Kiborg (PS5) | REVIEW | A Badass Brawler Roguelike With Cybernetic Customization

Kiborg, a Sobaka Studio creation, is a roguelike beat 'em up wherein you control a man on a mission named Lee Morgan who is caught up in an alien prison, and made to fight mobs of enemies as he augments his body with enhanced cybernetic limbs for a televised spectacle. With fists, feet, two gun types, and a melee weapon he must preserve his life's energy while dealing death to his opponents or risk rinsing and repeating the run until he beats the final boss of this gruesome galactic gauntlet.

Lee's mission, in Kiborg, starts and ends at the Last Ticket hub in which he can prepare for the fights ahead through different vendors. The holographic host of this hub named Inga guides Lee from the get go letting him in on all the tips and tricks regarding his set objectives. Letting Volksov, the alien host, narrate the show as it happens. At this hub you'll find a center training arena where the tutorials of combat are fully explained in a hands-on manner. 

In the tutorial you'll find that Lee Morgan has a basic, heavy, and circular attack that come in handy in specific situations. All tied to the four main face buttons. He also has access to a targeting/tracking basic and heavy attack, and a special attack on cooldown, as well as a projectile guard, and parry ability that utilize the trigger buttons along with the face buttons. 

Weapon-wise he can use a ranged assault rifle type gun with aim down sights as well as a quick shot handgun/shotgun with limited ammunition. That, and a melee weapon of different varieties. Each weapon is ultimately a randomized loot drop that comes into play when unlocked on the game's permanent skill tree. These bonus weapons sometimes come with added negative effects, and bonus damage/performance stats.

Outside of combat, and gunplay Lee will be augmenting his body parts in a couple of ways. This includes augmentation through chips that act as bonus defense, offense, and health modifiers. These in tandem with category specific body part implants will change the way the game is played. Cybernetic limb augmentations, specifically, come in the Blur, Gunslinger, Guardian, and Thundergod variety. Each of which have their own boosted benefits to overall performance be it speed, stamina conservation, gunplay enhancement or extra defense boosts. As Lee you can mix, and match these body augments creating a synergized effect in combat scenarios.

Combat, in Kiborg is broken up into the basic roguelike arena enclosures separated by elevators and gated access with pre-fight benefits there for the taking when unlocked back at the main hub via data credits earned. The gated arenas each host there own mobs, bosses, and benefits. Each of which are marked via symbols before the arena entrance. In some you'll find weapon opportunities, health restoration, or currencies tied to the skill tree which will enhance every aspect of performance, be it basic combat, health, defense, or offense. At certain branching paths along the way you can also spend Data credits on a Wheel machine that has the ability to modify the next arena run positively, or negatively. It's a gamble that sometimes pays off. 

Outside of this gameplay loop, Kiborg also has a story told through unlockable cutscenes as well as a bonus arena mode. For meeting certain in-game goals you'll even unlock Lee cosmetics that can be equipped before getting in on the action. 

The Verdict ...

Kiborg, for me, reminded me of an old SNES classic known as "SMASH TV". Similarly, it pits a player, as Lee Morgan, against a gauntlet of baddies inside an arena environment while allowing for augmentations, weapons, and modifiers to aide in the televised fight. Unlike SMASH TV though Kiborg features fights in short bursts that will required skilled management of combat options, health, and stamina. Surprisingly the mechanics work quite well in helping the player feel like a badass brawler while still offering a grounded challenge, in this regard. As you play, and unlock the skill tree skills the game's features and accessibility will open up further allowing for the eventual full completion of the game. It is a true roguelike experience in that sense.

That having been said, I was given a literal press version which will not reflect the final product, so take all of what I said with a grain of salt. Things may change for the better or for the worse. The only real issue I encountered in this press build though was the soundless cutscenes from the story that dragged on needlessly. If they can add some voice acting or music that would be ideal. As far as a recommendation goes I cannot give one for a game I do not have access to. PR, devs, and publishers should never give a build to a reviewer that is different from what the gamers will get if they expect any sort of scoring, rating or verdict.