Scars Above: PS5 Review

Developed by Mad Head Games
Published by Plaion
Platform: PS5

Mad Head Games' attempt to give the sci-fi shooter genre a jolt with a story to match has mixed results in this AAA game that fires on some levels and misses the mark on others.

It's the story of a scientist called Kate, who is called into action when an unknown object appears in the atmosphere above the earth. As her ship investigates the Metahedron, all hell breaks loose and Kate finds herself on an alien planet, alone and trying to piece together what's happened as aliens around her try to kill her.

A game of discovery and mystery Scars Above may be, but in parts, there's too much frustration at the repetition of some parts of the game's mechanics and creatures. Granted, with elements of body horror and threats raised to the maximum, the game's desire to catch you out from all angles proves to be its fatal flaw.

Fight sequences work well but waves of enemy hordes coming for you mean the game likes to pen you in and deliver no kind of reward for escape. Despite healing up several times, the game's managed to finish the character off before a save point leading to multiple frustrations as the combat's relived.

One thing Scars Above does get right is its commitment to sound - the speaker within the PS5 positively crackles into life with both metallic sounds and alien noises, giving a sensory hit when it's needed the most.

But with stiff animation and emotionless faces, that good work is lost by what's translated on screen. Ultimately, Scars Above shows great sci-fi horror premise and is up there with the likes of Alien: Isolation for jolts, but its mix of frustrating combat and easy deaths make Scars Above a tricky game to both master and also to love.