Livelock is a top-down shooter which stands out from the rest. The game revolves around the survival of humanity after a cataclysmic event. Human consciousnesses have been uploaded to machines and in this post-apocalyptic environment, you awaken in order to find the location of a facility designed to bring humanity out of extinction. The voice acting and visuals are definitely the highlight of the experience even though the game falters a bit when it comes to the technical side.
The most thrilling aspect of Livelock has to be the ability to play cooperatively. You can play it alone but there are some areas where you’ll be swarmed by enemies and it’s an impossible task for any one gamer. Up to three players can join any game and wreck havoc. The game shines when you’re playing with others and can get frustrating as a single-player venture. If you start a public instance, people will drop in and drop out seamlessly. I’ll be honest, I wasn’t expecting this degree of polish from a smaller title like this, especially for multiplayer, but Livelock blew me away.
The game features three classes called the Hex, Vanguard and Catalyst. All three of them feel unique and can be upgraded throughout your playthrough. You’ll have to master them all in order to become an unstoppable force. However, upgrading isn’t as easy as it sounds. You have to demonstrate considerable skill and mostly continue killing sprees to earn the most experience to unlock better weapons and new abilities. Remember, Livelock is a class-based game. You can combine your weaponry for even more destructive results. Aside from your standard laser weapons and mines, you can summon drones and call upon satellites to destroy entire hordes. The weaponry is another highlight of the experience.
Livelock features a lot of challenging bosses so be sure to get plenty of experience with heavy weaponry. You’ll need it if you want to progress further. Many such encounters involve protecting assets and the bosses do a lot of damage—it’s a little insane to be honest. I wish I had upgraded my heavy guns before I upgraded my basic rifle because it proved to be quite a hinderance as the levels went on.
The game features dozens of levels and you’ll be addicted to it for hours. Each area feels distinctive even though it’s your standard post-apocalyptic wasteland. Another nice touch the developers added was semi-destructible environments. For example, let’s say you’re shooting your way through ruins, you’ll see pillars and walls collapse as you break through them. This creates an amazing sensation and makes you feel like a towering Transformers-like machine.
Everything isn’t always great. I have some complaints regarding the technical decisions made by the developers. The title seems to run at 30 FPS and it makes aiming some weapons very challenging. I feel I wasted many hits and subsequently was destroyed because I couldn’t precisely aim my heavy weapons. The title sometimes requires direct shots when you’re dealing with fast-moving targets. They do a lot of damage and being accurate is essential. The 30 FPS makes the controls feel clunky when you’re forced to pinpoint your shot.
Summary
Overall, Livelock is a great game that features an intriguing story and stellar shooting. The weapons are supremely destructive and the environments are gorgeous. It’s a beautiful title which is enhanced by the fact that it features distinct classes and a deep upgrade system. However, the technical decision to lock the game at a lower frame rate detracts from the controls and makes it a little clunky. However, you’ll get used to that and won’t even know the difference by the end of it. This is definitely a recommended game in my book.
Asher and Xian is a shared byline ICXM used for 18 articles co-authored between 2015–2017 covering game reviews, and Xbox news. See the individual contributor profiles for the writers behind these collaborations.