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cover-La Quimera

Thursday, May 8, 2025 12:19:27 AM

La Quimera Review (Topokki)

Bought the game, played a little bit, and then decided to look at the reviews. And oh meu Deus! Mostly negative? Let me start with my experience in the game and explain why you shouldn't be afraid of the low score — and why you should give the game a chance, if not now, then in the near future.
I'll start with the positives:
1. Experience:
As the developers stated, the first 4 missions feel really solid. Compared to most Early Access games — and even some recently released full titles — they are polished. There are minimal visual bugs, almost no gameplay bugs, a nice story, and an overall high-quality experience.
2. Story:
The story is really interesting and engaging. I love the game's dynamic, the mysteries, and the charismatic characters.
3. Graphics:
I don’t have a powerful PC and have to play on average settings. However, even on medium, the visuals are very nice — and in some places, even impressive.
4. Optimization:
Again, for average graphics, optimization is at a very high level. No freezes, no FPS drops — I had a flawless experience and really enjoyed it.
5. Attention to Detail:
Huge respect to the developers for their attention to detail — graffiti, small junk, ammo, flora, fauna... even the way cutscenes are directed. Everything feels great. The huge maps don't feel empty; they feel real and alive, which really helps with immersion.
6. Gameplay:
In one word — interesting. There are multiple types of enemies, each with their own strengths and weaknesses. You always have to think about where to hide, when to shoot, and what weapon to use. Different ammo types are more or less effective depending on the enemy. You also have to expect ambushes and make quick decisions.
At this point, you’re probably thinking: if the game is so good, why are the reviews so negative?
Some people probably didn’t even read this far, assuming my comments are bought or biased because of the negative Steam rating. And after this line, you might expect me to call the negative reviewers idiots or Russian bots...
However, I won't. Most negative comments actually point out real problems. Here’s my explanation of why the reaction is so negative:

1. Communication with the audience and overhyped expectations:
Communication has been very weird. It wasn't a shadow release — there was a trailer announcing a release date. The trailer promised a full game with amazing gameplay. While what we got is very good gameplay, it's only 4–5 hours instead of the dozens that were promised. I personally found out about the release only because of my Steam wishlist notification. The developers’ social media accounts were silent — almost no information, no active dialogue with the audience. I believe many people who left negative reviews would have enjoyed the game if it had been released as a full game in 18 months — or even as Early Access after 6 more months of work. Even if the developers had just been upfront and said, "This is an Early Access launch with only a few hours of gameplay," it would have avoided a lot of disappointment. Also, many news outlets hyped it as a project from "people who worked on Metro," so expectations were extremely high. Lesson: It’s better to promise less and overdeliver than to create unrealistic expectations.
2.1. The price:
$30 for 4–5 hours of gameplay? Seriously? From what I’ve seen, I would easily pay $60 for the full game or even $100 for an ultimate edition once it’s finished. This game has real potential to become a bestseller — it’s fun, has a nice setting, an interesting story, and high quality. But asking for so much money this early is not reasonable. This isn’t a Kickstarter campaign — this is a Steam Early Access launch. Four hours of even amazing gameplay can't be worth half the price of Stalker 2 or 60% of Oblivion Remastered.
2.2. Transparency about funding:
At the game's current stage (at least at the Steam release date), it is not worth $30. If developers need money to support continued development, they should be honest with buyers: "You’re not buying a finished game — you’re helping to fund its development". They could have used crowdfunding more transparently, maybe asking $30 but offering significant bonuses for Early Access supporters. There were many better ways to raise money without causing so much hate from the community. Being honest about development needs and current state, some frequent updates and news would have led to much more positive acceptance.
3. Technical issues:
In my experience, the technical condition of the game is better than many recent AAA releases. However, some technical issues mentioned in the negative reviews definitely need to be addressed.
In Conclusion. From what I can see, if the developers start being honest with their audience, are ready for dialogue, and listen to feedback, I recommend supporting the game. However, keep in mind:
- You are paying a support fee — you are not buying a finished game. And from what I can see, developers deserve this support and developers need this support.
- The real game will only be ready in 18 months or more.
- If you just want to buy a game and play it now, I recommend waiting when at least half of the game or the full game will be released.
- The current 4-hour version feels more like an extended demo or alpha test.
- Right now, the product is not worth the $30 price tag.