Firefights in the Alt-Czechia Underground: Kvark previewed

Their hazmat suit might protect them from radiation. But it’s no match for a rusty wrench to the head.

Sporadically, the difference between a Steam Early Access build and a full release can be negligible. That’s perfectly fine when the preview plays and offers the substance found in a retail game. But all too often, once the revenue comes trickling in, development teams can become too content with their work-in-progress. The result becomes one of those abandoned efforts that will never quite live up to its potential.

At present, Latest Past and Perun Creative’s Kvark (Steam, $15.99) have a decent chance of eluding this issue if it makes a few foundational changes. Built on Unreal Engine 5, the first-person shooter undoubtedly demonstrates promise. Moving through the subterranean hallways of a nuclear facility in an alternative-Czech Republic is satisfyingly realized. Sure, when you look at textures close up, they become pixelated blobs, just like boomer shooters like Duke Nukem 3D or Dusk. But when a first-person shooter keeps the pace taut, you’ll have little time to scrutinize the scenery.

Ivy Emerging From The Cracks of Concrete

That’s not to say that you won’t be investigating the game’s brutalist architecture and austere interiors. Kvark is decidedly retro, without the regenerating health or boundless ammo supplies of its contemporaries. As such, you’ll optionally use your flashlight to peer into every corner, hoping to find some protective gear to increase your shielding, a health pack, or a few bullets. The sense of elation when you do find what you truly need recalls the feeling of a survival horror game.

At present, that means you can paint yourself into a corner. Kvark automatically saves your progress at objects that resemble old mainframe computers, recording your current amount of shielding, health, and ammo. Should you die with an underhanded allotment of any of those resources, you’ll be forced to backtrack through the labyrinthine nuclear facility gathering any missed pick-ups. But if you’ve already amassed all the non-replaceable goods, expect to have to restart your game. At present, Kvark offers one of five proposed chapters. Hopefully, the final build (due in June 2024) will let you pick things up from any previously completed stages.

Explosive Barrels, We Meet Again

Referencing Half-Life, you’ll begin your exploration of Kvark’s nuclear facility with a large wrench. It can be used to bat away at enemies without the worry of depleting your limited ammo supplies. Naturally, you’ll gain access to the typical succession of progressively more lethal hardware, picking up pistols, automatic rifles, and a shotgun. They are all sufficiently punchy, so there are no issues with the hardware.

Kvark unquestionably favors conservation. Bulky red explosive barrels are conveniently placed near enemy checkpoints, urging a well-timed blast. Typically, this tactic is effective, as most of the game’s hazmat suit-wearing adversaries job in orderly processions like soldiers doing drills.

Needed: Alt-Fire Mousetraps

Yes, the game mixes things up with ground-running rats with glowing green eyes and flying drones that are adept at pieing corners. But the game could grow exponentially more fun with improved enemy intelligence for the humanoids. I could see myself growing bored of gunning down robotic opponents as they file through choke points. The best single-player FPS titles have opponents who might flank, charge, or hide in less constricted spaces. There’s no doctrine that states boomer shooters must have rudimentary AI and contain narrow hallways.

But even if Kvark forgoes modern amenities like a cover system or regenerating health, its firefights are sufficiently engaging and moderately fun. Best of all, the game scales well, offering 60 fps performance on the Steam Deck. Sure, you’ll only enjoy about two hours of battery life, but when it comes to fluidity and visual fidelity, Kvark’s execution keeps up with most of its peers.