Eye Of The Commando
If you've ever wanted to play through an over-the-top 80’s action movie, you're generally out of luck. At least, that's how it was before Eye of the Commando launched. Setting turn-based dungeon crawling gameplay against an 80’s action movie backdrop sounds crazy. But like the over-the-top 80’s action movies it draws inspiration from, it works exceptionally well.
Disclosure: I received a free review copy of this product from https://www.keymailer.co
As a small, indie video game website, it's hard to know what to do. I'm making it up as I go along, mostly. But one of my favourite aspects of GamesBroadcast is finding indie games to play and recommend. And as an indie outlet, working with indie games truly is a highlight of my career(?). Narrowing down games I think are worth bringing to my small audience is always fun, but having an indie developer reach out to me first is definitely a milestone for me. But I want to be clear: even if I get offered a product to promote, I will always be honest about my feelings for a game.
When I got the email from Keymailer about Eye of the Commando, I was beyond thrilled. But I wanted to make sure it was a game I wanted to play, first and foremost. If it sounds appealing, I will try it, and if I enjoy it, I will recommend it to my readers. And the premise of Eye of the Commando goes beyond being a mere action game; it's a turn-based dungeon crawler with a tongue-in-cheek action setting. It's very aware of what it is and it wears it proudly on its sleeves. It doesn't sound like it should work, but the gameplay truly takes ahold of you from the moment you load up your first level.
Despite still being in Early Access, there's four commandos to choose from, all with brawny Hollywood names and nicknames, but that's part of the charm. Eye of the Commando doesn't take itself too seriously, instead letting players live out their own action flick, but that doesn't mean they can't throw in some cheeky humour that’s right at home. Dropped onto an isolated island, it’s up to the players to take down the unnamed terror organization set up there. During the first level, I found a “Gunpower” pickup, which the flavour text assures isn't a typo and grants increased weapon damage. The devs at Adventurepro Games add just enough humour sprinkled in to keep it memorable, but not overdone to the point it would fit in an MCU movie.
I'll admit, I found Eye of the Commando to be a little challenging when I started the game, but that's more a new user error than anything to do with the game. I chose a commando that was essentially a jack-of-all-trades. The gameplay is addictive. I really wouldn't have guessed a third-person dungeon crawler would be something I would love, but I have been having a blast. So, every square I move, the game's enemies respond in kind. If I advance, they can advance, retreat, regroup, or flank me. There were certain times with spawns that felt almost overwhelming, but the challenge kept me on my toes. Once I blocked off their spawn points (usually by collapsing the hole in the wall), it was a lot more manageable. Gunplay is fun, and it reminds me of Superhot in some ways. Incoming attacks don't move until I move, giving me time to plan out my next moves and how to dodge. While the game is fast-paced, knowing when to slow down and form a plan is necessary to make it through alive. This is a blend of combat that is unique, at least in my opinion.
Every upgrade I found carried through to following levels, which keeps the gameplay curve consistent as enemies also grow stronger and newer enemy types show up to keep me on my toes. Granted, I didn’t find every upgrade in each level, but I didn’t have too many difficulties. Using coloured key cards, a la Doom, I was able to scour most of every level to find what I needed. There are secret areas in each level, providing additional upgrades. Shops in each level provide attachments, healing, or other boosts for medals of valour (the game’s currency), but these upgrade stations are limited to one per level.
There’s a good amount of puzzles to break up all the running and gunning, but thankfully they don’t detract from the game’s progression. Instead, they offer a nice break and get the ol’ brain working again. Levels are varied in design and enemy types are also dependent on each area traversed. There were a few “mini-bosses” spread throughout the missions, but the main draw is the main boss fights. While there aren’t many, I found them to be a true joy to engage in, forcing me to adjust my playstyle and strategies to come out on top.
Overall, I’ve really enjoyed my time with Eye of the Commando. The core gameplay loop is simple on the surface, but it requires thought and consideration to master. Players of any gameplay skillset can easily pick it up and do well. Adventurepro Games have a real knack for keeping the balance in tone, and I’m eager to dive back in for another playthrough. All I can do is share it as far as I can in hopes more players give it a chance. I really think players will enjoy it as much as I did. I played exclusively on Steam Deck and the game performs incredibly well, with only one or two things requiring the use of the touchscreen. Battery level is also good and I was able to get around 4-5 hours on a single charge before needing to top up. I did have an issue with an eternal black screen after the opening cutscene on Steam Deck and PC the first time I booted it up. I reached out to Adventurepro Games on Discord and they were very responsive. Thankfully, the issue resolved itself a little later in the day, but knowing developers were ready to provide support and so quickly was a huge relief.
Eye of the Commando is still in Early Access, but the devs have consistently provided additional updates. I’m personally eager to see how it unfolds. It’s available on Steam only and is retailing for €14.79. I strongly recommend picking it up and supporting the developers. We’re still early in the journey for Eye of the Commando, so stick around! But until then, Have You Heard Of This?
I created this website as I feel the state of the games industry and games reporting as a whole has gotten overly negative and full of clickbait. While I understand both of these are a great way to generate engagement, it’s a detriment to those gamers (like myself) that are just trying to enjoy games and not have to worry about the negativity of the current state of the gaming industry. I want a space where gamers can come for unbiased news that doesn’t rely on clickbait or rumours with a dash of humour and have the opportunity to share their passion for games.
