You’re in a dark, creepy military research facility and things just haven’t been going your way. You’re low on ammo and you have yet to explore the majority of the level you’re currently on. As a scientist, you’re not trained for the horrors that pursue you with a vengeance. “Teleglitch”, needless to say, is a horror game that tasks the player with staying alive by any means necessary. It’s a top-down shooter complete with pixellated graphics, tons of weapons, and creatures destined to give you nightmares. Those who have played “Smash TV” will feel right at home. Before we begin our journey into the dark abyss, I’d like to thank “epcc” for sending me a free review copy.
Teleglitch (PC)
The main menu is situated along the top of the screen and allows you to play the game, adjust game options, and view various informational bits about the game. The options menu doesn’t address video or sound, but does allow you to change your key bindings, toggle zoom on or off, and switch between pixel and vertex views. The info menu acts like a library of sorts, updating as you play the game. As you discover new items and monsters, this library will update for your viewing pleasure later on.
Options / Controls Menu
Starting a new game allows you to play the tutorial or begin with level one. Other levels are available from the menu screen, but you’ll have to reach a certain level first to unlock them. The gameplay mechanics are fairly simple in that you’ll be trying to advance from level to level while staying alive in the process. Your character always remains in the center of the screen and as you move around, your field of vision reveals parts of the environment in real-time. You may not see a monster lying in wait around a corner, for example, until it is too late.
Giving corners a wide berth is generally a good idea.
Your primary attack is a melee strike, which doesn’t cost any ammunition. By holding in the right mouse button, you’ll be able to aim your equipped, ranged weapon and shoot enemies from a distance. As you may have deduced by now, ammunition is at a premium and I found melee to be a necessary act in order to save those precious bullets for when you really need them. Weapons in the game are varied, but you’ll see a 9 MM semi-automatic pistol from the start. Like in most games involving weapons of these sorts, you’ll have to reload your weapon after exhausting the clip. This opens the door for a bit of strategic maneuvering as you won’t be able to just “spray and pray.”
You can find supplies in containers scattered around the level.
Health is also another commodity that is at a premium. While you’ll find canned meat and med kits in the environment, you won’t find very many of them. There are areas that sport weak walls that you can blow open with explosives, and these usually lead to something lucrative. Explosives are on a short timer, so it’s important to run as soon as you drop them. Like bullets, you’ll have a limited amount of explosives to work with until you find more.
If you can see through cracks in the wall, there’s a good chance an explosive will knock the wall down.
The levels are fairly big and randomize themselves with each game, making the game highly replayable. You’ll encounter consoles that will tell you a bit about what’s going on, unlock doors, reveal locations of important items, and more. Completionists will have a field day exploring every nook and cranny. You’ll also encounter this dark blob-like substance that kills you instantly upon touching it, so be sure to avoid letting your curiosity get the better of you.
Teleporters take you to the next level.
With over forty different playable weapons / items to discover and over twenty different monsters to fight, you’ll want to keep coming back for more. I personally enjoyed having the ability to combine items, though I must admit that I have little idea as to what goes with what. I had CPU chips and tubes in my inventory but had no idea what to do with them. The tutorial helped to put me through my paces and it didn’t take very long for me to get the hang of how the game worked. I enjoy starting over (despite the fact that I die often) simply because I know that the maps are different every time. While the graphics are pixellated, I have a feeling that retro gamers like myself will appreciate the nod towards old school graphics. Overall, it’s a fun game that will keep you busy for quite a while. There is a playable demo on the official website linked below, should you wish to try before you buy.
Final Verdict: 7/10
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You can learn more about and purchase “Teleglitch” by visiting the following websites:
http://www.desura.com/games/teleglitch
You can view play sessions here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j3ruMIcFU90
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v6QMkkFNUr4