Brigador

If there's one thing sci-fi video games have taught us, it's that our violent, action-packed future is destined to be filled with neon lights and astronomical city repair costs. Such is the case with Brigador, an independent isometric shooter currently available in Early Access on Steam. After picking out a vehicle and weapons load-out, you're dropped into one of nine maps and challenged either to blow up an array of orbital guns, take out enemy leaders, or simply wipe the opposition off the map. The problem is, there's no explanation as to why you need to do any of this. In fact, there's no explanation for anything that happens in the game. Though Brigador does manage to invoke an odd sense of nostalgia, with visuals and the tone bringing to mind some of the classic sci-fi arcade games of the '80s, it still feels like walking into a theater just before the credits roll and trying to figure out what the movie was about.

Another problem facing Brigador is, literally, a matter of perspective. The game's isometric viewpoint and scale don't work well with its control scheme. Vehicle movement is controlled with basic forward, reverse, and left/right rotate. The problem, especially with the more robotic mechs, is that the environment constantly gets in the way of you seeing which way your wheels or legs are facing. The fact that everything is so small on the screen only compounds the issue. Factor in that you have only one shot to complete any particular mission, and it quickly becomes an exercise in frustration. Brigador could evolve into something that's a lot of nostalgic fun, but right now, it's an arcade title that's very rough around the edges.