We will be talking here about the Eisenhorn test: Xenos. A third-person action/adventure game developed and published by Pixel Hero Games.
Remember, a few months ago (in May to be precise) Eisenhorn: Xenos was supposed to be released. It had been delayed until August to coordinate its release with the mobile version on iOS. We gave you a rather mixed overview, and we were waiting to see if our impressions would materialize or be disavowed when the game was released. Time flies in the world of video games and here we are already in August! So, the story was announced as really exciting, we quickly embarked on the adventure. It will also be an opportunity to see if the few defects that we had been able to observe are still present. As a reminder, this is a game set in the Warhammer 40,000 universe which is the adaptation of the first volume of a trilogy of novels by Dan Abnett. So let's go for the test of Eisenhorn: Xenos on PC.
Warhammer 40,000 in all its glory!
First observation: the little filter hides misery is still there. This is not surprising. Moreover, nothing seems to have moved since May. The graphics are rather average that it is on the side of textures, but also for the modeling of characters (and especially faces). On the other hand, if we could have found that some sets had a certain class in the overview, it is nothing compared to the different destinations that await the inquisitor Gregor Eisenhorn. The scenery is beautiful, varied, exotic, especially for the second half of the adventure. The art direction really did a great job of representing the dark universe of Warhammer 40,000 from the very solemn pomp of the Imperium to the most mysterious planets. We will not say more so as not to spoil the pleasure of the discovery that fans will probably experience (we will just allow a small screen without describing the place too much).
Who let the bugs out?
At the time of writing, a patch would really not be a luxury since the bugs are legion and quite heterogeneous. At the end of the game, I had definitely lost count of the number of times I had to reload the last checkpoint due to a problem. I found myself stuck 4 to 5 times in the scenery, and be careful, it's not like in an MMO where you tend to jump everywhere like andouilles and get stuck where a developer would never have thought to see a player. No, in Eisenhorn, it is the main path that is the problem, jumping from a platform or climbing a low wall. But hey again, finding yourself without possibilities to move is fine because we realize it right away, but scripts that forget to trigger is more annoying. Like, it happened to me to get stuck in a room looking for the exit, while the latter was unlocked only after the defeat of a group of enemies that the game just forgot to pop. Quite annoying, especially when you looked for a non-existent exit for 15 minutes.
A gameplay not crazy
Have you ever played Batman Arkham ? Eisenhorn: Xenos is the same, but with less fun. Basically, we quickly went around. We alternate between exploration phases type "corridor" (including some puzzles very quickly passed), fights and scenes of infiltration. As much to warn you, the latter are spoiled by a sense of randomness quite developed, the guards being sometimes provided with an omniscient vision and sometimes equipped with dark glasses accompanied by a cane and a labrador. Otherwise, if they run at you you can kill them hand-to-hand. More "gruff" method, but faster it must be admitted. For the combos, we will forget very quickly the nervous Beat'em All since there is only one key for the melee (the same for the parade), a key for the ranged weapon, and a key for a repulsive power and… Well, that's it. All served by not great animations, it gives something not really fun and that would have deserved to be more worked. The game is also punctuated by some mini-games to pick locks or force the will of your enemies (yes, it's not the inquisitor bisounours) very redundant and overall already seen.
A side customization not very developed
Technically, we can change weapons and partners. On paper, it sounds good. But in fact, it is a gadget quite quickly flown over. Indeed, you always chain well whatever your weapon (and always on a button anyway). That said, partners can be quite useful sometimes, especially the support one, bringing significant bonuses. But what's amazing is that your ship is populated by secondary characters who are useless to you in combat probably because you unlock a few after finishing the game a first time. A reason probably to push you to the new game +. If you are a perfectionist, you will start again to upper your partners and buy all the weapons, but the interest of a replayability is still quite average since the game focuses a lot on the story. Allow about 8 hours to finish the adventure for the first time.
Dan Abnett's Rules
I've never read Dan Abnett, but maybe that's wrong because what he writes about Warhammer 40,000 turns out to be terribly exciting. At least, that's what would seem given the story of Eisenhorn portrayed in the game. The perfect mix between the narration of the events and the atmosphere of the game combined with a very effective soundtrack will tape fans of the universe from beginning to end (and again, I really enjoy the universe of Warhammer 40,000 but I am not an absolute and die-hard fan). On the story side, it's very good, but I will qualify by two details. First, Eisenhorn 's allies deserved better development. Alas, they have three or four lines each and are rarely used for the narrative. And above all, Eisenhorn: Xenos is aimed at fans of the license. Honestly, I find it hard to imagine an uninitiated person immersing themselves in the game without regularly asking themselves: "Brothel but what is this thing? ". Because yes, the universe of Warhammer 40,000 is dark, complex, and it is always useful to know some elements about the Imperium to understand the stakes of the story. And, incidentally, knowing what a Psyker or a Servo Skull is can also be useful, since the game will not bother to explain it to you. We will also regret that the game is totally in English, severe anglophobes, abstain!
I often grumble against games that bet everything on form but don't give a damn about the substance. Eisenhorn: Xenos is a pretty special case. Average graphics, sloppy gameplay and totally devoid of originality, level design in corridor, mini-games pretexts and puzzles quickly repackaged. Inevitably, reading this we would like to say: "let's stop there, this game is nasty". On the one hand yes, but on the other hand no. Because the art direction compensates for the weakness of some graphics, so much so that we want to regularly say "wow it deserves a screen that". And this accuracy rendered to the universe plays a lot on the atmosphere, it is also extremely worked! This accuracy of tone combined with the fascinating story of the Inquisitor Eisenhorn and his hunt for heretics gives a game that we still enjoy going through. Without all this, it clearly ended in Nanar Games, but the developers still knew how to make their game interesting to follow, but unfortunately especially for fans of the universe, but also leaving aside the sloppy gameplay that is of a nameless banality. This is a shame, since it could have given the opportunity to introduce Warhammer 40,000 to neophytes. I’ll take a rain check. Fans on the other hand will be seduced, Eisenhorn: Xenos will not disappoint you totally. In any case, I do not regret having done so. We hope for better for a possible sequel!
