Foreclosed
Hack through the future
Evan Kapnas is a man on the run. Recently made redundant and at risk of having his identity implant auctioned off, his only chance of solving this mess is by navigating this gorgeously cyberpunk world presented in the style of a graphic novel. Yes, Foreclosed definitely owes a great debt to other bouts of noir fiction set within a neo-futurist setting such as, say, Blade Runner or Neuromancer. What sets it apart is how it uses interactivity to mess with the form, framing what is otherwise a rather tropey tale of blood and betrayal through slick comicbook panels.
The stylish presentation almost makes up for the poor gunplay. You see, Foreclosed is best when you’re sneaking around environments and avoiding shady individuals,1 hacking nodes, and generally indulging in the type of espionage necessary to clear your name. This actionadventure unfortunately falls down whenever sequences force you into all-out gun battles in an effort to be cinematic. The third-person shooting simply isn’t responsive enough to support these events, which is a problem considering combat heavily relies on Kapnas2 using his trusty Symbiotic Pistol.
Unlocking and installing further modifications relevant to telekinesis and stealth results in a much better experience, more akin to the detective style of storytelling Foreclosed repeatedly apes. Fortunately, these opportunities do come up often, but even this is somewhat soured when you realise the checkpoint system is extremely outdated. Just cleared out a room of guys? Prepare to do it again if you fail at the last hurdle. Foreclosed nails its sense of style and world-building; both are enjoyable if you can get past the middling gunplay.