Iron Reckoning Reviews

Imperfect but interesting game. This might seem a bit negative, but I really did enjoy the game. The standout is instantly the blade-dash element. I'd hesitate to say the movement is great, as the on-foot speed feels absolutely glacial compared to the blade-dash, and the air-jumps don't seem to continue momentum, meaning the only real way to build speed is via the blade. However, that blade dash is really cool for movement and it's really enjoyable. I feel it'd really benefit from the different movement styles all feeding together instead of standing apart. The combat breaks down a little, especially when ranged enemies come into the equation. The intro cinematic sets up a sleek and cool character who slices through enemies, unfortunately most of the combat feels a little more like beating a neon car-door with a sledgehammer. It's not bad when there are a few of them around, but the noise starts to get to you. The ranged enemies are also problematic, sending near constant fire towards the player. While there is a shield to avoid the damage, I can't help but imagine enemies that picked their shots and hit harder would feel much more exciting to fight than enemies that constantly pepper the player with plasma balls. The sword combat works well enough, and using the blade dash to launch yourself into the air, then slashing up a flying drone does feel really good. The ranged combat, however, doesn't work as well. The players bullets move very slowly, and don't hit with much impact, leaving long-range combat feeling a little like shooting paper wads in a windstorm. IT works, but it doesn't feel good. The cut-scenes are a mixed bag as well. I like the camera work, it generally feels dynamic and inspired, but the actual animation lets it down. Some actions and effects work well, while others feel awkward and stage-ey. The world seems interesting, and while the world design is bare to allow for the movement mechanics, there are bread crumbs of a world and story I'd like more of. Overall it sort of feels like a take on the Tribes vibe of sort of space-tribal aesthetic. If paired with some of Tribe's short time to kill and powerful weapons, a sequel/spinoff would be very exciting to me. I'm only a little over an hour in, so I can only judge certain elements for now, but I think it's an interesting game, worth playing if you're a curious player like me who likes to explore weird worlds and has a tolerance for some jank. However if you need high polish and seamless storytelling, this will probably leave you wanting more.

You navigate through large sprawling areas, and can travel at great speed, and to great heights. Which is incredibly fun.