Chorus: Poaching space battles with gloomy story Made in Germany

Deep Silver is a German-Austrian video game publisher and also a division of Koch Media. Eugenio Vitale acts as the director of video games advancement for Deep Silver.

Already in May 2020, the Publisher Deep Silver announced a new space adventure called Chorus with a trailer. Behind the development of the action adventure is the Hamburg Studio Fishlabs. Many info has not existed since then. Recently, however, we were now invited to a gameplay presentation including subsequent questioners with some team members. For the crowning conclusion, we also also got the opportunity to create a hand and make the space something safer.

Pailing space battles with gloomy story Made in Germany

1. 1heder gets a second chance
2. 2th best friend of man
3. 3Flotte Star Wars action
4. 4 atmospheric weightlessness
5. 5bis for infinity ...

In addition to two larger story sections, the demo removed secondary missions so that we could make a better impression of gameplay, scope and story. Relatively quickly we realized that the space shooter of classics such as Everspace, Freelancer or Star Wars: Squadrons has been inspired. Nevertheless, Chorus differs significantly from these titles in some points. Above all, the gloomy story and the relatively easy control of the spaceship definitely make you feel like more.

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Everyone gets a second chance

For Nora and Forsaken, it goes out of exile and into the fight against the dark cult. Source: Deep Silver Fishlabs In Chorus, we hatch in the role of the outstanding pilot Nara. This was once created by a dark cult named the Circle and used as the chosen in the fight against other civilizations. All in Star Wars-Manier, we could therefore say: Our protagonist fought on the dark side of power. When Nara looks through this fact before the start of the game and realizes how many innocent she has on her conscience, she flees to exile. After some time, the past brings our pilot, however, when the circle starts to attack her new home. From this point, Nara decides to face her fears and past and to take the fight for freedom.

Who expects a character creation, is in Chorus out of place. The appearance of the main protagonist is strictly specified and that also has a good reason: Nara should be completely focused on the adventure and its development in the adventure. Already in our short player session, the heroine had always struggled with disturbing visions. Your past will certainly play a big role in the space shooter beyond the premise. The story is extremely interesting and we want to know how it goes on.

The best friend of man

In addition to the MiniGun, we can heat our enemies with a laser weapon and missiles. Source: Deep Silver Fishlabs In many video games, human or animal companions are gait and giving. In Chorus, however, we have a completely different kind of best friend who is constantly accompanied by us: our surprisingly intelligent spaceship. This listens to the name Forsaque and stands at us with help and advice. Every now and then it also doubts decisions or questions the credibility of certain persons. The close connection between Nara and Forsaken is essential in Chorus. Unlike our protagonist, the spaceship can be adapted. In the complete galaxy we find again and again Hangars, in which we can buy and install improvements for our airfares. From stronger shields to more power up to improved laser, missile and machine gun devices, the range of customization options is varied.

Credits and ship upgrades can be collected between space stations and meteorites to bring Forsaken to the latest state of the art. This is also important because our enemies have certain strengths or weaknesses. For example, some shields can break through our laser weapon faster, while we mostly take shells on huge space stations with missiles. However, on optical individualizations, we have to waive mostly because our spaceship should remain unique and together with our heroine should be at the center of history.

Fleet Star Wars action

In some sections, the skills of our spaceship will help us immensely. Through the drift we maneuver Forsaken filigree by tight passages. Source: Deep Silver Fishlabs

The most important thing about the gameplay once in advance: Chorus is a pure flying game. Except in some intermediate sequences we will never see Nara outside of Forsacen. The main focus is on the gripping and fast space fighting. In our short, but fun welding session, we were already able to make sure how well these battles work. As mentioned above, Fishlabs sets a relatively simple spaceship control. That means we come up with a few buttons both in the mouse and the keyboard as well as with a Gamepad properly. Anyone who expects a simulation à la star Citizen, which is in Chorus so far. Especially by this simplified control comes in the battles a lot of fun. On the normal difficulty level, the space shooter can nevertheless be demanding again and again, as we are clearly in the lower room to our opponent horders most of our time. If our spaceship should be destroyed, but there is no frustration, as there are fair control points.

In addition to a slight target aid, Forsaken has some skills that also support us in the fighting. At the touch of a button, we can drift with the spaceship to fly narrow maneuvers or initiate a short teleport to stick us directly to the heels of our counterparties. Chorus has a special outer view for a better overview, which is relatively far away from the spaceship. Here the title differs significantly from most other space shooters. Especially if it goes against several enemy ships simultaneously to works, this perspective works fine. In between, we may overrun again and again in boss fights. According to the developers, there will be both miniboses and battles against huge spaceships. If the gameplay is designed as varied through the entire story as varied as in our short hands-on demo, then at Chorus there is quite hit potential.

Atmospheric weightlessness

The lighting in Chorus can be seen quite. Especially the space stations are worth seeing. Source: Deep Silver Fishlabs in sound and optics can also score the title. According to Game Director Marek Berka and Audio Director Philipp Muckenfuss, the team has been inspired by the sound effects of science fiction classics. Thus, the Sinthesizer soundtrack of the composer Pedro Macedo Camacho also sounds atmospheric and fits perfectly into the overall picture of the space shooter. The same applies to the visual experience in Chorus. The environment looks impeccable and even if hell is going on on the screen, the adventure ran in our demo without rucklers or other problems. The battles also convince with chic explosions and fireworks of particle effects. Every now and then the unloading a little empty, but in a complete galaxy, this is already suddenly at a high level.

to infinity ...

When exploring the galaxy we always find mysterious places again and again. What it probably has with this wormhole? Source: Deep Silver Fishlabs ... and much further? Chorus plays in an open world. If we are not in a story mission, we can freely explore the expanses of space with our spaceship. But the game world is finite. The developers deliberately chose the option not to pack many galaxies in the game countless. Rather, the scope should be well maintained over the entire season and fun. Lit the player through the huge space, according to the developers also represented one of the biggest challenges. In our first-session, the undertaking has already worked fine.

During the exploration of the galaxy, we stumble overneed about secondary missions. These are supposed to be very simple races against other spaceships or escorting Allied freighters. Some of these quests also develop into story-relevant missions throughout history. So far, these orders sound very generic and little innovative. Hopefully, the developers create a certain variety in the fairly classic co-missions. Meteorites, planets, stations and a lot of space. In our first-session, Chorus could convince. By 3 December, the developers are now still time for the final fine. Source: Deep Silver Fishlabs In the course of the game, we also have to make decisions that have the effects on our current goal. In our demo, we were able to decide at one point as to whether we engage in a deal with space pirates or destroy their ship. We opted for the cooperation and at a later date of the mission, this election of our allies was even commented positively. According to the developers, we may decide in Chorus more often who then should be a friend and who should be enemy. How this works in the complete adventure, we can not say yet, but are very excited about it.

The space shooter generally makes a very strong first impression. Gameplay, story, graphics and sound harmonize very well so far. Of course, it remains to be seen whether the high level will pull through the entire adventure. Already from 03 December 2021 we know more, then Chorus appears for PC, PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X / S and Xbox Series ONE.

My opinion

By Michael Grünwald editor michael.gruenwald@computec.de

Chorus could be the sci-fi hit of the year.

Chorus surprised me absolutely positively. Apart from an announcement trailer and a few info, there was hardly anything from the presentation to see something of the story-based space shooter. But already when the first gameplay cutouts were shown to me, I got great desire to avoid even in a weightless room. After the fighting and maneuvering of the spaceship ever really feel fun, I would like to immerse yourself even deeper in the story. With a well-functioning, gloomy story you can always attract myself quickly. In addition, the beautiful space environment and the stylish Sci-Fi soundtrack are already inclosed to the outstanding overall picture. Should the atmosphere of the demo really pull through the entire adventure, Chorus can become a surprise hit at the end of the year.

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Chorus in Preview: Poaching space battles with dark story Made in Germany (1) [Source: Deep Silver Fishlabs]

From Michael Grünwald editor 23.09.2021 at 16:00