As a seasoned gamer and history buff, I must say that Artificer’s Sumerian Six is a delightful blend of stealth, strategy, and a touch of humor that takes us back to the World War II era. The game’s unique characters, each with their quirks and abilities, offer an engaging experience that sets it apart from its contemporaries.
In an unusual twist, if you envision a team of saviors meant to protect the world, a cluster of academics and a quirky chemist might not be the initial individuals that come to mind. However, for the creative minds at Artificer, this eclectic group is exactly what they needed to produce Sumerian Six. This unique blend of historical fiction and tactical stealth gameplay, despite sharing some resemblances with other well-known titles in the genre, stands out as one of the year’s sharpest and most engaging strategy games.
Then the Nazis showed up
In this game titled “Sumerian Six,” the developers make it clear from the start that its style resembles a comic book, with quippy, bantering characters reminiscent of those found in Marvel films. The story revolves around a group who meddled with forbidden occult powers, which they should not have done, and unfortunately, the Nazis obtained it. Your mission is to prevent them from utilizing this power for Adolf Hitler’s twisted aspirations while also taking down as many Nazis as possible.
This story feels like what might happen if Indiana Jones ventured into the realm of science fiction, but instead of a lone archaeologist, we have a team of highly skilled scholars, accompanied by a bear who has a history of extreme violence. Initially, I didn’t have high hopes for the cast after an initially rocky start where they seemed to exchange shallow insults among themselves during the first few hours. However, as events unfolded, this odd assortment of heroes began to build a close-knit and frequently humorous bond with one another, making them more appealing than I initially thought.
Artificer primarily focuses on strategy gameplay rather than narrative immersion, and it does this exceptionally well. The game draws heavily from the conventions Mimimi Games established with Shadow Tactics and Desperados 3, such as the use of color-coded line-of-sight indicators and alarmed enemies. It also includes a command mode that temporarily halts time so you can direct multiple characters simultaneously. Moreover, Artificer distinguishes itself from Mimimi’s works by emphasizing that it’s not merely imitating their work. The abilities of each character in Sumerian Six are more crucial than they are in games like Shadow Tactics, and each character possesses various skills beyond their basic attack and movement options.
So I pulled out my bag of tricks
The diverse set of skills offers numerous avenues for navigating each situation, and they’re astonishingly inventive. For instance, consider Izzy. She has the power to switch places with an adversary, possibly setting them up for another character to vanquish, hiding herself on a higher level to find concealed spots or useful gadgets, or even bringing an enemy within Sid’s unique ability to inhabit someone else without their knowledge, enabling him to reach otherwise inaccessible locations or formidable opponents. A single thought can generate numerous potential outcomes.
As a gamer, I’ve got a thing for characters that bend the norms, like Wojtek, the werebear, and Rosa, the chemist with a peculiar fondness for poison. Wojtek’s unique ability allows me to leap into a horde of enemies, obliterating them with powerful paw swipes, offering a thrilling burst of action after hours of meticulous planning and stealth. Rosa, on the other hand, can drive soldiers and officers away from their posts using a vile concoction or administer a potion to a single foe that causes him to detonate after a few seconds, taking out anyone in the vicinity. It’s gruesome yet incredibly gratifying when used correctly. Honestly, every character in Sumerian Six is a blast to control, even with some rigid and somewhat unnatural constraints – limitations similar to those found in Mimimi, such as one character who can’t jump or another who can’t navigate through vents.
In Sumerian Six, some typical genre issues persist and one is slightly intensified. For instance, alarms last only 30 seconds before life returns mostly to normal, regardless of encountering the lifeless bodies of three teammates. Initially, they remain on edge for a while, but otherwise, their routines continue as usual, which means they resume their activities even in open areas with no backup or protection.
Just as with accidental deaths, people don’t usually take the time to investigate when a box falls on someone or a plane is pushed off a cliff – such actions are far from ordinary and routine. They may react to the deceased body, but then life goes back to normal. It’s possible that not many cared for Jim the Deceased Nazi enough to question his death under rather peculiar circumstances.
And things got out of hand
1. Guards tend to be less responsive in general and usually ignore moving objects or sounds unless they’re very close by. However, they will take notice if someone they were conversing with suddenly vanishes (or perishes). The Artificer addresses the noise range problem by possessing advanced skills that generate a lot of noise, ensuring nearby enemies are alerted without careful planning. Moreover, exceptional stage design prevents you from simply relying on your best skills and hoping for the best.
While I generally praise it, there’s a minor catch. Certain sections are excessively focused on a particular mechanic, and some smaller areas linking larger ones or spots where you can enhance your skills experience-wise – often feel somewhat uninspired. However, the significant puzzles and locations truly shine, outweighing a few missteps, and they’re not just visually appealing but also cleverly designed to interact with using Artificer.
In Sumerian Six, you have the freedom to employ strategies without incurring penalties during different stages. Essentially, anything is permissible, provided the team survives. This flexibility can be seen as a subtle move by developers, where you might wipe out an entire room of Nazi officers unnoticed due to strategic planning. Or it could be my style, where chaos reigns and everyone notices your actions, leading them to follow you into another room, only for an entire squad to attack them simultaneously. Moments when you question if you’re actually cheating are delightful, and I’ve created such situations just as frequently through unconventional skill usage as I have through desperate improvisation.
The artistic liberty and resources provided by Artificer enable you to smoothly navigate Sumerian Six’s challenging parts, as well as its noticeable similarities to previous games. It’s evident that the team possesses a deep comprehension of utilizing the fundamental aspects of the genre effectively. Typically, I would express optimism about what they might produce in the future. However, due to Devolver downsizing Artificer’s workforce by half in 2024, the studio’s prospects appear uncertain.
This review is based on a version of Sumerian Six that the publisher gave me. Right now, you can purchase and play Sumerian Six on your PC through Steam.
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2024-09-03 04:27