Developer: Deep Silver, Fishlabs
Publisher: Deep Silver, Koch Media
Reviewed on: PS5
Also available on: PS4, Xbox Series X & S, PC
Release: 3rd December 2021
Rating: PG
Price: $59.95 - EB Games
There aren’t many things more satisfying in gaming than blowing up spaceships. Chorus, developed by Big Fish Games, is a very polished space-shooter that sees us pilot a slick spacecraft while trying to save the galaxy.
To start, the visual in Chorus are absolutely beautiful. For a game set in the far-reaches of space, the void has never looked so busy. Asteroids, debris, stations and stars all populate the vastness while also acting as obstacles and destinations for your ship. The reflections and light cast by the stars are stunning and can offer terrific contrasts within the darkness.
Along with the beauty is an incredible sense of scale. The distance between locations can often span hundreds of kilometres. Luckily, your ship is built to accommodate this. Your craft has varying modes of speed. Pushing forward on the right stick will slowly move you forward, holding L2 will give a slight boost and clicking in the left stick will propel you forward at max speed, allowing you to reach areas fairly quickly.
A massive part of this game is the combat. Much of it will be fighting off attack ships as part of core missions or other encounters on your journey. There’s a brilliant amount of precision you can apply to your movement in combat as you keep playing. You can follow the enemy directly or wait for them follow you and stop in place to try and fake them out. There’s also the capability to perform to drift-like manoeuvre in space. This is helpful for extremely tight turns within asteroid caverns or various other facilities.
Also on your adventure, you’ll be given the opportunity to apply upgrades to your ship. These are mostly used for slight stat boosts to thrust, damage, cooldown and top speed. They can be configured in any way you choose to accommodate your playstyle which allows for an excellent range of customization.
I’m not going to go into the details of the story but the characters are incredibly rich and their intentions are believable. There’s a great sense of purpose to the writing and the action accompanying it.
The music in this game is as epic and heart-pounding as you’d hope. As you speed through the galaxy, you’ll be treated to an exhilarating symphony of feeling. There’s an intensity to the music that very much matches up with the gameplay.
Chorus is built on a foundation of simple but strong mechanics and details that all work seamlessly together. The combat is tight, the atmosphere is rich and there’s never a dull moment, everything is fast moving and exciting. Mix that with a sense of scale worthy of a space adventure and you’ve got yourself a brilliant experience. If you’d like to take an action-packed trip beyond the stars, there’s a ton worth exploring in Chorus.
