Tachyon Project (PlayStation 4) Review

By Gareth F 13.02.2016

Review for Tachyon Project on PlayStation 4

The development of opposable thumbs during the evolutionary cycle was an important stage in making Homo sapiens the dominant species it is today, and, in hindsight, has also proven to be a fairly essential requirement for those intent on adding frequent bouts of duel-stick dabbling to their gaming agenda. Spanish-based independent studio, Eclipse Games, has used this insider knowledge to specifically target a demographic of thumb operators that have little to no qualms in subjecting the aforementioned stumpy digits to a rigorous workout, and to which end has thrown down the gauntlet with Tachyon Project. Originally releasing last year on the Xbox One and PC, it's now the turn of PS4 owners to bask in the glow of an overheated laser and enjoy the simplistic pleasures of blasting everything that moves, as well as a few things that don't.

Giving a twin-stick shooter a meaningful story is a lot like having an ashtray on a motorbike, in that it's a purely cosmetic addition that's simply not required. This hasn't deterred Eclipse Games from cooking up a series of hand-drawn cut-scenes to chronicle the tale of a pair of rogue programmers and their creation, Ada, a vaguely sentient hack tool designed to sniff around secure networks and extract any information that can be used for unspecified purposes.

Screenshot for Tachyon Project on PlayStation 4

One day, after returning back to the base of operations, Ada finds that its creators (or parents as it's now taken to calling them) have been kidnapped by a mysterious organisation and so sets about hacking into numerous security networks in a bid to find out the reasoning behind the snatch and locate their whereabouts. While it's not exactly Mr. Robot in the narrative stakes, it does enough to establish that Ada is the one with the guns, and anything vaguely hostile is actually an anti-virus/security programme that's merely performing its intended function. Given that online security is actually the bad guy in this story it, therefore, needs cracking, if progress is to be made.

It's almost impossible not to notice that Tachyon Project bears more than a passing resemblance to the Geometry Wars series in both play style and aesthetic, although it's fair to say that while some of Eclipse's design choices were clearly influenced by Activision's shooter, the finished product lacks the visual flair and variety of its peer. Indeed, some of the attack patterns, and even the design of Ada itself, might feel familiar to seasoned veterans of Geometry Wars, yet given that it's probably the franchise most synonymous to the genre, it's of little surprise.

Screenshot for Tachyon Project on PlayStation 4

Comparisons aside, while Tachyon Project might feel a bit like a homage to all things Geometry-c, it does slip a few distinguishing features of its own into the mix, with the most notable being the addition of stealth levels. While stealth might sound like an alien concept in a game that actively encourages aggressive gunplay, it works surprisingly well as Ada is able to maintain cover until either breaking the silence by opening fire or being scanned by a scout ship's visible radar. Once spotted, the enemies will swarm at Ada until the scout is destroyed and cover is regained, which adds a 'cat and mouse' element not usually associated with the genre.

Instead of lives, Ada's lifespan is measured in seconds, which naturally tick down as play progresses. Picking up the debris left by vanquished foes will add time to Ada's clock, although, unsurprisingly, any contact with hostiles will cause the countdown timer to drop drastically, with the game ending once zero is met.

Screenshot for Tachyon Project on PlayStation 4

There are a total of 10 levels to play through, each split into six sections that have their own set of criteria that need to be met to move on to the next. These can vary from taking down a boss, shooting x amount of a specified enemy, or merely surviving for a specified amount of time against increasingly dense waves of adversaries. Progress through the campaign unlocks access to six primary weapons, nine secondary ones, as well as seven perks that help tackle the task at hand and provide a means to cater to specific play styles.

Despite there being little variation between the appearance of each level, Tachyon Project more than makes up for it with the variety of enemy types that make an appearance, as there are no less than 30 different foes all itching for a piece of Ada. It's a fairly short campaign, yet the inclusion of a 'New Game+' along with challenge levels that surprisingly hide local four-player co-operative options, adds more choice for skilled gamers looking to test themselves.

Screenshot for Tachyon Project on PlayStation 4

Cubed3 Rating

5/10
Rated 5 out of 10

Average

Tachyon Project is a solid, if slightly generic, shooter that chooses to tread familiar territory rather than forge its own identity. Nevertheless, it should still scratch that itch for hardcore fans of the genre, although it is unlikely to succeed in reeling in the 'twin-stick curious.' A few difficulty spikes midway help prolong a fairly short-but-fun campaign, however, it would be hard to recommend this over Geometry Wars 3: Dimensions, which, besides providing the obvious inspiration to what's on offer here, also includes considerably more content.

Developer

Eclipse

Publisher

Eclipse Games

Genre

Shooter

Players

4

C3 Score

Rated $score out of 10  5/10

Reader Score

Rated $score out of 10  0 (0 Votes)

European release date Out now   North America release date Out now   Japan release date None   Australian release date Out now   

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