It is more often that when a game tries to mash-up so many genres into one, will result in a disaster. But when done right, and streamlined seamlessly would result in a game quite like no other which is worth playing and spending countless hours on. Is Garena Undawn a bust? Or a Masterpiece. That's what we will try to tackle in this week's Hive Gaming Beerbod review.
Going for that Korean Idol look in character creation screen, the amount of customization is so plenty that it's almost every avatar will be unique and different from the rest.
Previously I reviewed a mobile game which is great for both casual and serious players. Read about it here. And if you are into video games like myself, do let me know in the comments so I could check out your channels and the games you play.*
Here's a quick video gameplay for Undawn uploaded on my youtube channel.
The Story
You play as one of the survivors set in a post-apocalyptic world where humanity faces an threat from mutated creatures known as "Nobodies.". Ok they are zombies. The story follows a group of survivors who band together to navigate this perilous landscape. The survivors are not only fighting to stay alive but are also searching for answers about the origin of the Nobodies and the mysterious infection that created them.
As players progress through the game, they uncover clues and piece together the story through in-game dialogues, documents, and events. If you are into games which has a deep narrative, then this could just be the one for you. This adds an immersive layer to the gameplay, keeping players engaged in the unfolding narrative. The survivors' journey is filled with moral dilemmas, tough decisions, and encounters with other factions of survivors, creating a rich and dynamic storytelling experience that reflects the complexities of human nature in the face of adversity.
For a mobile game the cutscenes, visuals and dialogue are not only immersive but impressive as well.
Here's one of the cutscenes of me finding a camp of survivors while riding my motorcycle.
Controls and Gameplay
The controls are typical to other mobile fps battlezone games like pubg and codm.
If you have already played FPS games on mobile or tablet then this should be an easy game for you to get accustomed with in terms of controls. While you could customize the controls on your setting and have your own preferences, by default the controls are setup in a typical fashion with that of a mobile FPS. Movement is controlled with a dpad on the left, Aiming and shooting controls are on the right, (aim-down works best). There's quick button for inventory, and auto pop-up for interaction making gameplay and action more seamless. The response time is good as well if you are into competitive shooting modes. There's a good balance between accessibility and depth.
Vehicles
The default vehicle for new players is a motorcycle, the chopper I'm showing in this picture is from a quest, but should already give you an idea that with enough time (and maybe in game purchases) you could unlock better vehicles.
While the core of the game is that of a battle royale zombie surival mode, the addition of vehicles will not come as a surprise. While there are quick teleports to places you've already unlocked, it is still good to traverse the open world through use of vehicles. There's motorcycles, All terrain vehicles, Jeeps and SUVs, Trucks, and even Boats if you want to travel the waters.
Building, Gathering, Crafting.
Me making use of my griller to cook food and setting up my home base.
Not much of a battler? Then fancy yourself into a more peaceful means of gaming by collecting materials and building your home and upgrading facilities. You can gather resources such as wood, metal, stone, cloth and other materials from the environment using tools like axes and pickaxes. You can fish, hunt down animals, chop trees, gather flowers and many more. With your gathered materials you can construct various structures, including barricades, fortifications, and shelter. You can also create weapons and equipment.
The Adventure.
Hey it's me getting rescued after being downed from a multiplayer battle mode.
While the BR Mode could be considered as the core of the game, you will certainly not be limited by it. It's an open world adventure. Want to complete the narrative? Focus on the main story mode. Want to power up and level your characters? Then the daily quests and activities might be your cup of tea. Don't really want to do anything particular and just roam around? Perfect, just get your vehicle and explore the vast map if PVE is your main thing. Want to socially interact, just team up as there are many multiplayer modes which would also help in completing some daily and weekly quests. Don't forget to join guilds.
Content and Updates
Me bombing this zombie hoard.
Partnered, with Garena, and having an overwheling positive reception since launch, you can expect that this game will be provided with regular updates and new content to ensure a fresh, renewed and revolving experience.
Verdict
Another thing that makes this game super immersive is the Survive feature, which shows your character's current status in body for physical fitness, mentality, hygiene and metabolism. From time to time you have to pause to eat, exercise, take a bath or medicine if you catch a cold. Just like what normal people do in a regular day.
Overall, a game like this that offers an in-depth narrative, limitless customization, countless quests, interactive squad mode, updates and content, levelling and building up,; ill not only take boredom away but will give you countless hours of great gaming experience. There's one caveat though, It appears to me that this game would be in a category of pay to win. Similar to many game developers, a great game like this should have a monetization strategy. It is free to play, but if you want to be competitive in PVP and camp wars, then you should unleash the power of your credit card to be ready for some in-app purchases and faster progression. However, players should feel free to enjoy the game as a free to play player. There's still gameplay balance, a focus on cosmetics and fair matchmaking. At least from my current experience.
