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Chorus review: a slow start, but it’ll sing if you give it a chanceA space cult classic
A space cult classic
I hate to caveat a recommendation with “it gets good later” but unfortunately, the first hour ofChorus(despite the title stylisation, promotional materials do not write it out as Chorvs, cowards) is not good. Yet beyond that lacklustre start is a surprisingly tight arcade space fighter wrapped up in a wonderful bundle of pompous space magic.
Chorus - 101 TrailerWatch on YouTube
Chorus - 101 Trailer
Incidentally, the story reminds of theVoidwitchbooks, which are a fun read if you like angry women with space magic/psychic powers
You start off helping a mining community that Nara has befriended, keeping them in the dark about her past. She helps them with things like salvage and fighting pirates, and apparently everyone is too polite to ask about the weird markings on her head. This far out in space, who hasn’t met someone with scripture tattooed on their face? The ship you begin flying is clunky and slow but still, enemies remain easy to pick off. It doesn’t control poorly but it’s too straightforward to be exciting. Point your ship at baddies and shoot. Even with dialogue choices and optional quests sprinkled in, it’s an uninspiring start. Then - and who could’ve seen this coming - the cult return! As The Circle continue their conquest across space, Nara is forced to pick up her old ways and confront them. Here at last, the game begins to get interesting.
The game threads that perfect needle of staying simple enough to keep it a delightful arcade experience, but layers on just enough complexity to keep you actively engaged with each fight. There’s a variety of enemy types, but the real delight is when the game throws a big battlecruiser at you and you have to fly through it, Death Star run 2.0 style. The world opens up, too, and you can move between various hubs with a bunch of side quests that can effect events in the main story. None of it will blow you away, but it all works in a neat way. I got a random encounter with someone whose spacecraft had broken down and needed help fixing their engine. No combat, just a metaphorical push to get them on their way. Nice little moments of humanity go a long way in games like this.
Chorus also gets suitablyweirder. You pop into ancient temples to tap into eldritch forces and get ever more interesting space spells. Instead of fighting pirates you’re destroying “psychic totems” and hunting down acolytes while doing your little space prayers. Not to mention you’re also on the run from some cosmic force called “The Faceless”. It’s all a bit silly, but delivered so earnestly I can’t help but kind of fall in love. Visually it’s a little drab but there are flourishes in the effects and details, welcome hints of stranger things in an otherwise standard sci-fi universe. It reminds me so much of that era in the early 2000s where mostly generic games tried so hard to punch above their weight with mixed but interesting results. Things like Battle Engine Aquilla, Mace Griffin: Bounty Hunter or Chronicles Of Riddick: Escape From Butcher Bay. Games of this scale are often pressured into competing with the big AAA trend setters, so it’s a true delight to play something wilfully odd. Chorus only exists because a team of people really, really wanted to make a space combat game about a spooky cult and I’m glad someone let them.
It probably isn’t going to set the world on fire. A dull first hour certainly isn’t going to help. As fun as it is, the story is pretty well trodden stuff. Yet combine an over-the-top world and tone with slick dogfighting and you’ve a potent package. Chorus will sing for you, even if it takes a moment to find the right notes.
