Taking a refreshing break from their usual genre of simulation games, Ultimate Games SA brings us, Liberte, an RPG title that throws us straight into the war torn times of revolution, set in an alternate reality where the death of a king has sparked a political unrest has thrown the people into a violent cauldron of turmoil and despair.
Playing the part of a Parisian named Rene, you are guided on a journey by a sinister entity known only as “Lady Bliss”. Take to the ravaged streets of the French capital as you talk to fellow locals in a bid to understand Miss Bliss’s agenda and unearth clues to the mystery of her goals.
The Hellish Fires of Diablo Meet a Dystopian Alternate Reality
Liberte plays out very much like a budget Diablo game with an added card system and roguelike elements. As a lifelong fan the unholy RPG, the approach to this game bred familiarity from the start and served as a welcome reminder to the countless of hours worth of demon slaying antics that I have under my potion-laden belt.
Like in Diablo, the abilities seen in Liberte are usefully mapped to the action buttons for quick and seamless use. However, unlike any game in the Blizzard franchise, the abilities aren’t earned through a skill tree but rather through the use of a card system.
With a combat system very similar to Diablo, Liberte makes the use of quick evasive dives and rolls, the skills adopted offer widely varying effects and buffers, meaning balance is key to tasting the tasty notes of victory. The learning curve here was steep but sweet with so many cards it was fun to test out different combinations against different enemies.
Roguelike Elements Make an Interesting Mix
Upon each death (and there will be plenty), our French hero is transported back to an otherworldly realm where you can build your stack in preparation for your next journey. Choosing the right cards to take with you into battle is key to survival in Liberte and with over 100 different abilities and talents to equip, everyone is sure to finally find the perfect set-up for their own personal style of play.
During this phase of the game, players can also find means of switching their player’s skin. During my experience, I only unlocked the second skin; a gun-toting heroine called Ana. Despite having only played using two skins, I still had the chance to experience the stark differences between the two. Not only were the skins visually different, but they also came with their own weapon sets and traits. It’s elements like this that I love to see in such games and will keep me playing after the end credits roll, if that’s even possible.
Summary
If there’s one thing I’m sure of as I write this article, it’s that I will be going back to Liberte at the first available opportunity and once again immerse myself in the dystopian world the developers have so wonderfully weaved. There’s a lot to see, do and unlock throughout the game meaning you’re getting a lot of bang for your hard-earned buck.
Liberte also boasts a talented cast of voice actors that bring a real sense of life to the characters you meet along the way. I’ve always felt that well-delivered dialog works wonders to immerse the players into the world in which they choose to escape and thus makes a game stand out from the crowds.
Having released on Xbox Series X, Xbox One, PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Nintendo Switch and PC; Liberte is available to most and priced at just $25 it’s certainly worth a look.
REVIEW
OUR SCORE - 8
8
SCORE
With an interesting mix of different genre elements, Liberte adopted an unorthodox approach but pulled it off with grace.
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