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Don't let the “gacha game” label fool you, Snowbreak: Containment Zone is actually a really good third-person shooter. That, partnered with it's decent, but somewhat sad, story, makes for a good game. Here's our review of Snowbreak: Containment Zone, a look at its gameplay and story.
This review will cover Snowbreak: Containment Zone's gameplay and story. The game came out on July 20, 2023, and is available on Android, iOS, and PC. In particular, I will be covering the PC release of the game. Without further ado, let's dive into our review of Snowbreak: Containment Zone.
Snowbreak: Containment Zone
Snowbreak: Containment Zone Background
This game is a third-person shooter with gacha mechanics. It follows the story of an adjutant who arrived back on Earth after being on a space station cut from human contact. Upon landing, he finds himself in a post-apocalyptic landscape and is rescued by the Operator Lyfe Wednesday. Lyfe is a member of the Heimdall Force, a group that fights against the Titans, those who caused massive amounts of destruction in the city. The player joins the Heimdall Force as an Adjutant to try and maintain peace, all while trying to piece together who they really are.
Snowbreak: Containment Zone Gameplay
As mentioned above, this game is primarily a cover-based third-person shooter. We will be taking a look at the gacha mechanics later but for now, let's focus on its third-person shooter side.
Don't let the fact that it is a gacha game with mobile releases fool you. Snowbreak's gameplay as a third-person shooter is pretty solid. It has all of the gameplay features you would normally see in a regular third-person shooter. Players can hide behind cover when they are engaging enemies. There's a variety of cover too, including waist-height barriers, destructible boxes and cars, and even the corners of walls. There's no blind-fire mechanic, but that's not really something that's in every third-person shooter. The hit register is a bit off sometimes, with my character getting hit even when behind the cover. However, it's still pretty decent.
The gunplay itself is very satisfying. The hit sounds are very satisfying, and it makes it feel like I'm actually doing damage with my weapons. The satisfying sound it makes when you take down an enemy or hit their vital spots gets me every time. This is especially true when you're fighting special enemies that have very large and obvious weak spots. Seeing their HP go to zero with just one shot is one of my favorite things to do in this game.
The only downside of this is the fact that the game is still a gacha game, which means it has an energy mechanic. Thanks to this energy mechanic, the levels can feel a little too short to my liking. Just when I was getting warmed up in a level, it suddenly needs. This happens quite often in the main story missions, where the mission just abruptly ends. leaving me wanting more. Thankfully, the Hard levels of the game are longer, and flow better, making the fights more satisfying. There's also the co-op Gigalink mode, where players can play a rogue-like version of the game. That I especially enjoy, as it adds a lot of variety to the game.
Speaking of, how exactly do you fight in this game? As this is a gacha game, players will have to roll or pull for characters and weapons. Each character in this game has a unique Standard Skill, Support Skill, and Ultimate Skill, which players must use at the right times. Each character also has a specific weapon type, which changes their playstyle in conjunction with their skills. Fenny, for example, is a Shotgun user, meaning she has to get up close and personal. Her skills help her with this, as her Standard Skill allows her to rush in and shoot the closest enemy at point-blank range. Marian, on the other hand, is a Sniper character, and her skills allow her to go invisible so that she can relocate to a better vantage point.
Players can bring up to three characters at a time in their missions, which vary in terms of engagement distance and objective. Some missions may require Sniper characters, as the enemies are far away. Others may require Assault Rifle or Shotgun characters since the player will have to face multiple enemies at a time. Changing your team composition depending on the requirements of the mission is important, as it can make things way easier. Or, you can go the tried and tested route of just bringing your favorites to try and beat the game that way.
There are five weapon types available in the game: Pistol, Shotgun, Submachine Gun, Assault Rifle, and Sniper Rifle. The weapon types listed are in order of their effective range and should give the player an idea of what their niche is. As mentioned above, a Character's weapon type complements their skills really well. This means that no Character is, in my opinion, weak. Any weaknesses they may have, be it from their Skills or their preferred weapons, are compensated by the other. All of the characters are pretty balanced, although there are characters that are stronger than others.
The biggest downside I would say about this game is that it is a gacha game. From the energy system to the gacha rates, the microtransactions and the battle passes, as well as the daily and weekly missions. I'm not saying it's bad, but it still takes away from my satisfaction. Having to deal with the various menus, battle passes, notifications, and more sometimes makes me want to stop playing for the day. However, the gameplay loop of the game is just so good that I am willing to overlook the gacha hell the game is subjecting me to.
Now that we've gone through the gameplay, let's take a look at Snowbreak: Containment Zone's story
Snowbreak: Containment Zone Story
There is an ongoing meme in the gacha community that gacha games that involve guns in one way or another are bound to be sad and depressing. For the most part, they're correct. Girls' Frontline, for example, is a very good example of that, with themes of sacrifice littered throughout the game. Goddess of Victory: Nikke, is a more recent example, with the game forcing you to kill the Nikke who saved you at the start of the game. Snowbreak: Containment Zone is no exception to this rule.
During the game's various chapters, you will come across the various factions who are trying to survive in the infected zone. The Coyotes, for example, are a group of outlaws, Scavengers, and more. These are basically the people who are just trying to survive. There's also the Adventists, a cult that believes that the Titans that caused destruction are gods that must be worshipped. Finally, there are the Light Chasers, spoiled brats, and the sons and daughters of the rich and powerful. These people love using the lives of those they deem lower than themselves as toys.
As you go through the chapters, you will be fighting against these factions in an effort to bring peace to the area. You will encounter characters who make you question just who exactly is the good guy in all this. There will be NPCs that you will meet early on who will wind up dead later on. While all this is going on, you are also trying to figure out your story, finding out why your space station lost contact with the surface, and just who the girl who keeps appearing in your dreams is.
Snowbreak's story is not scared to kill its characters. It is not afraid to dive into some heavy topics that some other games tend to skirt around. It's not shy in showing players just how tough life is in the destroyed area that is the Containment Zone. It will make the player really wonder what in the world is going on. Not only that, but the player can even play through special story missions involving its various characters. These stories detail the motivations of the game's various characters, and exactly why they are fighting. I will tell you one thing, it's anything but happy.
Snowbreak: Containment Zone Summary
Overall, Snowbreak: Containment Zone's gameplay and story has something for everyone. If you are looking for a good gameplay loop or a decent third-person shooter, then this game is definitely one that you will enjoy. If you like diving into stories filled with gray areas, questionable plot points, and more, then you will also enjoy this game. Even if you're someone who just enjoys playing gacha games, then this game will also have something for you.
Of course, it's not perfect, and there are some bugs that seriously need fixing. However, I feel like this game is one that players can get into and really enjoy.
Score: 8/10
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