Getting closer to the action with Chorus is utterly impossible. You play as Nara in a beautifully looking space shooter, that gets bogged down by an unrelatable and drawn-out story. Chorus is difficult, with engaging gameplay mechanics that make the 10 plus hour story enjoyable. With some mind-numbing battles and one-dimensional main characters that can leave you with a bit of a headache. Chorus is a mixed bag full mostly of good.
Developer: Fishlabs
Publisher: Deep Silver
Platforms: XBOX, PS4/PS5, Stadia
Release Date: December 3, 2021
Story
Bad guy doesn’t like bad guy boss. Out to get revenge. Overall it works but at times I was left hoping for more context, more history. Nara and their sentient spaceship Forsaken lead the way towards revenge on The Prophet. Having a sentient spaceship is a nice wrinkle and when the gamer spends the majority of the game inside said spaceship, having one that talks is a positive. In saying that, it is draining at times as the game goes along and the more people you meet, most are just voices over comms. The game could have used some variety in its storytelling and in the characters that inhabit the space.
If the main story doesn’t interest you, then the side missions and “random” encounters should tide you over. Helping build up your credits thus helping build out your ship and its arsenal. In most “open” world games, the side missions are the most fun. They help build upon the world and get you away from the all out action of the main missions. Throughout its 10-15 hour storyline, there is a hand full of side missions that will extend its playtime.
Gameplay
Flying a spaceship armed with lasers and rockets is not boring. In fact, it’s everything the game should be and more. The time not spent flying the ship and shooting up bad guys is substandard. There is unbelievable and unmatched action in the battle sequences. At times the difficulty of the battle is rather high. In saying that, the ease of moving the ship and firing its weapons, and using the gadgets is perfect.
Spinning end over end and not knowing what way is up or down happens on occasion with Chorus. With a simple button press you can right your ship and all is right with the world. Never having played a flying shooter game before, you may not know that this could be an issue. The developers have thought of most everything when it comes to aerial precision. Can’t find a certain enemy? Can’t lock on with your weapons? A simple button push and you are transported right behind them ready to blast their ship to the next galaxy. The game is difficult but the way it’s played is made easy. That’s an important tidbit when creating a game. And when deciding whether to purchase a game or not.
Visuals
Wow, this game can be a brain drain. The developers smartly put a warning at the start of the loading process warning of seizures and headaches caused by flashing lights and so on. Long gameplay was not in the cards for me when playing Chorus. It benefited greatly from breaks and definitely playing during the daytime. Why even bother mentioning this? Well with the visuals and how the game is presented, if players cannot play or have a fear of anything medically happening while playing a game then they should be warned.
As for the colors and graphics? Well, this is is one pretty game to look at. With a simple yet effective photo mode to boot, this game is a screenshot dream. To go along with some stellar visuals, the areas and “levels” that you play in are all different and quite expansive. Space is a damn big place and much like the best looking traveling games (Red Dead Redemption 2) having a beautiful background helps with travel time. Greens, blues, and bright yellows and reds pop off the screen. This game is a game that should only be played on the biggest screen possible.
Final Thoughts
Chorus is a well thought out game that is a ton of fun to play. There is a small miss with the story and with the uneasy feeling it can or may create during flashing light and spinning action scenes. Overall if you’re looking for an epic shoot ’em up space flyer then Chorus is a must buy. In space, the possibilities are endless.