Very few games manage to pull off an unnerving atmosphere even games within the horror genre struggle to produce an authentic tense ambiance. Beyond Despair is a new open world multiplayer survival game currently in early access. The game’s developers (Pixelmate) have just launched the game as well as their plan to move the project forward.
The game places you in the role of a volunteer of the new light corporation as they begin to investigate Ansora Island, two years after it became the epicentre of a paranormal catastrophe. You are dropped into the island’s southern shore with nothing but the clothes on your back and not fully understanding why you are there.
I've seen this movie, I die first
Beyond Despair’s greatest asset in its current rough early access version is its world design. The world oozes atmosphere and danger at every turn with roaming possessed citizens that are reminiscent of the original rapture denizens of Bioshock. The world contains a variety of dangers from creatures too strange gravity pools that will haunt you at every turn and catch the unaware off guard.
While the game already has plenty of charm in its world design and quest system which is a nice addition into the first-person survival genre. The core mechanics are fairly bare bones and there’s much work to be done until the game would be considered a solid implementation of the genre.
The crafting, looting, and combat all need work but the basics are in play. Character skills and any major character progression systems are yet to be implemented into the game. What is there, however, shows plenty of promise and it’s a unique setting within a relatively stale genre. What is most interesting about the game thus far is its difficulty combined with its supernatural setting. The game borders on becoming a ‘survival horror’ in the truest sense of the phrase.
System Requirements
Minimum:
o OS: 64-Bit Windows 7/8/10
o Processor: Intel Core i3 3.0 GHz or AMD analogue
o Memory: 4 GB RAM
o Graphics: NVIDIA GeForce 560 GTX or AMD analogue
o DirectX: Version 11
o Network: Broadband Internet connection
o Storage: 10 GB available space
o Sound Card: DirectX®-compatible
o Additional Notes: Beyond Despair is an Early Access game and specifications may change during development.
Recommended:
o OS: 64-Bit Windows 7/8/10
o Processor: Intel Core i5 Intel Core i5/i7 3.0 GHz or AMD analogue
o Memory: 8 GB RAM
o Graphics: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 760 or AMD analogue
o DirectX: Version 11
o Network: Broadband Internet connection
o Storage: 10 GB available space
o Sound Card: DirectX®-compatible
o Additional Notes: Beyond Despair is an Early Access game and specifications may change during development.
Release Date
The game is planned to have a full launch in Summer of 2017 although, given the size of the project, a cynical mind would expect a delay or two.
Run Away
Additional Thoughts
One thing that struck me when I first played was the inclusion of a quest system, which is something we don’t see all that often in a multiplayer survival. This quest system holds two types of missions, main story, and side quests, all of which help you with the main mechanics but also unravel the mystery and lore behind the universe.
The corporation has sent thousands of volunteers to the island which is the lore explanation behind the multiplayer aspect. While the multiplayer is a nice inclusion, it will be interesting to see how they develop that aspect in terms of combat and crafting. A supernatural multiplayer survival game sounds epic in every detail and while Beyond Despair is certainly off to a good start, it has a long way to go to see if it can truly reach its potential.
Most Anticipated Feature: Having the full character progression and extensive crafting in the game will go a long way to improving the core experience.
Nothing but bad will come from this
Price and Purchase
Beyond Despair can be purchased for $15.00 for the standard steam early access version and the developers have no plans currently to increase the price upon full launch.
