Parents' Guide to The Technomancer

This engaging sci-fi RPG focuses mainly on life in the distant future and even on other planets. Here, life is all about conflict and the ways we choose to resolve those conflicts -- that's the lesson that's been taught by games such as Fallout 4, the Mass Effect series, and now this title. So it's hard not to compare The Technomancer to those other sci-fi-themed games, as it takes strides to incorporate some of the best features of those epic hits. Whether it's the scavenging of materials and crafting of improved gear (instantly familiar to any Fallout 4 fan) or weighing your moral choices in the game against the beliefs and desires of your ragtag group of companions (a staple of the Mass Effect franchise), it's hard not to get a sense of déjà vu. Even the citizens buckling under the thumb of evil corporations is a plot point that's been seen time and time again. That being said, The Technomancer still manages to create its own unique identity during your time in the harsh Martian landscape.

For starters, while the story might initially feel like it's been done before, that doesn't make it any less interesting. The combat in the game is also surprisingly smooth, even with three styles (plus your Technomancer powers) that can be switched on the fly. You can't help but feel like some superhuman warrior when you smash into an enemy with a shield and knock back his friends with an electrified staff before finishing him off with a poison dagger, all in one fluid chain. Admittedly, it takes a bit of practice to get to that fluidity, as there are a lot of nuances to accessing all the player's actions at the same time. In fact, the game's biggest flaw overall is that it gets weighted down by all the commands available at any given time. There's almost too much available at any given time, and it can get a bit overwhelming. And there's nothing more frustrating than being in the heat of battle and trying to use a health kit, only to pull up your equipment menu by mistake. But with some practice (and a limber set of fingers for the controller), things eventually come together and make for a much more comfortable experience. While The Technomancer might try a little too hard to do too much at once, it's still a fun and familiar experience that's just the thing to quench your action/RPG thirst.