Stop Dead

In recent years, there has been a significant drive in the FPS-platformer hybrid. For fans who enjoy games with a bit of extra bombast and mania to them, titles like Stop Dead can seem pretty intriguing indeed. One thing to note about Gridsnap Games’ latest innovation is that it definitely uses a comic book style colour theme and personality to help ensure it stands out in a rather crowded field.

Set for release in October, how can this game stand out from others that are out there already? Does Stop Dead do anything new, or does it just copy what has come before?

Highly Energised Chaos

The first thing to note about Stop Dead is that it has a pretty intriguing hook. A rogue AI system has gone mad, and is determined to wipe out its creators and anyone else who gets in its way. You, the protagonist, has been roped into being part of this hellish nightmare. With a cadre of superhero-like abilities, though, you will be expected to vault, slide, and run your way through a very interesting world.

On top of that, you get all manner of powers such as high-power projective weapons and melee skills to bash you way through the challenges to come. This is highly chaotic and challenging, using telekinesis to do everything from hop around the levels to beat down the enemies who get in your way.

In some ways, it might immediately remind people of old-school FPS platformer games like Half-Life. However, the most obvious recent comparison would be something more comic book inspired like Hi-Fi Rush. There is, though, something of its own personality shining through in the preview content that has been made available about Stop Dead.

Fast Paced Chaos, But Can It Keep It Up? (7.5/10)

What is available of Stop Dead at the moment, including a demo, shows a very rapidly paced game. It has that kind of Doom Eternal type feel to it – without the gore and seriousness, of course – where you are constantly moving around the room using your powers to fight back against increasingly challenging foes. However, the pace of the game could be both its biggest blessing and curse at the same time.

If the game is so rapidly paced, will there be enough time for players to actually be tactical? Or will it simply be a button mashing experience like the demo feels like? The other challenge will be making sure that the zany art style and world setting does not lose the run of itself. What we have played so far appears to keep a relatively even head on, but it will be interesting to see how the later parts of the game maintain balance without going overboard.

Pros

• Excellent art style that stands on its own two feet whilst having clear comic inspirations
• Gameplay is rapid and fast-paced, offering plenty of ways to take down enemies and move
• Platforming elements felt extremely well-built, creating highly exciting gameplay sections

Cons

• Story and world could lose the run of itself as the game progresses due to its nature
• Can the platforming sections retain the high bar set by the previews and demo content?