Unto The End Review
Played on Xbox One (base)
Developed by 2 Ton Studios
Released 9th December 2020
An indie title that had caught the attention of many with its tough and brutal combat, Unto The End is one of those "love it or hate it" types of games, and where it frustrates some, it satisfied me.
Story
The story of Unto The End follows a father returning to his family after a long journey. The game is set in a medieval, northern European-type atmosphere as you force your way through unfamiliar lands of booby-trapped caves to blood-covered snow mountains. The story is not the main focus, acting as only a set-up for the beginning and conclusive end of this 3-hour game, however, it would've been nice to see some sort of reminder each time I came across a campfire, of our father protagonist resembling some form of worry and love for his family that he's so desperately trying to reach. While the task seems impossible for a game with no dialogue to be seen, a sense of motivation could've been clearer.
Gameplay
The gameplay is tough, brutal and unforgiving, and that's why I enjoyed it so much. The game takes a certain mastery to accomplish in the form of striking and blocking highs and lows while dodging at the right time, counter-attacking and being observant to make sure that your sword hasn't been knocked out of your hand. There is no guarantee that you'll be able to win a fight first-try due to the game's tough persona, however, the nature of this hack'n'slash is to be cool-headed and not be afflicted by blind button-mashing rage, and this brought out my keen observation skills, similar to difficult games of this calibre.
As you progress and dodge out of the traps that lay before you, you'll be able to collect resources, bones, leather and herbs. This'll let you craft a dagger (which can be thrown for intense damage), improved temporary armour, or a heal. Though not diverse, it is a fascinating approach to the player and how they want to deal with any problems that they come across. If you get damaged enough, there is a chance that you'll bleed out to death and while herbs slow the bleeding, heals and campfire rests are your only way to prevent a sorrowful death. The absolute grittiness and brutality of the gameplay are fantastic, and while it can come across as more of a pain in the ass, than a challenge, I was intrigued enough by the game to keep learning how to defeat my next foe, which is essentially a copy and paste of the previous enemy for about 80% of the game.
Bossfights
Boss fights are hell to fight. While the gameplay certainly doesn't change, the bosses form such a threat that I spent most of my time learning how to cheap my way out of them instead of learning their attack pattern. This was due to such a difficulty spike they presented. I loved their design and form of attack but the genuine combat surrounding them felt too immense, even for the rough nature of this experience.
Atmosphere
The atmosphere is brilliant. While the art style is minimalistic and bland, it somehow serves an incredibly detailed world with depth, surrounding it in lore and beauty. While the caves blacken 70% of your screen, the claustrophobic feel of the well-designed audio of footsteps, breathing and rattling bones, really amplifies the immersion. While the only two locations you'll visit are the snow populated outside, and the abandoned dead space caves, they do drag the player into their worlds, despite their repetitive outlooks.
Story- 6/10
Gameplay- 8/10
Bossfights- 6/10
Atmosphere- 8/10
Good
Unto The End is one of those rough, brutal games of challenge that should be experienced, albeit briefly and only once.
