- Publisher: Deep Silver , Prime Matter
- Release Date: Feb 28, 2023
- Also On: PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One
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- Critic score
- Publication
- By date
- Unscored
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Feb 28, 2023Scars Above is a good-looking cinematic third person action game with engaging combat, a cool if not particularly original plot narrated via some rather average characters in excellent and exciting locations. As an “AA” release, it cuts some corners compared to the behemoths of the genre to make ends meet, but the end credits roll on a satisfying note before the game’s formula and ideas could become boring or repetitive. Mad Head Games’ first foray into the cinematic third person games doesn’t try to reinvent the formula, yet offers an engaging, memorable and atmospheric adventure that I can wholeheartedly recommend to any fan of the genre who’s able to appreciate the game’s relatively limited scope.
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Mar 15, 2023I really enjoyed Scars Above on the XSX and it was an enjoyable experience from start to finish, without the grind that are sometimes associated with third person games. Overall Scars Above delivers a strong narrative with playable gaming mechanics that is visually presented well, particularly with its alien world and its diverse denizens. So if you’re looking for a healthy distraction that provides the right amount of challenges, then look to the skies with Scars Above.
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Feb 28, 2023Scars Above is a challenging game that has a lot to offer, with a price that fits its ambition. The story is original and there’s some good space drama going on.
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Feb 28, 2023While a few tweaks could have seen it reach the next level, what we get within Scars Above is a fun, challenging adventure that we could quite happily have seen stretch on for a few more hours above our 11 hour playtime. The use of various offensive elements that can be combined is great, while the gadgets generally are good to use as well. Wrapped up in a world that feels vast without actually being too big, this is a solid title for those looking for a little challenge over the course of a few evenings.
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Feb 28, 2023A good proposal that mixes several elements of different generosity to create its own identity, but fails in its graphic section.
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Feb 27, 2023Scars Above takes some time to unfold ist true potential, both in the story and its gameplay. The exploration of this unknown planet in the role of a stranded researcher is unforgiving and refuses to compromise on the almost puzzle-like combat, even if some encounters early on can be frustrating as you get to grips with how the game wants you to play. Scars Above isn't for everyone, as it demands a lot more thought and strategy during combat than it lets on, but if you're willing to learn and be patient, this one's definitely worth your time.
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Feb 28, 2023Scars Above is a good special adventure game. The title is influenced by great science fiction movies, being able to create a world capable of catching us from the first moment. However, some performance problems and a gameplay system that needed a little more polish prevent us from being one of the surprises of the year.
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Mar 6, 2023All things considered, Scars Above works because its pain points are, for the most part, forgivable when the runtime is this short. For me at least, the opening was thrilling enough to trigger fond memories of Mass Effect’s heyday. And the final product is admirable when you remember that this is a fledgling studio with a lot of ambition that merely fell just slightly short in a few areas.
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Feb 28, 2023Scars Above is a solid sci-fi romp with an identity complex. It wants so badly to be a Soulslike and instead feels more like a game that just borrows ideas without understanding what makes them work. I enjoyed my playthrough, but I wish it would have leaned into its own ideas instead of trying to mimic something else. The story is interesting, the game play is fun, but I wish it wouldn’t have taken so much inspiration from other titles.
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Feb 28, 2023A perfectly decent chunk of linear extra-terrestrial shooting, with a sprinkling of mild Soulslike elements, nice puzzles, and plenty of exploration, Scars Above is a double-A budget game that's worth a look.
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Feb 28, 2023SCARS Above has enough arguments to deliver a rich and generous experience but some other features bring some clouds when the time is at the conclusion. A solid basis to be optimized for a prequel?!
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Feb 28, 2023In years to come, Scars Above may be the sort of game you find in a “games you missed” list, or ones that deserve more attention. It’s rough around the edge, isn’t the prettiest, and doesn’t reinvent the gaming wheel, but what it does deliver is an enjoyable sci-fi romp that may gain a cult classic status one day.
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Feb 28, 2023Poor man's Returnal is surprisingly interesting.
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Feb 28, 2023Scars Above is heavily inspired by classic works of pop culture: pioneering sci-fi cinema and cult video games. The story is decent and the world is rich, but all of that is spoiled a bit by poorly thought-out gameplay systems.
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Mar 22, 2023I did quite enjoy the narrative from its opening moments and was compelling me to continue to move forward, even if combat could be a bit challenging and save points sometimes a bit too far stretched out, causing frustration when I had to replay a good half hour all over again. Combat does get repetitive and tiresome over time, but as an overall package, Scars Above feels like a much larger story wrapped in a AA package.
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Mar 1, 2023Scars Above is pretty much forgettable and that's a real shame, because some of its intriguing ideas had no chance to shine in the game structure and its mechanics.
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Feb 28, 2023While Scars Above has a predictable story, it’s nevertheless an engaging, interesting sci-fi title that would have benefited as a shooter/exploration hybrid rather than the Soulslike it wants to be. Your expierience will definitely vary, though if you’re intrigued by its premise at all, don’t be afraid to drop down to its lowest difficulty in order to try to experience it.
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Feb 28, 2023Scars Above is a competent third-person action game. The story is just interesting enough to pull you through, while the combat is solid enough that you won't find yourself bored of the moment-to-moment battles. There's little here that you wouldn’t have seen before, but there’s some fun to be had in it's familiarity for sure. It’s just a shame really that, in its efforts to be a solid action-adventure, none of its ideas were explored any deeper as we’d have loved to have seen the team swing for the fences in one area or another to produce something truly standout.
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Feb 28, 2023Unless one is really desperate to unlock a bunch of easy achievements, there is no real reason to play Scars Above. It's like a video game rough draft. Some games have been accused of being half-baked, but Scars Above is like raw dough. It has some interesting concepts and weapons, but it never grows into anything resembling a full-fledged gaming experience. Its budget price of $40 is still asking way too much, even for the most diehard third-person shooter enthusiasts. Scars Above may mimic games like Returnal and Dark Souls, but it is highly unlikely to please fans of either game.
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| This publication has not posted a final review score yet. | |
| These unscored reviews do not factor into the Metascore calculation. | |
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Feb 28, 2023For their first major title, the Mad Head Games team truly outdid themselves. The developers managed to find the subtle balance they wanted between exploration and die and retry. Despite its few flaws, Scars Above is a very enjoyable title to play. This very promising result bodes well for the studio's future works.
Awards & Rankings
User score distribution:
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Positive: 5 out of 10
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Mixed: 2 out of 10
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Negative: 3 out of 10
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Apr 27, 2023
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Apr 10, 2023
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Mar 31, 2023