The Technomancer is actually a sequel to a game called Mars: War Logs. The original didn’t do well and The Technomancer isn’t much of an improvement. The developers, Spiders, are clearly passionate and aiming high. That’s extremely respectable, but when you aim to compete with big games like Mass Effect and Dragon Age, you are in for a tough comparison. I kept an open mind playing The Technomancer and did my best not to compare it to bigger AAA titles. Even with that in my mind, it still couldn’t show me anything more than the most basic elements a western RPG entails.

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A fairly cool intro sets up the world you are about to dive into. Mars somehow has lost contact with Earth. Water, being the precious supply that it is, has become the ruling currency on Mars. You play a Technomancer, a sort of Jedi enforcer for a company. There is bitterness between the factions and it doesn’t take long for things to get turned on their head. It’s not anything you didn’t see coming and it’s almost a step-by-step guide to starting an RPG.

The character setup almost represents the entire game perfectly. You are given the chance to change your character’s face as you would expect. However, you have very limited options to the point where it almost doesn’t matter. Not being a female or changing the body build seems somewhat surprising to leave out. It’s not really a big deal, but it mirrors what the entire game is like.

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All the basics are present in The Technomancer to have a solid RPG. Character Creation. Check. Tough and special protagonist. Check. Dialog Options. Check. Towns to explore. Check. Karma system. Check. Crafting system. Check. Travel Companions. Check. It goes on and on. Everything you want in an RPG can be found in The Technomancer, but only at the most basic level.

The cities have a good sense of scale, but they felt lifeless to me. The people were too stiff or fell into too many obvious cliches. The cities are populated by plenty of shops and side quests to keep you busy, but no real reason to explore. You won’t wander curiously trying to get lost in the world. Instead, you will find the nearest objective point and take the quickest route to reaching it.

The graphics can’t compare to other games on the market and continually distracted me. It isn’t the graphics alone either, but the lifeless rendering of the characters. They stare blankly as you talk to them, and many times they are not even looking in your direction. The voice acting is hit-or-miss, but generally, it’s a miss.

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The story does have its complexity and I was sincerely intrigued by the overall plot. It was everything else that kind of dragged me down so I didn’t care anymore. There was no character I felt a connection with. Especially the protagonist who was as generic as they come in my eyes. I did enjoy how your group discussed the current events and missions as you traveled between locations. It’s not a major thing, but it was a nice tough. Not great enough for me to care for anyone, but it was an attempt at something. When I don’t care for any characters; I don’t care what happens in the world.

The same can be said for the side quests. Every now and then something would spark my interest, but they quickly fell into the generic realm as well. Putting aside all the backtracking and running around on fetch quests (which there is plenty of). The missions were either completed by fighting or talking your way out. A peaceful conclusion relied on if you had the proper skills invested in charism, science, etc. Once again, it hits a check mark but doesn’t go any further.

I didn’t care if my missions resulted in violence because I didn’t care about my character in the least. It was interesting to see how other characters reacted to what I did (even if it felt extremely scripted) but I shrugged it off since it never bothered me. Every time I saw I lost karma or reputation I moved on without hesitation not even remotely worried about the repercussions.

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The last saving grace is the combat…kind of. I will fully admit I was pleasantly surprised by the gameplay in The Technomancer. There are three styles you can use: a Guardian where you have a shield and mace, a Warrior with a long staff, and a Rogue with a dagger and pistol. The fourth element of combat is your technomancy (i.e. magic lightning). I switched back and forth between these three a lot, while also using my lightning power often.

The combat was delightful at first but after several hours of the same exact fighting, it quickly grew old. I stayed Rogue mostly so I could dodge easier. That’s important because 90% of The Technomancer’s combat is dodging. The enemies dish out a shocking amount of damage, and even when you have the best gear available, you still can’t take them out swiftly. It’s not a fun kind of challenge, but an annoying sort where the fights take forever to end. Once guns start being added more frequently the fights only take longer and become more frustrating. Against half a dozen enemies at once, you will dodge more times than you attack. 

Your defending options are limited and the best way to stay alive is dodging. It makes combat fall into a very predictable and boring cycle. Stab, stab, dodge. Stab, stab, dodge. Stab, stab, stab, dodge! This is your technique for the entirety of The Technomancer. It never changes. Even against bosses and powerful enemies, the same basic tactic remains.

Same goes for when you can upgrade your skills. The combat doesn’t change. The warrior may get a little bit more of an AOE attack but that’s all. The Rogue gets poison damage, but you still need to roll constantly. All the skills buff your attacks in some degree, but it doesn’t change the strategy of the fight. I can say I relied on this combat technique my entire playthrough and it never failed me.

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The Technomancer is one of those weird games that I didn’t enjoy, but I also didn’t hate. I respect what Spiders is trying to do. They have heart and are really striving to create something amazing. Sadly, it’s a little too much. The Technomancer tries to be everything a giant western RPG is and they technically do that, but only on the most basic level. It never excites, it never inspires, it never challenges, it only exists.

Sort of like a ‘B’ action movie. It’s not going to break new grounds or make you think about it a week later. It will entertain you as you play it, but only on the most shallow of levels. You may have some fun moments here or there, but overall you will find it too much of a chore. The Technomancer tries to be so much more than it is, and that’s probably the worst part. I see something incredible underneath that is waiting to break through and show the world the next amazing series. But that’s not what The Technomancer is. It’s a checklist game where technically there is a lot to do, but when you break it down…what’s the point?

This review is based on a review code of the Playstation 4 version of The Technomancer developed by Spiders and distributed by Focus Home Interactive. 

Needs More Spark | The Technomancer Review
Overall Score6
Positives
  • Interesting Story Concept
  • Combat Can Be Fun
  • Many RPG Elements....
Negatives
  • ....But All Very Generic
  • Combat Gets Very Repetative
  • Dated Graphics
6Overall Score
Reader Rating: (0 Votes)
0.0

About The Author

Neil has had a passion for video games ever since the Atari entered his life so many years ago. He's been writing about them for over two years and sees no end in sight. Reach out to him on twitter @nconnors13

  • Dave

    Not a bad review. Spider has a nice following and if you want to, you can usually call their games “A Poor Man’s Witcher” or at least that’s how I feel about their games. They are enjoyable and I like how they create a universe of their own. In addition to that, Technomancer is not a sequel to Mars War Logs, this game actually runs concurrent with Mars.

    • Nconnors13

      You’re right and I should’ve made that more apparent (sequel sounds a little misleading).

      The game is definitely not the best out there, but it isn’t something that should be completely ignored by everyone. The right people will love this game and appreciate what it’s really striving for…even if it falls a little short.