Originally released on PC, Apsulov: End of Gods has now made the leap to current/last and new/next generation consoles. Developed and Angry Demon Studio and published for consoles by Digerati digitally and Perp Games in a physical form, we took a look at the PlayStation 5 version of the game.
Apsulov: End of Gods starts off strong, as we find our female lead on some kind of operating table out of a sci-fi setting, while a robotic voice makes it clear they don’t necessarily have your best intentions at heart. You manage to escape, but this is only the start of your adventure. Who are you? What’s happening, and where do you go from here?
The world of Apsulov, with its combination of sci-fi and influences from northern mythology, reminded us of the excellent atmosphere-rich work by Stormling Studios in games like Conarium and Transient. There’s a mix of elements here that you can explore from a first person perspective, with sections that unfold slowly and let you enjoy the environment as well as more action-oriented sequences. It’s a solid mix of visual styles – one that adds to the mystery of the core narrative.
Some of the character designs in Apsulov give the game a bit of horror flavoring as well. A few creepy human/animal hybrids definitely won’t look out of place during the Halloween season next month, and some of the action scenes really get the blood pumping as well. Your robotic arm is your line of defense against them, but your energy blast is only available if you have enough charge for it – this never turns into a full-on action game and you’ll be doing plenty of sneaking about and finding alternate routes.
The game is also highly story-driven, and there’s an interesting narrative, brought to life by some quality voice acting over the course of a five to six hour adventure. It can be done quicker than that and there are different endings to uncover in subsequent playthroughs, which add to the otherwise relatively short runtime for the game.
Although short, Apsulov: End of Gods is a well-produced game from a smaller studio with an entertaining story and solid visuals on top of a good audio track. It doesn’t feature any standout gameplay mechanics, but if you’re looking for a good Halloween choice at an affordable price point, this could be it.
Score: 7.7/10
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