E.Y.E: Divine Cybermancy Preview

The latest review for Streum On Studio’s cyberpunk-themed indie FPS/RPG E.Y.E: Divine Cybermancy comes from Eurogamer, that awards it a 5/10 calling the title “virtually impenetrable”, but also noting its ambition and clever ideas. Here’s a snippet:

Even the simplest things have been made slightly awkward. Collecting ammo means looking down at it and pressing the Use key. Climbing a ladder means standing in just the right spot and pressing the Use key. Simple actions that a game should automatically take care of are left for the player to handle. It’s not laborious in itself, but over time it clumps together and lends the game a gluey, sluggish air.

It’s a shame, because at its core, beneath all the clutter and obstructive design there’s a half-decent shooter engine and some very clever ideas. There can be multiple objectives in each mission, leading to different map areas and different outcomes, so there’s incentive to poke around and try things other than dashing about shooting like a loon.

(…)

With its shaggy construction and wild ambition, E.Y.E. Divine Cybermancy is as difficult to dislike as it is to recommend. If you have the patience and resolve, you might be able to squirm past the numerous needless barriers the game places in your path and enjoy the goodness that is so frustratingly locked away inside.

For most players, however, the choice between a well-intentioned but hopelessly wonky Deus Ex knock-off and the superbly polished official Deus Ex sequel now on sale will be an easy one.