La Quimera, there are numerous aspects that could potentially be excellent; however, they often fall short due to poor execution or questionable design decisions, which hinders the overall quality of the game.

It’s likely that a new release from a studio operating amidst daily Russian airstrikes might encounter a few initial problems, although only those within the Reburn studio can provide the precise explanations.

Closing Comments:

The game “La Quimera” shows promise with its exceptional weaponry, setting, and world, but it could benefit from additional refinement in some areas. The combat experience, which feels laborious in several stages, can potentially be improved with adjustments, especially considering potential future updates. It’s unclear what the developers, Reburn, intend for the game moving forward, though I hope they might capitalize more on La Quimera’s strengths. For instance, extending the narrative to make it feel less rushed would help create a more complete gaming experience. As of now, La Quimera serves as a tantalizing glimpse into Reburn’s potential, and I eagerly anticipate their future projects that will ideally incorporate lessons learned from La Quimera’s shortcomings. Fingers crossed that the next development process won’t involve conflict.

2025-05-14 21:10