There aren’t many video games where I can throw a trash can into a 1940s gangster’s groin and then spinkick him off a pier into shark-infested waters. Thankfully, Fallen Acesnow available for PC via Steam Early Access, allows me to do just that and a lot more.
At first glance, Fallen Aces might look like a boomer shooter. You know, one of those Old-school FPS throwbacks like dusk or Cultic. But that is not the case at all! Fallen Aces plays more like Thief or Deus Exbut in the style of a 1940s comic book about mafia thugs, private detectives and masked vigilantes. Instead of running around with a shotgun and a rocket launcher and killing everything that moves, Fallen Aces focuses primarily on close combat, stealth, and exploration. And it manages to mix it perfectly, allowing you to play each level in the first episode in multiple ways, all of which are doable and fun.
Do you want to go in with a careful plan, move quietly from shadow to shadow and use judo punches to knock out gangsters and then disappear before anyone knows you were there? You can do that. But you can also run in with a baseball bat and a wrench and just beat the shit out of anyone who gets in your way, that’s how I played most of them Fallen Aces. And I had just as much fun fighting the guys as I did sneaking up on the bad guys while exploring the game’s large and complex levels.
Mighty, powerful man
Something I really appreciate about Fallen Aces is how exciting and wild combat can be. At one point I found myself in a room with five gangsters who all wanted me dead. I had a broken baseball bat and… nothing else. In many stealth-heavy games, this is the point where I reload a save. And you can do that. But what I like about Fallen Aces is that fighting your way out of a fight is just as much fun as executing a perfect plan.
So when I was cornered by these thugs, I looked around and found a fire extinguisher. I threw the broken bat at one of the closer thugs, grabbed the fire extinguisher from the wall, and sprayed the guys with the chemical powder it contained. When I saw one get stunned, I ran over and kicked him in his buddies. Then I turned the fire extinguisher over with a button press and started beating the gang with it, interrupting my attacks with quick kicks. The last survivor was stunned, dazed, and perfectly positioned for a finisher. I grabbed him and smashed him through a window onto the street below. Then I saved my game. Who needs stealth when you have a big metal fire extinguisher and a powerful kick?
For those who prefer guns to fists and clubs, Fallen Aces also includes firearms. Ammo for these weapons is hard to find and they are loud, so be prepared for all the enemies in the area to surround you if you start shooting. But firearms are also very powerful and helped save me in some tricky moments. And like everything else in the game, you can throw firearms at enemies if you run out of ammo.
It’s all over, but the crying
I avoided talking about it Fallen Aces‘ Story and characters, not because I don’t like them or because I think the writing style is bad. The story about a private detective who gets involved in a wild conspiracy involving murder, corrupt heroes and fallen comrades is good. And the comic cutscenes between the individual episodes are also first class.
The problem is that you can burn out Fallen Aces first episode in about three to four hours. While the story is great, there’s so little here that I don’t want to give anything away. Still, by the end of the last (currently available) mission, I was excited to play more, not just because I want to smash more skulls, but because I want to see where this narrative goes.
And that is really my only significant Complaint about Fallen Aces: I want more of this! It’s a good problem to have, but it’s something to keep in mind when purchasing the game. The developers promise more missions and episodes are coming, and publisher New Blood has a fantastic track record of supporting and expanding its games long after release, so I’m not worried.at Fallen Aces will never get another episode. I thought it was only fair to mention that for those looking for a more complete and immersive experience.
Fallen Aces is a sneaky, noir-style beat ’em up that combines retro gameplay, 2D cartoon graphics, large levels, and great close-quarters combat into a fantastic package that some may find a little short, but is still playable and replayable.
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