Open world RPG’s like The Witcher or Mass Effect series, are almost exclusively put out by huge AAA publishers. So it’s interesting to see a smaller game company like Spiders release The Technomancer, an open world sci-fi RPG set on Mars.

The Technomancer, an indirect sequel to Spider’s Mars: War Logs, really wants to be your next favorite RPG, it has a complex story, a large detailed game world with its own history and society, freedom to tackle missions in many different ways, and a large and varied upgrading system. But try as it might, Technomancer tries to do too many things at once to be the next Mass Effect.

TechoWorld

In Technomancer, players take on the role of Zachariah, a rookie Technomancer who serves the Abundance colony on Mars. Technomancers in the game, are basically Jedi-like soldiers who are gifted with electricity-based powers and use them to serve their colony in the water wars that ravage the planet.

The game begins on Zachariah’s graduation day from the Technomancer academy, before beginning players are given some limited customization options for Zachariah’s appearance; basically hair, skin, and face. The gameplay begins by familiarizing you with the combat mechanics, which consist of three different styles and weapons; the warrior style uses a combat staff and focuses on area attacks, the guardian uses a mace and shield and promotes defense, while rogue employs a pistol/short sword combo which focuses on dealing focused damage. In any of the stances players are also able to use their technomancer powers.

TechnoGunjpg

During my playthrough I found myself primarily using the sword and pistol combo, but no matter which style you choose, expect to do a lot of dodging and rolling to survive, Zachariah isn’t able to soak up a lot of damage so avoiding attacks is a major component of combat. I found the combat to be one of most enjoyable parts of the game, requiring enough skill to be challenging while never being punishingly difficult.

As you gain levels and experience through combat, you are able to gain new abilities either for a combat style or your technomancer powers. Every few levels you are rewarded points for the two other skill trees; talents, which are non-combat skills such as lock picking and charisma, and attributes, which govern Zach’s stats such as strength, health, and agility.

TechnoFight

After you learn the basics of combat and graduate from the academy, you are able to start taking on the various main and side quests in the game, which takes your party, via a mars rover, to different locations on the red planet. The game also has a number of random events, like robberies or hostage situations, that the player can take part in if they so choose.

The game’s main story is fairly standard but entertaining enough. Zach begins by faithfully serving his masters only to find a vast conspiracy that sends him on the run from the colony he once served. The developers certainly made an effort to build a unique world with its own customs and history but much of it comes of as fairly goofy in a game that clearly takes itself far too seriously. This isn’t helped by the poor voice acting and strange facial expressions that are sometimes made by Zach during dialogue.

TechnoMonster

The game’s many quests will take Zach and his party through futuristic cities, dusty settlements on the Martian frontier, and deep caves filled with unspeakable monsters. Unfortunately, though the game takes place in a fairly large and explorable world, it all ends up feeling the same after a while.  An aesthetic of red rust and dilapidation runs through every environment, making every new area kind of feel like more of the same. This lack of variety in the look of the environments combined with the less than stellar graphics make Technomancer visually dull.

TechnoBugs

Technomancer’s main fault is that it is a game that is trying to do too many things at once but only gets two or three of them right. For every core mechanic that the game introduces, the game also introduces a mechanic that is then seemingly forgotten about. In the game’s opening mission, a morality system is introduced by giving players the ability to drain defeated enemies of serum (the game’s currency), which kills them and costs karma points.

This is presented as if it’s going to be a major part of the game, but the amount of money gained from draining is so small that it never feels like much of moral conundrum.  Another seemingly glaring omission is that for a game called Technomancer, your powers seem to have very little to do with technology. The term technomancy suggests that your character would be able to manipulate computers and technology, but in Technomancer your powers are just variations on casting lightning. It’s strange that a game that has clearly had so much thought put in to it, would have its titular abilities be so lacking in imagination.

TechnoShock

Technomancer is a game that tries to stand in the ranks of AAA open world RPGs but ends up falling short of its goal. While the combat and story are engaging; the dull visuals, overstuffed gameplay, and unimaginative player abilities make Technomancer a somewhat uneven experience. While Technomancer is an overall entertaining experience, there’re other games doing the same thing – and doing them better.

Last Updated: June 28, 2016

The Technomancer
Technomancer makes a valiant effort to be the next big open world RPG and comes close to achieving it, but in the end it feels like the developer was trying to fit too many things in to one game.
7.0
The Technomancer was reviewed on PC
56 / 100

18 Comments

  1. miaau

    June 28, 2016 at 09:16

    well, does not look too bad for a smaller company. Nice review.

    Kingdoms of Amular (spelling?), also had some shortfalls in the game play, but was, overall, fun and a bit “out there.”

    worth picking up after a few patches, methinks..

    Reply

    • schitsophrenic-toothbrush

      June 28, 2016 at 10:24

      Dude I loved KOA!! Doubt there will ever be a sequel though..

      Yeah Il pick this up, will wait till it is cheaper and snap it up.

      Reply

      • miaau

        June 28, 2016 at 11:47

        Yeah me too, it was an under-rated gem of a game and I suspect this might be too.

        But not at R849, please.

        Reply

  2. Alien Emperor Trevor

    June 28, 2016 at 09:20

    I’ll get this (eventually). Mars: War Logs was a very cool B-grade RPG that I enjoyed way more than I expected, happy to get a sequel.

    Reply

  3. Dane

    June 28, 2016 at 09:20

    Think it might be worth playing in case of a successful sequel?

    Reply

    • Geoffrey Tim

      June 28, 2016 at 09:22

      If Spiders can get access to more budget, I’m convinced they could make something genuinely good. Look at what happened when Techland got Warner Bros money, and made Dying Light after having a much smaller budget with Dead ISland.

      Reply

  4. Hammersteyn_hates_Raid0

    June 28, 2016 at 09:22

    Still buying this.
    *Adds to list

    Reply

    • Ir0nseraph

      June 28, 2016 at 10:18

      You are ?

      Reply

      • Hammersteyn_hates_Raid0

        June 28, 2016 at 10:24

        Much later

        Reply

        • Ir0nseraph

          June 28, 2016 at 10:27

          I see a special sale.

          Reply

    • Nikola

      June 28, 2016 at 12:05

      Me too, or Ill just get my brother to buy it because I am broke:)

      Reply

      • Hammersteyn_hates_Raid0

        June 28, 2016 at 12:51

        Another game your brother buys? I’d accuse him of being a Gupta but that’s impossible cause you’re broke.

        Reply

        • Nikola

          June 28, 2016 at 12:56

          Hahaha he buys everything now days I just leach off him. Next think I am buying is the Destiny Expansion:)

          Reply

          • Hammersteyn_hates_Raid0

            June 28, 2016 at 13:10

            Will be fun to get the crew bac together

  5. Deceased

    June 28, 2016 at 10:33

    This is what I’ll be playing whilst waiting for Cyberpunk

    Reply

  6. 2I'sInWinning

    June 28, 2016 at 11:11

    Man i have been seeing mixed reviews ign gave a 4.9 at the same time don’t trust ign but their are things that stay constant first the story and world everybody says it’s amazing, second character voice acting is poop and third fail vision and bland combat. Pushsquare gave 5/10 man it’s hard to decide so i just guessing it’s super mediocre gameplay wise should i get it is the question.

    Reply

  7. amydono

    June 28, 2016 at 11:18

    To be fair I only heard about this game recently , maybe it’s bad marketing but it really could be a sleeper hit , since not a lot is going on right now on the gaming industry .

    It’s alreaddy 40 bucks maybe I’ll give it a look http://bit.do/b8eSg .

    Reply

  8. Craig Lotter

    July 25, 2017 at 09:02

    Pretty cheap as a special on Xbox Live this week (R124). Has anyone actually played this? Is it worth getting or not?

    Reply

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