The competitive FPS is a compelling one. Some of the greatest such as Halo, Unreal Tournament and the various Battle Royales of today such as Apex Legends are some of the best examples of this. These titles are not guaranteed to be successful, however, no matter how flashy it looks. Hyperscape by Ubisoft poses an interesting take on the Battle Royale formula at face value, with on-the-fly customization and a streamlined weapon system to get you right into the game. Unfortunately, there is little to be excited about once the action starts.
Jacked In, Turned Off
If it is one thing that Hyperscape understands, it is style. The virtual world that you play in is full of fun ways to use all of your various mobility options available to you, including the basic slide and double-jump. Climbable ledges make ambitious jumps worth it, which makes you always want to try for the longest jump you can make. Combined with a wicked electro-pop soundtrack, there are moments where you will be jamming and into the world Hyperscape presents. The visuals are also fantastic and ooze with the “digital playground” feel this new recreational sport touts itself as. From an aesthetic point of view, the game does a great job. This beauty, however, is only skin deep.
The charm falls apart when you begin playing in matches. While some of the weapons are fun and offer creative use of your mobility, such as the grenade launcher to bounce shots off walls or the Skybreaker to control space, their generic nature leaves much to be desired. All the usual suspects are here. Heavy pistol, light pistol, single-shot sniper, SMG, shotgun and all their buddies can be found littered around the battlefield. While upgrading can be quick and easy, as repeats of the same weapon upgrade an existing one, there is little impact to them. It does not have an Apex Legends feel to it. You never feel like you are making a meaningful or personal upgrade that has a lasting effect on the weapon or your playstyle. This leaves the game with a hollow feeling after just a few matches, even with the various “Hacks” you find throughout the battle.
Dynamic Dud
The core mechanic of the game is the “Hack” system. Using these Hacks you are able to gain up to 2 special abilities, which you are able to upgrade like weapons. While interesting, these Hacks end up losing their luster quickly after experimenting with them. Very few have an impact and those that do simply end up being the superior choice. Hacks such as Invisibility, Invincibility, Wall Summons and Teleports will normally beat out the more intuitive Hamster Ball, Ground Pound or Homing Mine in the heat of the moment. The upgrade-able nature also encourages keeping the loadout for most of the match, if not indefinitely, which can make it hard late-game if you upgrade the wrong ability and need to switch.
The in-game events that happen also add to the frustration. Some of the hacks that are available can be mitigated by these happenings, which occur at random and give all participants a boost. Extra jumps, enemy locations and speed boosts are all fun but at times totally counter some hacks, or are even just copies of hacks that are given to all players for a set period. All of this serves to undermine the core mechanic of collecting and upgrading hacks, which makes for an uninspired experience.
Slide Right By
The first impression Hyperscape makes is fantastic. Stylish visuals, a killer soundtrack and a fun aesthetic will definitely make you feel right at home. When you scratch a bit beneath the surface though, it is easy to understand that Hyperscape is all style and no substance. With games such as Spellbreak and Apex Legends doing the things it tries to do better, there is little reason to entertain the Hyperscape. There are a lot better Battle Royale games out there.
