Editor’s Note & Early Access Update Turns out things don’t always go as planned: La Quimera was set to fully launch on April 25 but got an unexpected delay on launch day. A developer update on April 29 announced that instead of a full release, we’re diving straight into Early Access with the very same content we got to play. It might feel like arriving at your favorite party only to find half the lights are out, but hey—the plan is to beef it up over time.
Movie-Like Mayhem That Feels Like a Direct-to-Video Sequel Ever get hooked on those delightfully cheesy direct-to-video sequels in the horror/action genre? La Quimera is a bit like being five Tremors movies deep—the art style isn’t groundbreaking, the dialogue is cringeworthy at times, and the acting can swing wildly from so-so to downright awkward. Yet, it has that certain “popcorn flick” charm that makes it a guilty pleasure, especially when you rally a few friends for some co-op chaos.
Setting The Scene in Nuevo Caracas Set in the fictional South American city of Nuevo Caracas, the game paints a picture of a city spiraling into chaos. Outside the city ramparts, some unexplained robot apocalypse is unfolding, while within, warring corporations and extreme poverty keep the atmosphere tense. Picture an 80s sci-fi vibe with Power Loader-esque rigs that would fit right in beside Ellen Ripley in Aliens—the scenario is more throwback nostalgia than deep social commentary, but it sets the stage for a frenetic adventure.
Immersive Environments and the Bone Wall Mystery The game’s environments offer some genuinely intriguing moments. One standout is the Bone Wall: a literal barrier constructed from thousands of skeletons, built in haste as chaos reigned. You get a glimpse into the desperation of a collapsing society, and it’s pretty cool to piece together the backstory from environmental clues—sometimes the scenery tells a better story than the characters ever could.
Dialogue, Story Flaws, and Unpolished Characters Now, let’s talk about the dialogue—prepare for some serious facepalms. The characters’ lines range from mediocre to downright laughable, with obscenity-laced tirades that sound like someone once saw Tarantino and thought “I can do that!” Handling the story is no better; saving a billionaire’s daughter lands you smack in the middle of a corporate power struggle (because, yeah, apparently suing is the new front-line warfare). And don’t get me started on those experimental, dangerous augmentations—they add little to the narrative, which cuts off abruptly like a bad TV season finale. It’s clear that while the framework is there, a lot of the story feels unfinished.
Crysis Vibes and Linear Level Design La Quimera pays homage to the exosuit brilliance of Crysis. Early on, you and your squad get access to energy-powered armor with cloaking and scanning capabilities. That scanning ability is especially neat, allowing you to tag enemies lurking behind cover—imagine your own version of Perfect Dark’s FarSight, but with more urgency and less polish. However, where Crysis was expansive, La Quimera’s levels are straight-up linear. It’s basically a “kill enemy, open door, kill enemy” cycle that can quickly turn repetitive. Sure, there are a few memorable encounters (think an extended elevator gunfight), but most of the action feels like you’re just trampling down a pre-set bullet-riddled path.
Combat Mechanics and the Thrill of Scarce Ammo The gunplay in La Quimera is surprisingly basic. You’re stuck picking between a sidearm, shotgun, or rifle without any mid-mission weapon swaps or wild, temporary power-ups. Although you can choose between conventional and electromagnetic weapons—each with its perks against different foes—the conventional arms are so lackluster against the game’s robot menace that you pretty much have no choice. On the bright side, the scarcity of ammo forces you to keep moving, scavenging from fallen foes or hunting down ammo boxes. This little twist prevents you from camping and blasting away forever, injecting some rapid-fire tension into every firefight.
Progression, Purchases, and the Money Quandary Playing as a PMC means you get paid to complete missions, but the progression system feels a bit half-baked. Your options for upgrades and additional equipment are super limited. The shop offers a handful of generic guns and minor tweaks to your exosuit, like improved cooldowns or a larger med kit capacity—nothing game-changing. And then there’s the cash flow: you find money mid-level, but your pockets hit “max” way too fast, stripping any incentive for exploring off the beaten path. Add to that the obligatory voice memos, which I’m pretty sure were meant to be intriguing but instead just add to the monotony.
Co-op: Saving You from the Cringe If you’re thinking, “This sounds like a trainwreck,” hold up—the co-op mode is where La Quimera really redeems itself. Team up with one or two buddies and suddenly those cringey dialogue lines become hilarious side commentary rather than a major irritant. Besides the shared laughs, having an extra set of virtual shoulders to cover makes the straightforward combat encounters far more dynamic. Coordinating scans and covering each other’s backs gives every skirmish a mini-strategy element that offsets much of the game’s linearity.
Wrapping It Up: A Short, Chaotic Blast Despite its many flaws—from the half-hearted narrative to the recycled mission template—La Quimera still manages to be a hoot for a short four-hour playthrough. It’s not a game that’ll keep you hooked for marathon sessions, but if you’re in the mood for a quick, quirky shooter that’s best enjoyed with friends, it might just become your next guilty pleasure. The game’s Early Access status means there’s plenty of room for improvement, so it’s definitely interesting to see how the developers will expand and refine this rocky ride in the future.
Source: This article was inspired by content from Ign . All images belong to their respective owners.