Conscript review - Navigating the trenches of terror

First revealed four years ago, Conscript is an intriguing title that explores the horrifying WW1 history setting from a survival-horror perspective. Not many games in the market have executed this combo, with solo exceptions like Amnesia The Bunker. While Frictional Games' offering was a first-person supernatural horror, Conscript keeps things relatively tame by simply focusing on the horrors of war.

So is this a success story, or best left forgotten in the ghostly trenches? Read on to have these questions and more answered in our full review for Conscript.

Conscript makes a solid first impression with gritty aesthetics and brutal gameplay

A world of hurt and terror awaits (Image via Team17)

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Set in 1916, players assume the role of a French soldier named Poilu stationed at Fort Souville during the Battle of Verdun. With his brother Pierre also among his fellow troops, the protagonist gears up to face the looming German threat - only to have them face insurmountable odds with Pierre being gravely wounded and missing.

With the French now at a disadvantage and forced to flee, Poilu must now track down his brother and get to safety. This is easier than said, however, since the trenches are swarming with German soldiers ready to kill the opposition on sight. With dwindling ammo and healing supplies, players must aim to survive the slaughter fest to live another day.

Fight in the face of hopelessness (Image via Team17)

Conscript is a game that isn't shy to showcase the gruesome reality of war. This is evident right from the get-go with its grey and brown color scheme accentuating the gorefest surrounding the protagonist. From hopeless survivors who refuse to fight and instead huddle up in terror to partly mutilated soldiers with missing legs crawling in agony, the game has many disturbing scenes on top of dead bodies piling up in trenches and rooms.

This title also borrows heavily from classics such as Resident Evil and Silent Hill, with several elements carrying over, such as limited inventory, slow combat, item-driven progression, and resource management. That said, there are no zombies or monsters to fight here - only human enemies with a thirst for blood.

While mortal, their creepy gas masks and armor designs do lend them an inhuman look that further sells the horror aspect. And yet, picked-up memorabilia such as photos from these downed enemies, depicted loved ones or their homes are a stark reminder that they are as human and vulnerable as the protagonist Poilu is.

Then again, as the saying goes, humanity is capable of more evil than any vengeful spirit or beastly monster can accomplish - and this also ties into the game's core theme. The story is split into chapters, with each taking players progressively deeper into the labyrinthine trenches.

Difficulty modes in Conscript (Image via Team17)

When players begin the game, they can pick between a few different difficulty modes - and choosing the right option is key as it cannot be altered without starting anew. Furthermore, by default, Conscript has limited save slots where players must track down ink bottles to save their progress - so resource management is paramount, and frankly, mess-ups will be inevitable for a first playthrough.

Those who are not comfortable with this setup can enable Unlimited Saves and Checkpoints to make the experience easier. However, they will be unable to achieve S+ rank with these two options enabled at the end of a playthrough, so that is something to consider. Additionally, Conscript also has a variety of different endings as well as in-game achievements, so replayability is encouraged heavily in light of the game's relatively linear nature.

A struggle for survival

Pushing a crate to progress further (Image via Team17)

This is an isometric game, so players will be controlling Poilu from a top-down camera angle. They must navigate the trenches of Fort Souville, making their way past deadly foes, harmful hazards like mustard gas, and tricky puzzles. They can move around, inspect, and shoot firearms as well as run, dodge, and use melee weapons - with the latter governed by a stamina gauge that depletes per action.

The playable area of Conscript's trenches is fairly large and non-linear, and many doors that players encounter will be locked initially. Many of these require keys, while others need codes or specific tools to get through. Between runs to safe rooms, players will encounter all sorts of foes patrolling the trenches - armed with either melee weapons or firearms.

Combat feels impactful (Image via Team17)

This leads us to one of the few aspects of Conscript that many people may not like: combat. Borrowing a page from older classics, Poilu cannot shoot and run simultaneously, and some enemies can be fairly tanky. Sometimes, multiple foes will swarm players, so those like me who want to explore in peace and huddle up all resources will no doubt try to take them down no matter what.

Furthermore, the aiming reticle must be held to make it more accurate. As such, players should ensure plenty of distance between themselves and their foe when firing a weapon as even reloading can render them stationary and vulnerable to taking a hit. Several types of weapons await discovery, like pistols, shotguns, rifles, and so on.

While using melee weapons conserves precious ammo, it is also more risky (Image via Team17)

There are also artillery shells to find which are used to break down blocked trench paths or use Wire Spools to prevent enemy advancement. Minus the knife, most melee weapons have a durability meter that degrades on each hit - and since the knife does the least damage, we recommend keeping it handy for breaking items instead of the other melee weapons.

Various environmental elements can be broken, such as barrels that may have cigarettes (the main currency of Conscript) or other supplies like ammo, supplies, and barricades that block entrances. Since players only have limited inventory slots, they must carefully measure as to which resources must be consumed or discarded and which must be kept.

Everything picked up apepars here (Image via Team17)

That said, inventory management can be cumbersome; there are no separate slots for key items, so they must be carried alongside weapons and consumables. While players can buy additional slots from the in-game vendor, the upgrades are very pricey and gamers will thus inevitably find themselves wasting precious space for a key.

If they chance across another key that opens a new section of the map or worse, toss it into a storage chest (many of which are located around the map to stow extra items) due to lack of space, this just wastes time. The fact that key items (or at least keys) are not segregated into their own slot is bad design and can drag down the already slow pacing even further.

A brief pocket of peace and serenity (Image via Team17)

Minus the trenches, there are a few flashback segments as well that shed light on the past of the character and his brother. These are more story-oriented segments compared to traditional trench warfare, so players should best experience it for themselves.

Graphics, performance, and sound

It can get fairly dark at times, pun intended (Image via Team17)

Speaking of being wary, Conscript does a terrifying solid job of keeping players on their toes at all times - and a lot of it is in no small part thanks to the amazing sound design. Case in point: Poilu only has a small circumference of light around him, so entering a dimly lit or dark area only to hear footsteps in the distance - or worse, the same footsteps barreling towards him - is a recipe for panic.

The pixel-art visual style, while reminiscent of PS1-era games, also has its unique flavor. This is especially evident in the various posters and non-playable sequences. The soundtrack is also moody and eerie, elevating Conscript's somber tone.

Coming to performance, this is a fairly lightweight game and will run on pretty much anything relatively modern. However, it lacks any options for frame rates above 60 FPS - a disappointment for PC gamers.

In conclusion

Conscript is an impressive showcase of how war is a lose-lose situation for everyone involved. The trial-and-error gameplay and slow, deliberately tedious combat will certainly not be for everyone; item management can also slow down the pacing more than it needs to.

However, those who can stomach these hiccups will be in for a slow burn of a ride that will keep them at the edge of their seat around every corner, carried by the eerily haunting atmosphere.