- 3RD-STRIKE.COM - A La Une - Hier 04:12

SCUM – Review

SCUM is a raw, challenging, and deeply immersive survival experience that drops you into a hostile open world with the objective to stay alive if you can. With its crafting mechanics, item-layered systems, and atmospheric world, the game also wants you to adapt to its many challenges, explore new areas, all while having the “freedom” to do what you want. From environmental storytelling to brutal combat, SCUM places you in full control. Whether you’re exploring ruins and crumbled buildings, fighting off zombies, or finding somewhere to hide by building a base in the wilderness, everything you do feels part of a larger, unscripted journey. Story SCUM doesn’t offer a traditional, linear story. You, the player, are what looks to be a convict dropped off on a remote island, while having a constant sense of being watched. You drop in and are met with environmental hazards, dangerous NPCs, and signs of a broken society. There’s no hand-holding outside of tutorial prompts, but a mysterious “Secure Communication Established” message pops up as you enter the game, hinting at something larger behind the scenes. The storytelling is mostly environmental. It’s hidden in old buildings, broken and barely useful equipment, strange communications, and the behaviors of NPCs. You’re not forced through scripted scenes; you’re encouraged to uncover the secrets and story by exploring and paying attention to the details. What’s really happening on this island is a mystery and up to you to explore and come to a conclusion, building tension and intrigue. Graphics SCUM delivers a visually vibrant and immersive world that feels handcrafted and alive. The island is filled with dense forests that are easy enough to get lost in, seemingly abandoned towns, industrial zones that have seen better days, and vast open landscapes. The entire island is packed with atmosphere, from the thick underbrush you can use for stealth to abandoned homes full of quiet, unsettling details. The lighting effects are great in SCUM. The sunlight filters through trees, the weather shifts realistically, and shadows clearly change based on the time of day. The different biomes have clearly defined themes, and the rain and fog effects are also handled nicely. Textures and models across the game world are sharp and detailed, including your character model, even if you choose not to wear anything but your underwear. The developers clearly had an eye for detail, with water dripping from rusty pipes, debris being scattered around, and even visible changes in the foliage due to the wind. Points of interest (POI) are carefully built, and even places you’ve seen before feel new thanks to their visual depth. Performance is stable across the board. In both single-player, known as the sandbox mode, and online server-based modes, the game runs smoothly, allowing for uninterrupted immersion during even the most intense encounters. Sound SCUM’s sound design might be one of its most immersive components. The atmosphere can go from tranquil to a more violent one in mere seconds. For example, you’ll hear zombies before you see them, the wind rustling through trees, birds chirping in the distance, and the mechanical clanking of a distant mech. Keeping track of what happens around you via the various audio cues is essential here. Combat sounds hit hard. Gunfire has echo effects, along with each weapon having its own unique sound. Melee impacts are visceral. Arrows fly with a satisfying whoosh, and successful hits land with distinct, “thud” audio feedback. The sounds even have a depth of direction to them, so you can know what your enemy has waiting for you before you even see them. Even basic player actions like crafting, eating, and looting have satisfying, textured sound design that adds to the immersion or intensity based on your actions. A surprising and unique addition to the game world is playable musical instruments. Stumbling upon a guitar and playing a few notes in an abandoned farmhouse adds moments of surreal calm in an otherwise brutal environment. You almost feel like Ellie from The Last of US Part II. Gameplay SCUM has all the right components of a survival game, offering combat, crafting, and exploration that are all tightly connected, giving players the freedom to approach the game however they want. The mechanics are deep but accessible, and the inventory systems offer plenty of room for experimentation. Crafting is smooth and satisfying. From clothes and tools to complex base structures and electronics like solar panels or ventilation units, there’s a lot to build and discover. Recipes are clearly laid out, making it easy to know what gathering materials are needed, and everything feels balanced, so you’re not spending too much time on one craft. Scavenging is rewarding, with plenty of new items and gear spread throughout the island, making it simple enough to find what you need to survive. Combat is intense and tactical. Weapons behave differently and require practice, such as adjusting to a recoil or measuring distance to hit a foe with an arrow. Melee is up close and brutal, using anything from your fist to a makeshift knife. Firearms feel powerful, with real feedback. Archery takes skill and patience, but it’s deeply satisfying when mastered. Zombies are dangerous, react to sound and movement, and shouldn’t be underestimated. Wildlife also poses challenges, such as bears, donkeys, and others, bringing a sense of unpredictability to roaming the wilderness. NPCs now occupy parts of the world, adding both life and danger. Their behavior can be impressive, fighting off enemies or patrolling areas, but it’s also inconsistent. Sometimes NPCs stand still, glitch, or fail to react entirely. It’s not game-breaking, but it does break immersion, and it can be rather hilarious sometimes when it happens. Server hosts have control over NPC spawns, difficulty, and loot mechanics, offering great flexibility for customizing the gameplay experience. Base building is solid, but some limitations remain. You can’t build inside existing structures, which has been a common point of feedback according to the community. Crouching while crafting is also not available, which feels like a small restriction but would be a nice addition. Despite these minor frustrations, the building process is otherwise smooth, intuitive, and customizable. Conclusion SCUM is a raw and immersive survival game that challenges players to adapt, explore, and overcome. It doesn’t force a story or define how you should play and gives you the tools to survive in a hostile environment, while you define the journey yourself. You’ll have to keep your wits about you, as every misstep can lead to a fight, causing your untimely demise. With its immensely detailed world, strong sound design, responsive combat, and deep survival mechanics, SCUM delivers an experience that feels alive and constantly shifting around you. While there are still issues such as buggy NPCs and certain building limitations, that’s not enough to sway away from the experience, thanks to the solid foundation and engaging gameplay loop. We’d go as far as to say that SCUM is one of the best experiences the genre currently has to offer.