This game is not fundamentally different from Armored Task Force from 20 years ago. The primary problem with this game is that the unit AI is just not good enough to complete tasks without micro-managing. I don't find that fun, but what's worse is that the game has an order-propagation delay, so your micromanaging will also be delayed and not work well. A disappointment!
This demo was a pretty cool little thing. I dug it. The issue is, I've had enough. Simple can be good--and this demo shows that--but it also shows how simple can really pull down the experience when overused, such as with the combat. The initial sections are thrilling, but this game gets bogged down with too many combat encounters that are more of a chore than interesting.
I enjoyed the strange world, lush Giger-esque artwork, strong voice acting, and the beginning and ending areas. Regrettably, I thought the middle section—which was the longest—was the dullest; it’s an interconnected cityscape that requires a lot of backtracking (made slightly more palatable by the quick-travel feature). That section was okay for a while, but it outlived its welcome. The companion that can drop hints is a good idea, but it didn’t work for me in one sequence that I got stuck on—the “info booth” puzzle. It’s reasoning didn’t make any sense to me, and I didn’t like it. On the other hand, I was quite satisfied with the ending that I got, but I thought that the most difficult-to-achieve ending had worse narration. Overall, Primordia is a nifty retro-throwback that makes a valiant effort, but doesn’t quite manage to advance the genre very far.
